We decided to stay for a single night in a traditional ryokan inn and so had little conception of what it might be like. And it was certainly a unique experience. The room was tatami matted with shoji paper sliding window screens. On the floor were two futons and a low table and chairs. I’ve spent most of my adult life with futon beds but I think many westerners might find them hard/uncomfortable. As someone with hip issues I found the low seating a bit of a challenge … but these are not criticisms of Tazuru as they would be the same in any other ryokan. We decided against the main meal as we wanted to explore Kyoto a little but we did have their traditional breakfast, which was awesome - even if I could imagine those with no prior exposure to Japanese cuisine struggling with some of its content. And it was the only place where we state during our time in Japan that provided slippers that would fit our size 10/11 feet!

It perhaps had an air of “had seen better days” about the place, and yet it was such a unique experience that we loved every moment of out time there.

such a peaceful stay, the decor is traditional and minimalistic. lovely area and view over the river. the kaiseki dinner and breakfast were exquisite - each dish like a work of art and perfectly balanced.

sleeping on the thin mats for 3 nights was a little uncomfortable but I doubled up two mats to have more comfort on the last night

- The view from the balcony off our room was stunning. Being able to see Kiyomizu in the distance, the Ryozen Kannonji statue, and the Yasaka Pagoda was so neat. As well as the Kamo River and all the kawadoko riverside dining spots. A perfect spot to relax in the evening. - The location, surrounded by lots of restaurants, and within walking distance of many famous spots. If it had been more affordable we would’ve tried the dinner/breakfast here. - Very comfortable futon beds - The AC was on the weaker side, but we were able to open the windows and keep the shoji closed for some extra airflow. - The bathroom facilities were average, but nice to have them there. Sad that the public bath was closed.

- A small complaint, mentioned by others, but parts of the hotel itself are old. The elevator was quite small. There are some stains in the carpet. Nothing that would ruin the experience, just didn’t match how nice the room and lobby were. - Wifi basically didn’t reach our room and there was a sign saying this was a common problem and to come to the lobby to use it.

The staff were fantastic. We made a mistake regarding what train we had to catch on the day we had to check out. We were confused by the train website and transfer times. We rang and the staff kindly let us check out earlier than we had intended. Thank you very much for your flexibility and accommodating our schedule so last minute. You made our trip much less stressful and we were able to make our train and transfers as a result. We greatly appreciate it and apologise for any inconvenience we caused. Thank you very much. The hotel is lovely, quiet, and clean. We highly recommend staying here.

Very good location. It’s an older property with dated facilities but the rooms were spacious and comfortable. It’s great for a night or two to experience a Ryokan and Kaiseki dinner. The dinner is a must! BUT you have to be open to try new things - we didn’t recognize a lot of foods but that added to the experience for us. We had a seven course meal that was beautifully prepared and presented. As other reviewers mentioned, if you’re looking for a traditional, old style experience, then this place is great. Breakfast was really nice, it’s served at three times (7:40/8:00/8:20am).

Nothing

The service is top notch. It's what you expect from Japan staff. This place will give immerse five you a full immersion. We had 2 meals, dinner and breakfast. All very Japanese. "what are we eating" and "it's beautiful and yummy". The diner room was very lively during our stay and the other guests were all speaking (loudly) Japanese.

Our room felt a little bit old, there was a spot where the wallpaper was coming off or was stained, I forgot. We paid 380 Canadian dollars (1 night, 2 meals) which is more than the Japanese style room we had in Fujikawaguchiko with view on the Mont Fuji. Fortunately, the meal experience and the staff made up for it

The staff, just like most places in Japan was 100/10 for helpful and friendly. The location was perfect being a 10 minute walk from either bus or train station. It’s on the same street of tons of cafes for breakfast, bars and restaurants at night. A highly visited touristy, cultural area is a 20 minute walk or 10-15 minute walk and transit away so a major plus.

Nothing could be improved because they delivered exactly what they are purposed and have an awesome price point. BUT please be advised that this is very much an old school traditional ryokan and gives that perfectly without losing any modern convenience (WiFi, TV, AC, etc). The beds are on the floor and the floor is kinda delicate(no dragging luggage on the floor) because of the material it is made with that makes it old school Japan authentic. It feels like you’re teleported back in time to classic Japan that you picture from 90s movies. That being said we sought this out and wanted to have this be a part of our Kyoto deep Japanese culture, so make sure this is what you want.

Very accommodating to foreign language travelers, all the staff try their very hardest to communicate. Whilst the facilities are showing their age there is a certain charm to it. The bathroom in particular is very dated but having a bath in that tub was spectacular for a person as tall as myself. Dinner and breakfast were also excellent.

The facilities are old and dated. Whilst i enjoyed the bath, for older people like my parents it was a trip hazard and they both did not feel safe.

Excellent dinner and breakfast. Different meal each time. Lovely view of the river from the restaurant. This staff was wonderful. Felt well taken care of. Nice to stay in traditional room. Sitting area in the room was comfortable with nice view of cherry blossoms. Very convenient to all of east side of town.

Rather worn property. There were 2 futons each, but pretty hard...to be expected in ryokan, but one and done for me.

Excellent location - just stroll over the bridge and you're in Gion and surrounds. Beautiful, quiet street. We enjoyed the traditional Japanese breakfast. I found the futon beds really comfortable. It was nice to be provided hot water every day to make tea.

Although the location is lovely, you do kind of need to get a taxi there if arriving by shinkansen, unless you only have a small amount of luggage that you can comfortably take on the bus. Parts of the hotel felt a bit old and in need of a refresh (e.g., the small elevator), though in some ways the old feeling did add to the charm.