Always wanted to experience a traditional Japanese stay, and Ryokan Tori was everything I hoped for and more. The hosts were incredibly kind and sweet, and the entire building was relaxing, clean, comfortable, and beautiful. The futon was immensely comfy and warm, and I had one of the best sleeps I had in the entire trip. I shared with the hostess my itinerary, and she worked around it perfectly. Even when some of my plans changed the day of, she was extremely flexible and had the best hospitality. Her husband was equally as pleasant. They welcomed me with an educational and beautiful tea ceremony. As a matcha lover, I felt so honored to have finally seen one face-to-face and heard a little bit about its history. Afterward, she offered plenty of dinner recommendations for me. I was so grateful because I was tired after a full day of exploring and barely had enough energy or time to look up good restaurants myself. Because of her, I was able to experience an izakaya for the first time. It was a 10-minute walk through the surrounding quiet neighborhood. Because I was meeting my Japanese friend who spoke the language, I was able to order and enjoy the food with ease. Upon returning from dinner, I went up to my room and found the bed already made for me. After 20 minutes, the hostess knocked on my door and led me to the private hot bath that she prepared for me. It was so nice to decompress in the steam, and I came out clean and content in the yukata they provided. I enjoyed the delicious and traditional Japanese breakfast. Knowing I had an early kimono appointment and needed to check out early, the hostess prepared my breakfast a few minutes early and I got to eat with the view of the tea garden we walked through the night before. The food was warm and exquisite. I am so grateful to have found this place, and I plan on returning and staying longer for my next trip to Kyoto <3 Thank you so much for making my first solo trip to Kyoto special.

It's our first time to Japan. To get the true experience in Kyoto, my partner and I wanted to stay in a traditional ryokan. Every penny (or I guess I should say yen) we put towards our 2 nights at Ryokan Tori was 100% worth it and it's an experience that I will remember for years to come. We were warmly greeted by Satako and she ushered us up to our room, invited us to dress in our yakatas, and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony. The lodgings are beautiful, albeit a bit old with creaky flooring (which adds to the charm of its age), and getting to live the experience of sleeping/sitting on the floor in a traditional style Japanese household is unique and one-of-a-kind. Throughout our stay, Satako and all the staff were incredibly kind and helpful - she helped us get our luggage forwarded to Tokyo and provided recommendations for places to dine in the area. Would highly encourage people to make use of the private bath during their stay as it's super soothing and relaxing. The included breakfasts were a huge treat where all of it was gourmet, filling, and very much akin to traditional Japanese cuisine. Our travelling was for 3 weeks and our stay at Ryokan Tori was like a vacation while on vacation. We checked-out very refreshed and relaxed.

Nothing!

My stay at Ryokan Tori was an unforgettable experience that exceeded all my expectations. The combination of traditional charm, outstanding hospitality, and exquisite dining made it an absolute highlight of my trip to Japan. I highly recommend this ryokan to anyone looking to experience the beauty, culture, and warmth of Japanese hospitality in Kyoto. The hospitality was impeccable. The staff went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of my stay was perfect. They were incredibly attentive, friendly, and always available to assist with any request, yet they managed to do so in a way that was unobtrusive. The traditional Japanese breakfast the next morning was equally impressive, with a variety of dishes that were both healthy and delicious.

The Ryokan exceeded our expectations. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive, and the Ryokan itself was absolutely beautiful. The entire space felt serene and calming, with thoughtful attention to detail in every aspect. The tea ceremony, bath and traditional Japanese breakfast were the highlights of our stay, making it a truly unforgettable experience in Kyoto.

One thing to note but was not a big deal to us, is that the Ryokan requests returning by 11 PM in the evenings. It wasn’t a hard set rule but more of an ask. We obliged and didn’t think it was a big deal, but for other travelers who are maybe looking to enjoy their night out, it’s something to consider.

The whole experience was exceptional, everything is organized and well explained. We very much enjoyed the Tea ceremony, the Onsen and the traditional japanese breakfast. The owner is so kind, helpful and made us feel welcome and comfortable, every detail was taken care of (the incense in the room, the yukatas, the patient explanations to our questions, ..) There are also quite some nice services like the possibility to rent a bike, deliver luggage, crafts for sale or also the 1 day pass for public transportation in Kyoto .. This was one of the best places we visit ❤️

Everything was perfect

Exquisite, beautiful, detail. The owners are so welcoming and helpful. The tea ceremony was a real highlight of our Japan trip. The garden view room was stunning, everything was so well designed and maintained. The whole room was comfortable, we slept the whole way through the night. We felt so taken care of, our stay at the Ryokan Tori is the number one thing we will recommend to anyone visiting Kyoto

I am 6’4” and everything was comfortable in the house but the shoes were a little too small! In all seriousness though, there is absolutely nothing I would change about our stay, except to make it longer

This is a lovely little place, away from the touristy crowds of Kyoto and ran by a lovely couple. It was an amazing experience, the breakfast was delicious and the hot bath in the evenings felt really good after a long day of walking around Kyoto. The tea ceremony was also an unforgettable experience and we learned a lot about the tea ceremony traditions of Japan. The place is kept immaculately clean and the sleep was great even though we weren't used to sleeping on the tatami mats. They were happy to store our luggage on the day of check out. A kettle and tea bags are provided in the room.

As it's an old house (with all its charm!), you can hear creaking floorboards and doors, however this actually was not an issue for us during the nights as the other guests were very quiet and respectful.

Our hosts were exepctional, went above and beyond our expectations. I lost my wallet on a day trip to Nara, when coming back to the Ryokan. Our hosts then went and got in contact with the local shrine, Nara temple and then even going to the local police, through their efforts we ended up retrieving it from the police station the following day! I never would have found if it wasnt for their help! :) We really enjoyed the tranquilty of the tradtional Ryokan, and the bath was such a bonus as when arriving back each day, the first question we were asked was if we wanted a bath run for us, which adds a lovely homely touch, especially after a day full of sightseeing. We also attended the tea ceramony the host provided, which was as traditional as it could get, and you really get to appreciate craft and skill involved in making the tea . The breakfasts in the morning were exceptional giving you a full authentic taste of a traditional Japanese breakfast, with the added touch of our hostess walking through each component on the plate and even giving insight as to what compliments each best. Finally, our hosts also gave us some lovely reccomendations of places to eat which we tried out and were outstanding.

Faultless.

Most amazing stay of our whole trip in Japan. Lovely couple hosted us and prepared us traditional Japanese breakfast each morning and the onsen each evening. Incredible courtesy and hospitality. Great for Westerners for the cultural experience, the tea ceremony was so special and informative. We definitely want to come back. It is quite north of the city but we rented electric bicycles so had no issue getting to all the major tourist attractions. Kyoto is a very special and peaceful city.

Nothing to fault as long as you have an open mind and embrace the cultural norms in Japan. The futons/floor sitting for breakfast were comfortable for us but inflexible/elderly Westerners or people with back issues might struggle. The hosts were really kind people and a beautiful couple.

The Ryokan was beautifully furnished with a lot of attention for detail. Sleeping on tatami mats was surprisingly comfortable. You don’t notice other guests really, everything is really calm and intimate. Also the personnel was extremely friendly, the owners explained all steps (from welcoming tea to wearing the Yukata they provide to bathing to tea ceremony) in detail and gave great advise on what to do while in Kyoto in perfect English. We got recommended the best restaurant and a very nice route of shrines and temples close by.