I spent two nights at Kinmata as part of a visit to Kyoto. It's expensive, but I was traveling alone (as an add-on to a business trip to Korea) and I wanted to be somewhere where I would really experience traditional Japan. Kinmata was all that and more -- I was the only westerner in the place and many Japanese... More

The Kinmata Inn, centrally located in old Kyoto, is a traditional Japanese Inn, a Ryokan - except for air con and some sanitary installation it's unchanged since 1801 or so. The owners are very sweet people and are in charge for many many generations - running the hotel really is their life. You will sleep on the floor on a... More

We stayed there for only 1 night, as we wanted to try other inns. My wife and I went there for the food more than anything. Without a doubt, Kinmata had the best kaiseki meal of all the 'high end' places we tried. In fact, we went there first so it ended up being all downhill from there. Extremely welcoming... More

We stayed there for 3 nights. The location couldnt get any better. It's literally next to Nishiki market, walking distance to some big malls, and Gion. The guy who manages the ryokan is very helpful and fast. Very nice guy. We asked him to recommend us couple restaurants, he searched, printed the complete address and map and got back to... More

I was early for check-in, but they let me drop my bags off. I headed to the Nishiki Market and wandered through the stalls, amazed and drooling over all the food and shopping opportunities. I found an open wireless network there and was able to hope on and check my email on my iphone. iphones had not come out in... More

Kyoto itself is a place very dear to the Japanese. It has retained its magical past. Its mysteries are not accessible to everyone to experience but if you let yourself get swept away like I did at this "Inn" then perhaps you too will get as close as you possibly can, for this is not an "Inn", its a time... More

After researching some websites and tripadvisor.com, I had specifically chosen this 110 year old (business started 7 generations ago in 1801 but the present location was from 1898) ryokan to be our very first traditional ryokan stay in Japan. In order to ease my husband's transition from a modern world to a traditional ryokan world, I had booked a Japanese... More

Stayed here in Nov 2007 with my husband and brother in law. We were on a mini-honeymoon and decided to splurge in Kyoto, and it was worth the money for sure. The owner and staff were attentive and friendly, in fact, I had expected one room for all three of us, but when he saw us he offered us two... More

Stayed here with my husband for one night, our last in Kyoto, as part of a three month trip around the world. It was a very expensive treat as we were on a budget, but we felt if we were going to experience a ryokan then we should do so in style. The weeks leading up to our stay there... More