Kinmata

Kinmata Review

Only a few hundred feet from the bustling thoroughfare of Shijo-dori, stepping into this high-class ryokan is a trip back in time. The modern age melts away as you pass under the heavy iron lamps in the incense-tinged entranceway and through subdued wooden passages leading to your quiet tatami room. A framed chart of ryokan guidelines from the Tokugawa shogunate speaks to the inn's long history, as does an old photograph of the house with the current master's great-grandfather standing in the foreground. You won't feel stifled by all the history though; the staff is friendly, the atmosphere welcoming, and the rooms are beautiful and decidedly unpretentious. The rate includes two meals either in your room or in the modern dining room.