Yoshida Sanso

Japan , Kyoto
Kyoto, 59-1 Yoshida-Shimo-oji-cho, Sakyo-ku
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47 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2025

Tom

Unbelievable experience — if you want a peaceful and immersive experience in Japan, could not recommend more.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Oct 2024

Phil

An exceptional stay from start to finish. Gracious hospitality, a true time capsule with updates in all the right places. The japanese breakfast every day was truly memorable, and the coffee shop on the property was beautiful as well. I could not recommend more, 10/10 stay, worth the price! We stayed in the private cabin and it was perfect.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2024

Rojdan

Myself and my girlfriend stayed here for 2 nights we had the private residence. Beautiful place, fell in love with it but the moment we stepped foot init

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2024

Matthew

Wow - we have just checked out from a 1 night stay at this Yoshida Sanso and we were truly amazed at both the place itself and even more so the lovely people that looked after us so well! We are celebrating our honeymoon in Japan and the family who run the Ryokan couldn’t have done more to make our stay a more memorable one! Would recommend to anyone wanting a peaceful and authentic Ryokan experience! ❤️

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2023

Tony

In original condition. Maintained from 1930's.
Expensive but price of heritage.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2023

maitha

Very beautiful hotel. We stayed in the Detached house “Hanare”, very magical place. The breakfast is delicious and the coffee shop was all for us before it opens to guests at 11:00AM, they even gave my son a small lovely gift. The staff are really dedicated and treated us very warmly, just like a family.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2022

Charles

Simply amazing experience. Refined elegance in every way.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

beautiful and perfect location close to the university.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2019

Monica

It is a historical place once belonging to a member from the Imperial family. The current members try to uphold some of the old traditions. Our room overlooked the garden as was very spacious. Our first breakfast was served in a sitting room upstairs which was private. The second morning in a beautiful room overlooking their beautiful garden. Beautiful service and delicious food Japanese one morning and Continental the next. A gorgeous Ryokan experience.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Incredible in every way, so serene and perfect service. The breakfast and dinner were superb. Such an enjoyable stay.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2019

Verified traveler

Expensive and touristy

We had a nice stay at this ryokan, but it was extremely \"touristy\" as opposed to genuine. Service was good and food was ok but nothing was excellent. The house is beautiful and in a great spot for visiting some nice temples and the philosophers walk along the small river branch. Nice for couples that the bath is private and thus can be gender shared. Everything very clean. However, in total, this was extraordinarily priced (both the lodging and the food) for what it was.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2019

Ellen

Magical and Historic

Yoshida sanso is a magical place and the proprietors are wonderful people. Also, you can walk to the Philosophers Path which is one of the most beautiful walks in Kyoto. The food was incredible, I highly recommend trying their dinner and breakfast, though we only had the breakfast. Be sure to arrive on time to allow yourself plenty of time to experience and enjoy the property.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Excellent experience all around. Highly recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2018

Dana

An experience of a lifetime, impossible to rate on a computer. It was warm, wonderful, authentic, clean, caring, delicious food and one of the most special and meaningful stay of our entire Japan vacation, top 3 lifetime.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2018

Harrison

Beautiful traditional Japanese ryokan! A very unique experience with some of the best dining found in Japan.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2018

Luca

Unforgettable experience — a dream of a hotel! Most highly recommended

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jan 2018

eva

Beautiful traditional Japanese building.

love the location, the view. All the staff is very kind, especially the Japanese style breakfast, definitely made my day. the last day we booked a shuttle service to the Kansai Airport, they helped us to storage luggage till late afternoon and served us their delicious Japanese coffee in the small but cozy tea house. that's very warm and thank you very much.

8/10

Excellent

05 Dec 2017

Verified traveler

Calm, peaceful and relax, warm welcome, friendly and good service.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Oct 2017

Granville

Unique experience

This 'hotel' is not like anywhere else I have ever stayed. The service was so personal, with private dining rooms etc., that most of the time it felt like the entire focus of the place was on you alone. Altogether a unique experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2017

HOU YIN PETER

Remarkable Experience and Top-quality Service

It was truly an amazing experience for the 2 of us and our 7-year old kid. This mansion used to be the home of a prince and was mentioned in one of the documentary books of Kyoto. It should be one of those top-serviced Ryokens in town. We were assigned for literally a \"house\" with 40 years of history and own front garden and gate, spacious living of about 2,000 sq. feet of room, comfortable trad. Japanese futon style, all necessary amenities (even come with iron & ironing board and kimono dressing). A special gratitude to all the smiling staff & their hospitality at the mansion, especially Tomoko, who explained everything well to us. At breakfast time, we were treated a private room and a full set delicious trad. Japanese style breakfast, and Japanese times daily newspaper, which was supplemented with complimentary coffee/tea in their relaxing tea shop, caused us certain delay in activity schedule because it was just so luring to stay a little longer in the mansion for the good mood and ambiance.... There are parking space as well in case you drive. The only thing you need to be aware is that since the surrounding is nature, you just can't avoid the chance of having \"special\" visitors such as the naughty spider which was attracted by our room lights and came visiting on the first night of arrival.... therefore my kid's comment would be different from us because he would opt for no insects in the future.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

