The origins of Tawaraya Ryokan stretch back three centuries to 1709, during the Edo period. Tawaraya Wasuke, a trader of hemp and cotton textiles in Shimane Prefecture, bought land in Kyoto, founding the ryokan as a side business. The intention was for the ryokan to be used as an inn for local feudal officials and samurai visiting the area. Over the years, the ryokan continued to thrive and serve guests, largely remaining a family-owned enterprise.
However, during the Kinmon Incident of 1864, rebels attempting to seize the Emperor ended up setting Kyoto on fire, with the ryokan being completely burned down. It was rebuilt afterwards into the configuration that it is largely today.
The ryokanās reputation for excellent service only grew and improved in the succeeding years, with members of former daimyo, aristocratic families, and even members of the Tokugawa clan itself taking time to stay there as well. By the *20th century, its reputation grew internationally, with notable figures like Steven Spielberg, Robert Oppenheimer, and Tom Cruise all spending time staying at the ryokan, leaving it with nothing but praise for its service. Until today, under 15 generations of continued family management, the ryokan continues to provide its unique and impeccable service and accommodations to visitors who seek to enjoy its rich and continuing heritage.
Tawaraya Ryokan has maintained a great deal of its traditional features, presenting itself as a simple yet authentic example of traditional Japanese wooden architecture. It is three floors high, and features 18 rooms. It is in its interiors where guests can fully experience the charm and beauty of the ryokan. Upon entry, guests are ushered into a luxurious lobby, featuring a tsubo-niwa pocket garden in the center whose plants are changed monthly. Byobu painted screens with intricate artwork greet visitors, leading up to a waiting room with Western-style seats and a bookcase.
Upon reaching their rooms, it becomes apparent that these have also retained the minimalist yet modern Japanese design, with the usual yet well-chosen tatami mats, shoji screens, fusuma doors, and low cedar tables. Futon beds utilize thick shiki-buton mattresses, allowing for a comfortable compromise with Western-style beds. Some rooms come with their private gardens, including tokonoma alcoves displaying seasonal scrolls or flower arrangements.
Despite its seemingly small size, the ryokan has room for outdoor gardens and a study, where visitors can read English or Japanese books while reclining in a nearby alcove.
English
Japanese
Services and conveniences
Business facilities
Elevator
Gift/souvenir shop
Smoking area
Access
Pets allowed
General
Air conditioning
Heating
Bathroom
Bathtub
Available in all rooms
Daily newspaper
Free bottled water
Non-smoking
Towels
Not included
TV
Languages spoken
English
Langs spoken
Japanese
Services and conveniences
Business facilities
Elevator
Gift/souvenir shop
Smoking area
Access
Pets allowed
General
Air conditioning
Heating
Bathroom
Bathtub
Available in all rooms
Daily newspaper
Free bottled water
Non-smoking
Towels
Not included
TV
The meals at Tawaraya Ryokan are kaiseki dishes, with the ryokan offering both breakfast and dinner and served by the staff to guest rooms. The dishes offered are largely Japanese staples of fish, meat, and vegetables, without vegetarian or gluten-free meals.
Breakfast
The ryokan offers a Western and a Japanese-style breakfast, with guests being able to choose either. Visitors can expect dishes such as perfectly steamed rice, grilled fish, Kyoto tsukemono (Japanese pickles), age-dashi dofu (fried tofu), aka-dashi (red miso soup), and one or two other side dishes.
Dinner
Tawarayan Ryokan proudly channels the beauty of Japan's four seasons into its cuisine, so meals served vary depending on the season and availability of the ingredients. For dinner, guests may savor Shokuzen-shu plum wine and Saki-zuke with shrimp, potato, and carrots. This is followed up by the Ko-suimono soup course, with pureed lotus root soup with fried tofu and roasted pine nuts. There is also the Muko-zuke sashimi course of longtooth grouper and puffer fish sashimi.
The Mushi-mono steamed food course features pike conger eel, clams, yuba, shimeji mushroom, and steam-boiled Japanese parsley. Another part of dinner is the Yaki-mono grilled fish course, which includes nameko mushroom, conger eel sushi, grilled shrimp, ginger root, and various nuts. Finally, dessert is Mizu-mono, which is pear compote with blueberry sauce.
King Carl XVI Gustaf - Current and longest reigning monarch of Sweden, former guest of the ryokan.
Barron Hilton - American business magnate and renowned hotelier, former guest of the ryokan, who remarked that it was āa lesson to hotelmen on what service is all aboutā.Ā
Guests of Tawaraya Ryokan can enjoy a variety of cultural experiences that Kyoto is known for. Located right in the middle of Kyoto, visitors of the ryokan are in a very favorable location to explore and experience the rest of the city. They would not even need to travel far, as they can visit the Museum of Kyoto, featuring general exhibitions of arts and crafts, illustrations, and artifacts of Kyotoās history. Meanwhile, the Kunjyukan features the production of incense and various fragrances.
Younger guests might be more appreciative of the Kyoto International Manga Museum, which features more than 500,000 works of manga arranged in different collections. Another historical experience visitors may enjoy is the Kyoto Samurai Ninja Museum, which showcases all sorts of artifacts and exhibits about the famed samurai and ninjas of old. The museum is lavishly decorated, with dozens upon dozens of full-body samurai armor displays, and a vast collection of swords, shuriken, and other related artefacts from various periods of Japanese history. Visitors can also try on samurai armor, whether for men or women, and for all ages, even with appropriate swords.
The residence of the Japanese Emperor until 1869, now situated inside a 65-hectare national garden. It was modeled after the Tang dynasty capital of Changāan and features more than a dozen buildings with lush gardens. (7-minute drive)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring structures with abundant moats, well-preserved fortifications, and elaborate gold leaf woodwork and details. (6-minute drive)
Opened in 1903, and is the second-oldest zoo in Japan after Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, it now has 721 individual animals from 175 species from all over the world. (8-minute drive)
The nearest airport to the ryokan is Osaka Itami Airport, which is a 53-minute drive away.
The nearest railway station to the ryokan is Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Subway Station, which is a 2-minute drive away.