Traditional Ryokan Experience in the heart of Kyoto

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This article was written by www.uniqtable.com about Sakura Urushitei. We decided to share their story on our website as well. Thank you very much and hope to see you soon!

A TRADITIONAL RYOKAN IN KYOTO

Today we are introducing you a truly unique ryokan Hotel in Kyoto: Sakura Urushitei. The name Urushitei derives from the Japanese name of painted lacquerware. The Hotel was built on the same land where the long-established Ryuan Hatsusegawa used to produce its fine-quality Japanese lacquerware since 1792. For a very long time, this place was where countless works have been made for people who love urushi.

The first thing that excites you when entering the Ryokan (other than the incredibly helpful stuff) is the design of the building. The mixture of traditional Japan and modern clean design is meticulously balanced on each and every detail. The Hotel has a spacious hall and common area for guests to unwind, socialize or to create their travel plan for the following day.

As the Hotel has just been extended with a second building, the number of rooms have more than doubled and is currently at 69. The two separate building are now connected with one of our favorite features of Urushitei: a corridor, reminding you to the orange torii gates of Mount Inari. As you can see in our video, we couldn’t resist the trick of connecting the Hotel and the real torii gates of the Inari shrine with a smooth cut.

EXPERIENCING A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY

After receiving the keys for our rooms, checking the common spaces and settling down we were invited to take part in the daily tea ceremony. The ryokan has 2 different tea rooms: one on the ground floor and one on the top floor of the Hotel. We had the chance to try both and definitely recommend you to not miss them either.

The Japanese Tea ceremony is a cultural activity, that involves the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. The art of its performance is called ‘temae’. Last week in Kyoto we had the opportunity to experience the performance of this art form and to taste the outcome as well: a delicious, slightly bitter matcha tea, with the essential piece of ‘wagashi’ sweet.

The Japanese tea ceremony is not solely about tea. It is actually much more than just making and serving tea. It is a ritual process, where the master goes through the steps in a a steady flow. From cleaning the cups to serving, the hands do not stop. Just by sitting and observing him, we felt and understood how the tea ceremony actually derives from Zen Buddhism. In Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei, you can also enjoy this relaxing tradition as part of your booking.

THE CONCIERGE SERVICE

One of our favorite features of the Hotel is the free concierge service. Our expert was incredibly helpful and we had a great conversation about her favorite spots in and around Kyoto. It is needless to mention, that in the recent years Kyoto has been the victim of the phenomenon of overtourism. The term reflects the challenges of managing growing tourism flows into urban destinations and the impact of tourism on cities and its residents. In times like this, it is incredibly helpful to receive help on where not to go if you want to avoid being in extremely crowded situations. Thanks to her, we found many places that are not packed with foreign visitors, not to say, even places, that are completely unknown to everyday tourists.

For those who are looking for a traditional and unique experience in Kyoto, we truly recommend to take a look at their website (https://www.kyoto-ryokan-sakura.com/urushi/). If you are lucky, they still have a spot for you on your chosen date.

ABOUT THE ROOMS

Urushitei has both Western and Japanese-style rooms, depending on your preferences and room size. We decided to go with the traditional Japanese-style room, as sleeping on a futon makes the experience more authentic. We didn’t disappoint. Our team woke up with renewed energies to dive into the breakfast in the morning.

Urushitei offers 4 different kinds of rooms, namely the Shoin-style room, the Kyomachiya-style room, the Sukiya-style room and the Western-style room. In addition, there are 4 Japanese-style maisonettes on the top floor. The spacious ceiling and the splendid view of the rooftop garden creates a sophisticated atmosphere unlike any other room.

HOW TO GET THERE?

TO KYOTO

If you are arriving from Tokyo, you can take the Shinkansen train. If you do not have a Japan Rail Pass then the fare will be 13,080 yen one way. There are three types of train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line: the Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama. The Nozomi is the most frequent and the fastest train as it travels between Kyoto and Tokyo in just 2 hours and 20 minutes.

From the Kansai International Airport you can take access Kyoto by train. It is a 75-minute ride on JR Express Haruka line.

TO THE HOTEL

If you access the Hotel by train take the Karasuma subway line from Kyoto station, and get off at Shijo station. It is a 7-minute walk from Exit #5, outside the south ticket gate.

If you use the bus from Kyoto station, then go to the Central Exit (Karasuma Exit) bus terminal, take the city bus #5 or #26. Get off on Karasuma Matsubara, and walk for 10 minutes to the Hotel.

Nevertheless, we recommend you to simply take the taxi from Kyoto station as it is the most convenient method, and the fair is rather cheap in Kyoto.