unique experience in a traditional ryokan

we spent two nights here. Found the staff incredibly kind and helpful. They went out of their way to make sure everything went smoothly for us. One of them wrote out for us in Japanese all of the sights we wanted to go to so that we could show taxi drivers the Japanese names of the locations. It turned out to be incredibly helpful and made our brief stay very smooth. We also had the traditional Japanese dinner one of our nights at the ryokan. it was amazing. We had never had anything like it. The owner was lovely and introduced herself during our dinner. The room was very comfortable, decorated in the traditional Japanese style. We had big windows that opened up to a lovely garden view with the hills in the distance. We would highly recommend. It was a wonderful experience all around.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2017

Chris Piazza

A gem in Kyoto

If you are in Kyoto this is a must. The staff is friendly, the grounds are immaculate and the food is wonderful. The best accomidation in Kyoto by far!

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2017

Sebastian

Japanese Cultural Experience

We felt like guests in a bygone era. The food was authentic. Staff were very friendly. Sleeping on the futon bed was quite comfortable and the tub was welcome after a day of touring. It's in a quiet residential area a bit out of town. Taxis were called and arrived after a short wait.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Fantastic old Japanese style hotel

I loved staying here. Having breakfast in a private room overlooking the lovely gardens was great. It was a little run down in places partly I assume to retain its older character. The staff were friendly but only one spoke much English. You will not have a private bathroom and toilet and must share. The windows of our room rattled when the wind blew and kept waking us up. When there you always feel the need to be quiet as the walls are thin. But all in all a lovely place.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2016

Mark

One of the best hotel/inn experiences ever.

I have always wanted to stay in a Ryokan, and the experience exceeded my expectations. Hosts were warm, welcoming, and very helpful.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2016

yu mei

To experience the traditional Japanese Life style

Accommodations are traditional but perhaps could be updated. We stayed in the hanare, which is a separate building from the main house. The food was terrific and the people were wonderful. You are made to feel like either visiting family or royalty. The Japanese gardens are beautiful. The surrounding neighborhood is quiet. The property itself is serene.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Apr 2016

Samantha

Great Ryokan Experience!

We stayed at the Yoshida-Sanso for one night after spending 3 nights at the Westin in Kyoto. Obviously a very different experience from a Western hotel, but very happy we did it and highly recommend to others. We arrived in the evening around 6pm and immediately went to enjoy our multi-course dinner that was included in the price of our hotel room. My friend is a vegan and they were able to accommodate her with a delicious meal as well since we gave them advanced notice.

Our room was spacious, and we shared a bathroom with another room that was on the same floor. It was not an issue at all, as we never seemed to need to use the bathroom at the same time.

Breakfast the next morning was just as elaborate and delicious as dinner the night before. After breakfast we walked a short 10 minutes to the Philosopher’s Path and enjoyed the beautiful cherry blossoms that were blooming. We made a quick stop at the Silver Pavilion.

The staff spoke relatively good English and one woman was almost fluent as she spent a few years in NYC. All were very attentive and helpful.

Overall, the Yoshida-sanso was a great, unique experience and I would highly recommend for anyone who is looking to change up the traditional Western hotel stay.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2016

Quentin

Historic Ryokan

This is a great opportunity to stay in a historically important and beautiful house/ryokan. The house is full of interesting original architectural details and the garden is excellent. The neighborhood is quiet but there are bus routes nearby and subway lines are also a (longish) walk away. They're happy to call taxis for you as well. We were the only guests there at the time and received great, attentive service.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Dec 2015

Maria

Fantastic experience

Amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience in beautiful traditional Ryokan

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2014

Ben S.

Five Nights of Bliss

We had enjoyed a Kaiseki dinner here with a group in May, 2010, and wanted to come back to Kyoto and spend more time. We stayed in the Hanare (the Satsuki Cottage, a separate, traditional Japanese building) for five nights. You sleep on futons, they fill up the wood bath every afternoon, and you can wear your Yukata to dinner. They fed us a Kaiseki (chef's whim) breakfast each morning and a Kaiseki dinner each evening. Every meal was different! The staff were incredibly attentive and polite, and we twice got to chat with the owner, Kyoko Nakamura, who was so gracious. We even got to meet the chef! You are removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, it's easy to grab a taxi, walk to a bus line, or do what we did most days and walk the kilometer or two to the nearest temple.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Oct 2013

