Hiiragiya

Hiiragiya has welcomed guests in central Kyoto since 1818, and it is one of the city's most celebrated ryokan, the traditional Japanese inns where guests sleep on futons in tatami rooms and dinner and breakfast are served in the room or in private dining spaces. It stands on a quiet corner in the Fuyacho area, a few streets from the city hall.

There are two parts to the inn. The main building holds rooms in the sukiya style, built between the late Edo period and the early Showa era, with wooden ceilings, paper screens and alcoves that frame a scroll or a flower arrangement, many looking onto small gardens. The new wing offers contemporary Japanese rooms made with traditional natural materials and craftsmanship. Rooms have private baths, and the inn also has a banquet room and named rooms such as the Wisteria, Bamboo and Silk rooms.

Meals are central to a stay. Dinner is kyo-kaiseki, Kyoto's refined multi-course cuisine, built around seasonal local ingredients. Breakfast is a traditional Kyoto meal of yudofu, simmered tofu, with grilled fish, rice cooked in an earthenware pot and homemade pickles, and a Western-style breakfast is available on request. Tell the inn about any dietary needs when you book, as menus are prepared in advance.

A stay at Hiiragiya suits travellers who want to experience a traditional ryokan in the city rather than in a hot spring resort, and couples marking a special occasion. It is a quiet, formal place, so it is less suited to families with very young children. Remember that you remove your shoes at the entrance, that dinner times are fixed and that staff will lay out futons in the evening. Reception handles enquiries by phone from 8:00 to 21:00, and the inn publishes an email address for reservations and questions.

The ryokan is in the heart of downtown Kyoto, a short walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Tozai subway line and from Karasuma Oike Station. Nishiki Market, the Teramachi arcade and the Kamo River are within easy walking distance, as are Inoda Coffee for a second breakfast and Honke Owariya for a soba lunch. Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace are a short ride away.