The meals were amazing! The ryokan was right across the street from a beautiful temple. Onsens. Helpful and patient staff. We enjoyed wearing the robes.

The laundry took forever to dry in the dryer.

Amazing staff and such a charming ryokan. I wish I stayed longer! The host especially is so sweet and accommodating. The food is also exceptional and the hot bath!!

All staff were so polite and helpful. The whole Ryokan was soo clean. The public bath was nice too. After a full day walk, it's good relax. The dinner was great, very well prepared and very tasty, highly recommended. The breakfast was very good too. Location of the ryokan is less than 10 min. walking from JR Kyoto station.

The room was a bit small, but we understand this is how a typical Ryokan in the center of Kyoto would be.

Everything. The lovely and attentive staff. The attention to detail. The ambiance. The tatoo friendly onsen. The in-room japanese style breakfast. Everything is just perfect. Staying in this place is an experience itself and a highlight of our Kyoto trip.

NOTHING. Everything is perfect!

I stayed at Yamadaya Ryokan in late March 2025 during my trip to Kyoto, and it was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my journey. The location was excellent, making it easy to explore the city while still offering a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle. From the moment I arrived, the staff made me feel welcome and provided an authentic ryokan experience. My room was simply magnificent, with beautiful traditional elements like tatami flooring and a comfortable futon, creating a perfect balance of comfort and tradition. One of the standout moments of my stay was the kaiseki dinner. The attention to detail and passion of the staff were evident in every dish, making it a truly unforgettable dining experience. The onsen with a garden view was absolutely breathtaking. I had heard about the Japanese onsen culture before, but experiencing it firsthand was something else. After soaking in the warm waters, I felt completely refreshed and rejuvenated. I highly recommend Yamadaya Ryokan to anyone looking for an authentic Japanese ryokan experience. If you're visiting Kyoto and want to immerse yourself in traditional Japanese hospitality, this is the place to be!

The breakfast was a wonderful multicourse Japanese meal served in the banquet room. Though breakfast service did cost extra, it was well worth the expense. We enjoyed the shabu shabu dinner and the sake flight. The staff were friendly and informative, the food was delicious, the sento were amazing, and the location was central to metro, food, and shopping. It was an excellent stay. The entire crew was also English-friendly while being patient with my broken Japanese. Our stay at the ryokan was the midway point in our trip, so coming to Yamadaya was a wonderful rest. Definitely check out nearby Potoncho Alley for food, and be sure to make a reservation. I also encourage a day trip to Kurama-dera and Kurama onsen (which just reopened!), as well as Nara/Todaiji temple, and Fushimi-Inari Taisha (get there at sunrise).

There is nothing I would have changed!

Love and I mean Love my stay in yamadaya ryokan, every single staff was amazing from the moment I step into the ryokan to the moment I left. The older lady who owned the ryokan was so nice and patient with explaining everything to me with a translation device and was very friendly, there were no lift at the ryokan but my heavy luggage was delivered to my room. Lady at the front desk was also very kind/caring and offered me a warm pack as it was a cold day when I was there. Ordered the dinner (a must, trust me) and the younger waitress was also super patient in explaining each of the dishes and the meaning of the dishes. Wish I could have stayed longer. Everything about this place was amazing.

Nil

The staff was really nice, helpful and polite. We loved that we were offered a fresh cup of tea upon arrival followed by a tour of the Ryokan with thorough explanation. Getting to wear beautiful yukata and relaxing in the onsen every night after a long day was such a dream ! We loved the nice little zen garden of the Ryokan too. It was so comfortable sleeping on the futon on the tatami. We appreciated the way we were greeted and treated during our stay with proper Japanese etiquette. Overall it was a beautiful and memorable experience I'll never forget !

We had an incredible experience staying here! All of the staff were incredibly polite, and eager to help us out when needed. Upon check-in, they personally walked us through all of the hotel's ammenities from the tablet in our room to the laundry in the lobby. The futons were very soft, almost no difference to sleeping on a mattress. There were also complementary robes and toiliteries available. The public bath was pretty big, overlooked a small but beautiful garden, and had all of the ammenities one could need. This location is less than a 10 minute walk from Kyoto station, located right accross from a huge temple, and also located close to restaurants and convenience stores.

We loved our hosts who were incredibly friendly, caring, attentive, and warm. Room was amazingly clean with beautiful tatami mats. Two public baths, one with a view of a small, but lovely garden, were great to use at the end of a long, hot day. The highlight of our stay was the kaiseki breakfast—definitely worth the extra charge. Finally, the location was ideal. Kyoto Station was about a ten minute walk, the stunning Hongan Higashi-ji temple was right across the street, and we found some great restaurants nearby. Central and convenient, but also surprisingly calm and quiet.