Jose

Very nice but expensive traditional hotel

Busy weekend in Kyoto, limited choice. A vacancy appeared at this nice Ryokan. We had the cottage next to the main building which is like a suite with a bedroom, a living room and a private bathroom with tub apart from a large closed balcony and a \"private\" garden.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2012

Wonderful stay in a traditional ryokan

My wife and I wanted to stay at a traditonal Japanese hotel and we found Ryokan-Yoshida sanso to be the perfect accomodation. This ryokan combines modern conveniences such wifi internet connection and flat screen tv with the traditional Japanese features such futon beds and in-room onsen. I would highly recommend to reserve the room with a meal plan since the hotel is located in a residential area with no nearby restaurants.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Dec 2024

Isobe

昭和初期に作られた建築を大切に丁寧に使い続けられるお部屋を使わせていただき感動と共に宿泊しました。静かで、お部屋からの眺めもよくゆったりと過ごせました。お料理もとても美味しくいただき器も楽しませていただきました。古き良き時代を感じつつ、快適に過ごすための最新機器を取り入れています。カフェの真古館も素敵でした。

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2024

Hideyuki

上品。

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2022

紅葉の人手のなか、別世界のような静寂と美。部屋の窓からの額縁紅葉＆ステンドグラスも素敵。もてなし・対応も自然で柔軟。また行きたくなります。

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Apr 2022

SHIGERU

とてものんびりと素晴らしい非現実的な時間を過ごし、歴史ある建築物に出来ました。

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

28 Nov 2021

???

大変手入れの行き届いたお部屋と御庭に大満足です。
庭師さん、おもてなしのスタッフさんがいらして、まるで自分が、館の主人になったかのような貴重な疑似体験ができました。
アメニティグッズが少なかったのと、お部屋のスタッフコール電話にでていただけなかったのが、少し残念ですが、これも、主人の疑似体験の一つと思えるほどでした。

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

様々なところに活けてあるお花がとても素敵でした。また、今回は残念ながら夕食はいただけませんでしたが、朝食もとても美味しかったです。コーヒーもゆっくり楽しむことができ、心からリラックスできました。また、伺いたいです。

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Apr 2018

Inés

Un Ryokan increíble en Kyoto

Sé que esta será una de las mejores estancias de mi vida. Inmejorable la belleza del lugar y el trato del personal.

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2018

すー

かつての宮さまの別荘地

お料理、おもてなし、お部屋など随所にきめ細やかな配慮や温もりが感じられ素晴らしい滞在でした。また、ぜひ宿泊したいと思います。

10/10

Exceptional

25 Dec 2016

Verified traveler

Noble life style of Kyoto

Nobel life style of Kyoto. Aged estate impresses with its unique delicacy and tender service.

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2016

Edgard

GRAN experiencia de un típico Ryokan japonés

Espectacular experiencia de un típico Ryokan japonés! El ambiente, la tranquilidad, la privacidad, el servicio, las instalaciones, la comida, la vista, el jardín, etc etc etc. MUY recomendado para hospedarse en pareja. GRAN lugar! Vale la pena cada Yen que se paga!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Ryokan is overrated

Overpriced, uncomfortable and poor food.
Wish we would have stayed at a hotel instead.

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Great ryokan and unique experience

Shared bathroom was not a problem at all but the fact that the bathrooms are not in the guestrooms was a bit inconvenient. But excellent services by the staff who make you feel at home and the fact that this actually was a home (to a member of Japanese royal family) gives it a truly unique experience.

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2015

Marcos

Increíble estadía en un Ryokan bien tradicional

Pasamos 3 noches en la casita individual de este Ryokan. Nos encanto! Muy bien cuidado, la dueña y el restringe la gente que te atiende es increíble. Muy recomendable!
Dos puntos importantes: no es muy céntrico, esta algo algo alejado del Kyoto station, y entiendo que los demás cuartos del Ryokan no tienen baño privado.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Oct 2013

Pablo

Precio de comida ridiculamente alto

Hotel muy lindo en area de suburbio de Kyoto, area deserta. Una cena simples con arroz e udon nos custo 10 vezes mas que el normal en un restaurante!!! La diaria mas cara que del Georges V de Paris por persona no inclui desayuno!!! Esto no existe en otros hoteles en otras partes del mundo, ni mismo en Japon.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2009

For a travel in the Japanese tradition

We passed one day in the annex: a separate building with all the comforts one can expect by a high grade hotel, and all the peculiarity of a traditional Japanese house. It is expensive, but if you want to make a time travel in the ancient Kyoto surrounded by a Japanese garden contiguous to a Shinto Shrine, this is the place to go.
The toilet is provided with an excellent washlet, the bathroom has a wooden tub with very hot water, for a strong relaxing experience.
Yukata (Kimono to wear at home) are provided for the time you'll stay in the Ryokan.
The position is quite good for reaching some of the most important points of interest of east Kyoto.