Hiiragiya

Hiiragiya ranks second because it offers 200-plus years of same-family heritage, 28 to 30 tatami rooms, in-suite Kyo-kaiseki, and many rooms with private baths. Founded in 1818 and part of The Ryokan Collection, it has hosted guests from Charlie Chaplin to Yasunari Kawabata, and lets you choose between historic sukiya rooms and a 2006 new building.

"A 200-year-old downtown ryokan with private-bath rooms and in-suite Kyo-kaiseki; storied and refined, but very expensive per person with mandatory meals."

Aggregate 9.4/10 on our editorial scale (Room & Design, Service, Location). Independently scored; see our methodology. This is our opinion, not an aggregate of user reviews.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from bookings at no cost to you. We never accept payment for placement. Facts were web-verified against official sources in July 2026; ryokan rates and meal plans change, so confirm at booking.

What makes Hiiragiya special?

Hiiragiya's appeal is a combination of long heritage and genuine choice of room styles. Founded in 1818, it has more than 200 years of history under one family and belongs to The Ryokan Collection, a mark of recognised traditional-inn standing. The house spans two distinct parts: a late-Edo and Meiji sukiya-style main building, prized for its craftsmanship and quiet age, and a new building completed in 2006 that offers slightly more modern comfort at generally lower rates. With 28 to 30 rooms it is a touch larger than Tawaraya across the street, and many rooms have private baths while some enjoy garden views. Meals are served in-suite in the classic ryokan manner, with Kyo-kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast brought to your room and no separate public restaurant. The guest history is notable, taking in Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, and the novelist Yasunari Kawabata, which speaks to its cultural standing over the decades. What sets it apart in practice is that it lets you dial the experience between deep historic atmosphere and updated comfort, something few ryokan of this pedigree offer. Confirm current room and building options at booking.

Which room should you book?

Choose between the two buildings first, because that decision shapes the whole stay. If you want the deepest historic character, book a room in the late-Edo and Meiji sukiya main building, but accept the constraints of a very old structure. If you prefer more modern comfort or a lower rate, choose a room in the 2006 new building, where rates are generally lower than the main-building rooms. Many rooms across the property have private baths, and some have garden views, so if either feature matters, request it specifically and confirm it for your exact room at booking. With 28 to 30 rooms there is more choice than at smaller neighbours, but the most characterful main-building rooms are limited, so enquire early. All rooms follow the traditional futon-and-tatami format with in-suite dining. Because pricing is per person and includes both Kyo-kaiseki dinner and breakfast, clarify the building, the bath, the outlook, and the exact meal inclusions before committing. Room configurations and rates differ between buildings and can change, so verify the current options directly with the ryokan at booking.

What is the kaiseki dining like?

Dining at Hiiragiya is in-suite Kyo-kaiseki: a multi-course Kyoto-style dinner and a Japanese breakfast are served in your own room rather than in a public dining room, and there is no separate public restaurant. Both meals are part of the rate, which is charged per person, so the food is integral to the stay rather than an optional extra. Kyo-kaiseki follows the seasonal, multi-course Kyoto tradition, with dishes chosen around what is fresh and presented with care to match the setting. Because everything is brought to your room and paced by the staff, meals reinforce the private, residential feel of a traditional ryokan. There is no verified Michelin listing for the ryokan, so treat this as accomplished in-house kaiseki rather than a starred-restaurant experience. If you have dietary requirements or strong preferences, raise them ahead of time, since the menu is set seasonally rather than ordered from a card. Exact courses and timings change with the season and can differ by plan, so confirm the current menu structure and meal inclusions with the ryokan at booking.

What are the baths and onsen like?

Bathing at Hiiragiya centres on private-bath rooms: many rooms have their own private bath, so you can soak in the privacy of your suite rather than only in a shared facility. If an in-room bath is a priority, request a room with a private bath specifically and confirm it for your exact room at booking, since availability of this feature varies by room and building. Some rooms also have garden views, which can add to the sense of calm around bathing. As a downtown Kyoto ryokan rather than a hot-spring resort, Hiiragiya should not be assumed to offer natural onsen water; if a genuine onsen source matters to you, verify the water type directly with the ryokan at booking rather than relying on the ryokan label. The historic main-building rooms and the 2006 new-building rooms can differ in their bathing fittings, so if you want more modern bathroom comfort, ask about new-building rooms. Because bath arrangements vary and can change, confirm the exact bathing setup for your chosen room before you commit.

Where is Hiiragiya, and how do you get there?

Hiiragiya sits in central Kyoto at Nakahakusancho, Fuyacho Anekoji-agaru, in Nakagyo-ku, directly across from Tawaraya, which places it firmly in the downtown core. That central position puts you within easy reach of Nishiki Market, the Kawaramachi shopping and dining area, and the Kamo River, so it suits guests who want to explore central Kyoto on foot between meals. Getting there is simplest by taxi from Kyoto Station, given luggage and the narrow central streets, while the subway and bus network also serve the Nakagyo area for onward trips. Because the surrounding lanes are small and the entrance is discreet, it helps to have the full address ready for your driver. The trade-off of this location is that the backdrop is a busy downtown district rather than a secluded garden setting, though the property's own rooms and any garden-view options soften that. Confirm the best transfer method, arrival instructions, and check-in timing with the ryokan at booking, as central access details can change.

What do guests consistently say?

Hiiragiya has drawn distinguished guests over its long history, including Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, and the novelist Yasunari Kawabata, and that legacy shapes how the inn is regarded. The themes guests tend to raise are the sense of genuine age and craftsmanship in the sukiya main building, the attentive in-suite service, and the quality of the Kyo-kaiseki meals brought to the room. The choice between historic and new-building rooms is often mentioned as a practical strength, letting guests match atmosphere and comfort to their budget. On the other side, guests are candid that it is very expensive per person and that the mandatory two meals raise the effective cost, while the older main-building rooms carry the usual historic-inn constraints. Because impressions vary from room to room and this summary avoids attributing specific quotes, read a range of recent first-hand accounts, ideally noting which building the reviewer stayed in. For the most current picture of service and facilities, check recent reviews and confirm any details that matter to you directly with the ryokan at booking.

Honest cons: who should skip it?

Skip Hiiragiya if price and flexibility matter more than heritage, because rates start high, around 126,500 yen per person, and both the Kyo-kaiseki dinner and breakfast are mandatory, so a couple pays two full meal-inclusive rates rather than a single room rate. The older main-building rooms, while the most atmospheric, come with historic-inn constraints, so travellers who want consistently modern bathrooms and fittings should look at the 2006 new-building rooms or reconsider. Anyone who prefers to dine out widely or wants room-only pricing may find the fixed in-suite meal format limiting. Guests who dislike futon-and-tatami sleeping, or families needing large amounts of space, should also weigh this carefully. Because the experience differs between the two buildings, booking the wrong one for your expectations is a real risk, so be specific about which building and room you want. In short, it rewards those who value authentic Kyoto ryokan tradition and can absorb the per-person, meal-inclusive cost; anyone chasing value, dining flexibility, or uniformly modern comfort should consider other options. Confirm rates, building choice, and inclusions at booking.