Ryokan

One day I will stay here. The finest of all Japanese ryokan.

Tawaraya

Immediately upon entering the gate, guests can sense the beauty and tranquility of Tawaraya, as if they had slipped back 300 years in time. A world completely removed from the surrounding city unfolds inside. Each room differs from the others in design. Views into the garden from each room are calculated so meticulously that each scene resembles a Japanese painting. Both the inner garden (where flowers are arranged in a stone basin) and the dimly lit corridors (where pager lanterns create plays of light and shadow) are truly artistic. With refined taste reigning supreme, each room is different and exquisitely appointed. Some, for example, have glass sliding doors opening onto a mossy garden of bamboo, stone lanterns, and manicured bushes, with cushions on a wooden veranda where you can sit and soak in the peacefulness.

This is an inn that not only conveys tradition but also has been designed with a fresh, modern perspective. Unfortunately, fire consumed the original building, so the oldest part of the ryokan now dates back a mere 175 years. From the timber used in its construction to the towels, bedding, nightwear, amenities, and meals, the inn presents the best quality possible. A night at Tawaraya is a most memorable experience because the inn exudes at every turn the aesthetic sensitivity of its 11th-generation proprietress, Toshi Sato. Sixty staff tend the needs of guests in the inn's 18 rooms.

Address: Anekoji-agaru, Fuya-cho Nakagyoku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu, 604-8094
Tel: 075-211-5566
Fax: 075-211-2204
Rooms: 18 Japanese style
Rate: $350 to $850