A 25-room riverside ryokan up the Oi River from Arashiyama, reached by the hotel’s own boat.
Arashiyama is one of the busiest corners of Kyoto by day, which is exactly why Hoshinoya works. You check in at a boat lounge near the Togetsu-kyo Bridge and the hotel’s boat takes you about 15 minutes upriver, away from the crowds, to a cluster of wooden buildings on the far bank. Every one of the 25 rooms looks over the Oi River and Mount Ogura.
Stay two or three nights and use it to see western Kyoto at the edges of the day. Walk the bamboo grove before the day-trippers arrive, then come back for the incense ceremony and a kaiseki dinner. In November the maples on the hillside opposite turn red and the river is at its best.
It suits couples who want a ryokan with modern comforts. It is less convenient for central Kyoto: Gion is a long taxi ride away, and the boat timetable sets the rhythm of arrivals. There is no pool or gym to speak of, so this is somewhere to slow down rather than exercise.
The most spacious of the four room categories, all of which look onto the Oi River and Mount Ogura.
A room category with traditional Japanese design details and the river and mountain view shared by every room.
A room category built for quiet rest, still facing the river valley like the rest of the hotel.
The most private of the four categories, set among the greenery above the river.
Dinner is a seasonal kaiseki course in the main dining room, served from early evening. There is also a casual dining hall for Kyoto-style udon and simple bowls, in-room shabu-shabu with beef or yuba, and a Japanese breakfast brought to your room.
There is a small spa for massage, a floating tea room on a wooden deck over the river, and gardens by Hiroki Hasegawa to walk in. The daily incense ceremony is the quiet highlight.
Rooms take one to three guests and there is a playroom. Ask us about the current policy for younger children.
| Rooms | 25, all with views of the Oi River and Mount Ogura |
|---|---|
| Opened | 2009 |
| Getting there | About 15 minutes by boat up the Oi River from the Togetsu-kyo Bridge area |
| From Kyoto Station | About 15 to 20 minutes by JR San-in Line to Saga-Arashiyama, then a short taxi to the boat lounge |
| Check-in | 15:00, with the last boat at 17:45 |
Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
A few of the things we plan for guests in Japan.
Kyoto has hundreds of temples, so choose a few and go early. Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and its rock garden sit together in the northwest; Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path in the east. In the evening, walk the lanes of Gion and Pontocho. A private guide for one day repays itself in context and in avoided queues.
A ryokan is a traditional inn: tatami rooms, a multi-course kaiseki dinner in your yukata and a hot-spring bath before bed. Hakone, 90 minutes from Tokyo, has a good choice, with Mount Fuji views on clear winter mornings. Choose a room with a private outdoor bath if you are shy of communal bathing. One or two nights is plenty.
Tokyo is a city of villages. Spend a morning in Asakusa around Senso-ji, an afternoon in the backstreets of Yanaka, and an evening in the tiny bars of Shibuya or Golden Gai. Tsukiji outer market is best for breakfast. A food guide for the first night helps with menus and seating etiquette.
Four nights high above Tokyo, two in a ryokan in the Hakone hills with its own hot spring baths, then four on the river in Arashiyama for Kyoto. Your luggage goes ahead by courier, so every train is easy.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
