Kanamean Nishitomiya

Location: Kyoto, Southern Honshu & Kyushu | Japan

Price guide: $$$$$ $200-$350 per person per night

Kanamean Nishitomiya is a traditional Japanese ryokan inn with a history dating back to the 19th century. With its tatami floors, sliding screens, slippers and kimonos, it offers a quintessential ryokan experience - alongside a Michelin-starred restaurant serving up magnificent multi-course kaiseki cuisine.
Perfect forLuxurious immersion into traditional Japanese culture.
In the knowIn the true spirit of Japanese hospitality, each visit begins with matcha tea in the library with the manager, who will run you through the history of the ryokan and the rich traditional culture of Kyoto.

Recommended for...

  • History & Heritage
  • Cultural Immersion
  • Setting & Views
  • Food & Wine

Hotel Overview

Sense of place

Set around a traditional Japanese garden, Kanamean Nishitomiya is in an almost impossibly peaceful spot, in keeping with the general feel of Kyoto, which is a hub for traditional Japanese culture. This Relais & Chateaux hotel’s classic feel fits in perfectly with its surroundings on Kyoto’s Tominokoji Street, a historic road full of artisans’ workshops specialising in the production of traditional fans. Despite its peaceful setting, it is in the heart of Kyoto, with shops, restaurants, markets, temples and museums on the doorstep. 

Rooms at Kanamean Nishitomiya

The suites follow the classic design of a traditional Japanese ryokan, with sliding canvas walls, tatami matting on the floors and futon bedding. They are well-lit through large windows, which face out onto the hotel’s exquisite gardens - bamboo groves, plum trees and ikebana flower arrangements can all be enjoyed through your window depending on which suite you choose. The bathrooms feature traditional wooden bathtubs.

Food & drink

Mealtimes at Kanamean Nishitomiya follow a traditional kaiseki multi-course format, with exquisite Japanese fish, rice and vegetable dishes, including sushi and sashimi, which have earned the restaurant a well-deserved Michelin star. The dishes are prepared so delicately and look so beautiful that it’s almost a shame to eat them.

The Japanese breakfasts will help you start the day off like a true Kyotoite, with pickles, rice, fish and vegetables, but western breakfasts of bread, jams, eggs and ham are also on offer if you prefer. 

Facilities

After a day exploring Kyoto, the traditional Japanese garden is just about as relaxing a place as you could possibly imagine.

Activities at Kanamean Nishitomiya

Kyoto is home to a whopping 2,000 temples and shrines, and you could spend a lifetime getting lost in the city's ancient alleyways. Assuming you don’t have that luxury, however, a good place to start would be Kiyomizu-dera, an ancient wooden Buddhist temple which teeters on top of a hill and offers magnificent views over the city. Then, marvel at the impressive Golden Pavilion of the Kinkaku-ji temple, which is covered in gold leaf and sits in the middle of a shimmering pond.

Other highlights include the Fushimi Inari-Taisha shrine, whose corridor of orange columns is one of the most popular photo opportunities in Japan, and the Gion district, home to the iconic geishas.

Best time to go

Best time to travel

Good time to travel (but some limitations)

Travel is possible (but it’s not the best time)

Travel is not recommended

  • Jan
  • Feb
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  • Nov
  • Dec
Best time to go

Hotel location

Kanamean Nishitomiya is just 20 minutes’ drive from Kyoto airport, and about an hour's drive from Osaka's international airport. 

More places to stay in Kyoto, Southern Honshu & Kyushu

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