[1 Night] Stay and Private Tea Experience at Sumiya, a Historic Traditional Ryokan Inn

A Fixture of Central Kyoto’s Sanjo Area for Over a Century

Sumiya Ryokan is located in Sanjo, a bustling neighborhood in central Kyoto, filled with an eclectic mix of traditional houses from the Edo period (1603-1868) and buildings in a more Western style from the Meiji period (1868-1912), when such architecture was all the rage. It’s the perfect environment to take in Japanese culture and history in progress, where the changes of the ages are visible like geological strata.

Architecture that melds into the surrounding neighborhood

Here in Sanjo, Sumiya Ryokan has been a beloved fixture of the neighborhood for over a century. It arose through the hosting of friends visiting from afar and the sharing of cultural pursuits from the community: tea gatherings, flower arrangement, and Noh songs. As this developed into a more formalized practice, the institution began its life as a ryokan inn, and today it is regarded as one of Kyoto’s “big three” longstanding ryokans. Since it was once a residence, its exterior exudes a calm and understated atmosphere, with no ornate decorations or flashy lighting.

The manicured cobblestone approach

At the water-sprinkled entrance (following a ritual of purification and hospitality), seasonal greenery welcomes guests with a gentle calm. Within, this soothing atmosphere envelopes you, transporting you a world away from the clamor of life outside.

Traditional Japanese Architecture Meets Modern Comfort

The Sumiya Ryokan building is an impressive historic structure built in the Sukiya-zukuri style, carefully restored and renovated over the years to create a maximally comfortable space while maintaining this traditional ambience. Floor-level Japanese futon sleeping, for example, has been replaced with traditional-style low beds made with a tatami mat surface for comfortable accessible sleeping for anyone, including the elderly and those with disabilities.

Luxuriate in a beautiful courtyard overlook

Before its current life as a ryokan, the building housed a blacksmith that manufactured and sold iron products. This history is still visible in the small details of the structure, from the door pulls to the nail covers, which feature elegant metalworking designs of flowers, cranes, and the like.

Various decorative design fixtures accent, and hide nail heads

While staying at Sumiya, enjoy a breakfast of fine Kyoto cuisine made with seasonal local vegetables served freshly right in your room. Per the tenets of tea culture, each dish is made with great care, with hot and cold dishes served at their optimal temperatures.

Gentle nourishing Kyoto cuisine that draws out the profound innate flavors of the local ingredients

A Conversation with the Proprietress

Easily one of the highlights of a stay at Sumiya is the chance to chat directly with the proprietress. Learn all about the history of the inn and the generations who lovingly preserved and nurtured it over the decades, as well as the many cultural luminaries who visited as well-versed regulars of its tea gatherings.

The proprietress herself is your guide, offering commentary on every nook and cranny of the ryokan

Third generation proprietress (okami) Hiroko and her successor-in-waiting (waka-okami) Yumi carry on the spirit of hospitality and caretaking that their predecessors developed, welcoming each new guest day after day. Their motto is “hospitality that meets every need,” and their dedication comes across in the attentive care they show to each guest who crosses their path, as well as the great value they place on the spirituality of tea gathering.

Hiroko Horibe, the proprietress, explains how the curved lines in the tokonoma are designed to evoke the moon

Their stories about the building’s design and furnishings – a carefully protected legacy passed down from over a century in the past – paint elegant moments of ages past in vivid living color.

Experience the Soul of Tea in the Serene Silence of a Historic Tearoom

The private tea experience at Sumiya is held inside the facility’s tearoom, named Gyokutoan. Begin by delighting in matcha freshly brewed by the okami or waka-okami, and steep yourself in serene repose in the tearoom’s tranquility with only the noise of water from the tsukubai basin. Be free from the hustle and bustle of life, if only for this moment. 

Yumi, the waka-okami, prepares tea with crisp elegant movements

When you’ve enjoyed partaking in matcha and Japanese sweets, try your hand at making tea for yourself under the guidance of the proprietress.

Enjoy detailed instruction in the use of tea utensils

Experience the essence of tea culture at Sumiya, known as a tea inn where the wabi-sabi spirit of traditional Japanese aesthetics is alive and well, and feel the proprietress’s passion for sharing authentic Japanese culture in every detail. Delight in hospitality you won’t find anywhere else.

Luxuriate Like a Local, Steeped in the Spirit of Tea

The heart of a stay at Sumiya lies in the peace of gentle presence with oneself or a loved one. A private tea experience in the ryokan’s tearoom acts as gateway to the refined aesthetic sense Japan is famous for. This is an experience that is sure to become a lifelong memory. Tales of the ryokan’s history and the culture behind it will make this special time even more vivid and meaningful. Come and enjoy the colors of the seasons, Kyoto’s cuisine, and the charm of tea culture in a space of living historical tradition.

Relaxation permeates the seasonal luxury of Sumiya Ryokan