My husband and I were aimlessly strolling along today when we came upon this sweet Ryokan for lunch! What a lovely experience we had. The couple who owns it is the third generation of their family to look after this special place. 140 years in their care! Very beautiful all throughout. Such attention to detail. A gorgeous garden with many colors of koi swimming about. We were lucky to sit for a private lunch with such a stunning view. We each enjoyed the tempura shrimp set meal for a great price. The food was delicious. Each of the small plates is packed with flavor and plated so nicely! The service was excellent. We loved chatting with our host. She taught us some Japanese and shared with us about her culture which we deeply appreciated. Anyone lucky enough to discover this ryokan will be glad they found it. Arigato Gozaimasu! We hope very much to return someday :)

Stayed one night in a group of three. We really enjoyed the traditional style and peaceful atmosphere! The rooms were very clean and charming, and the owners were very kind and welcoming. The hostess explained everything to us, and even poured tea for us in our room as we got settled! The family bath was a pleasant experience also, I'm glad a reserved a time slot after the day's activities. I'm very glad we came here!

We paid 332€ for 2 nights (2 persons, so 160€ per night). The location, the traditional atmosphere are great The ryokan is beautiful (140 years old), in the center from Kyoto and only 15 minutes from Kyoto train station. Nonetheless they welcomed us by telling us the strict rules to respect, the main one being the curfew hours: from 7am until 11pm. No keys are provided. We insisted on having access to the beautiful bath / Sento bath we saw on the pictures and after a while, the owner accepted. We asked if there was breakfast that we could pay for and was provided and they said they didn't do it. When we checked out, we saw they were preparing breakfast for a customer and going to his/her room. The room was big and nice but next to a loud street so we had to wear earplugs. There were drinks (to buy) available in a fridge but we didn't know. Overall the stay was OK but we felt there were more rules to be aware of, than nice services that could be provided (breakfast, Sento bath, drinks ...).

I had the pleasure of staying at Kikokuso last October and I could not recommend it more if you are looking to experience a ryokan. The hosts are so kind and welcoming, it feels like you're returning home every night. You can really tell the owners care for the place. It is well-maintained and there is a quaint little koi pond that the host would love to show you. If you are willing to walk a bit more, it's not too far from Kyoto Station. There is a gorgeous garden right across the street as well. Truly one of the most memorable experiences of my time in Japan, I hope to return some day and give the sweet couple who owns the inn my regards.

You ever have an experience on a trip that stands out? Well, staying at Kikokuso was one of them. Me and the wife decided to extend our stay in Kyoto by one day, and had to rush to find a place to stay as the hotel we were staying at didn’t have any further availability. We searched and found this place on a whim, and were unsure of what it would be like. The moment we walked in however, we knew it was special. It’s a traditional Japanese ryokan run by a husband and wife couple who have had it in their family for 3 generations, and they were so nice and accommodating. One of the first things they said to us when we got back after from a day out after checking in was “welcome home!” They even set out slippers for us, left us hot tea and cookies in our room, and laid out our beds. They speak enough english to make the process of checking in smooth, and the rooms are beautiful. The beds were comfortable, they have a full bathtub in your room if you want to take a bath, and the room was warm on a cold night. The whole place is beautiful, and well maintained. You can tell this is a place of great importance for them. We opted for a morning breakfast option, which took place at 8:30. It was a very traditional Japanese breakfast with small rolled omelets, fish, rice, pickled vegetables, miso, and hot green tea. Normally, I’m not the biggest fan of pickles, but these were actually delicious. I ate everything! The breakfast also took place with a view of their beautiful garden which has a small pond with koi swimming around. You can stay at fancy hotels if you want, but if you want a true Japanese living experience with extremely gracious hosts, you need to come here. Please give this place the attention it, and its owners, deserve. Thank you for an amazing stay!