Founded in 1818, Hiiragiya has long been one of Kyoto’s most revered traditional ryokan inns, offering a warm welcome to guests for over two centuries to provide the feeling of rai-sha-nyo-ki (“as if returning home”). For over two centuries, this spirit of hospitality has captivated guests from around the world, including renowned film actors as well as some of Japan’s most significant political and cultural figures.

Hiiragiya is located within the Sanjo district, which began to develop some time around the 8th century when Kyoto first became the capital city of Japan. In the many centuries since, Sanjo has flourished as one of Kyoto’s most important centers of culture and commerce as the city has continued to evolve. Sanjo is a bustling district characterized by a unique blend of 400-year-old machiya townhouses, 100-year-old early modern structures, and recently built commercial facilities. Past the gates of Hiiragiya, however, the clamor of the outside world falls away into a private world of peaceful tranquility.

With more than two centuries of history, Hiiragiya contains myriad influences from different eras in Japanese history spanning the vast societal and cultural changes of the 1800s and 1900s. Many of the furnishings and antique items in the ryokan are masterpieces of craftsmanship that could be as easily at home in a museum or art gallery. Through preserving these treasures, Hiiragiya cherishes the traditional Japanese way of life, particularly through a close connection with nature.

Throughout the ryokan, you will find that each piece of furniture or decor has its own story, sparking your imagination to whisk you away from modern life into the enticing mysteries of the past. Every guest room offers views of the elegant inner garden and seasonal flower arrangements provide the perfect accoutrements to your room’s interior.

Guest rooms at Hiiragiya retain the essence of a bygone time in Japan, hearkening back to the elegance of the 1800s and 1900s. The traditional sukiya-style architecture imbues the ryokan with soft lighting and a sense of peace and tranquility. You can relax in your room as you experience the timeless tale it tells through its unique furnishings and the distinctive paintings on its sliding doors.

Of course, the essence of a ryokan is truly found within the people who work there. The culture of ryokan hospitality has been particularly cherished in Kyoto and passed down through the generations. Unlike conventional hotels, ryokans are known for providing more personalized service, with room attendants and even the proprietress herself doing everything they can to be attentive to the needs of each guest. At Hiiragiya, this tradition is upheld by the current sixth-generation proprietress Akemi Nishimura and her successor Mai Nishimura.

“Some people describe what we do here as something special or unique,” says Akemi Nishimura. “But this type of hospitality was something that was normal in Japan throughout history—just the way things were done. It comes purely from a genuine desire to help and to interact with people as individuals.”

This focus on harmonious unobtrusive service involves reading the moods and thoughts of guests from their faces and gestures. Author and Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata was so impressed by the service at Hiiragiya that he once chose to write on it. Beyond being a well-established historic ryokan in Kyoto, it is the people at Hiiragiya who have led to its reputation for providing such a comfortable and welcoming stay.

One of the great pleasures while staying at Hiiragiya is the opportunity to experience Kyoto’s refined kaiseki cuisine. Usually served as a multi-course meal consisting of an array of small seasonal dishes, kaiseki cuisine is said to have originated in Kyoto based on cha-kaiseki, a simple meal served before matcha at a formal tea gathering. Ryokans in Kyoto are renowned for their ongoing dedication to quality kaiseki cuisine featuring local seasonal ingredients, which you can savor in true style at Hiiragiya.

Dinner will be served to you in the privacy and comfort of your guest room. As the dishes arrive in front of you, take a moment to look at the food in front of you. Kyoto kaiseki cuisine is meticulously crafted to ensure a balance of flavors, textures, and colors, as well as a range of different preparation techniques. The meal will be served on dishes with shapes and colors that complement the ingredients, creating a visual presentation akin to a work of art. Experiencing this kind of overwhelming attention to detail will give you one more reason to fall in love with Hiiragiya.

Begin your morning the next day with a hearty breakfast. Guests can choose either a Japanese-style or Western-style American breakfast, though we recommend trying the Japanese-style meal with its well-balanced dishes of charcoal-warmed tofu, grilled fish, homemade pickles and rice prepared in a clay pot.

A private family bath is also available at Hiiragiya from 3:00 PM after you check in until 9:00 AM the following morning, so you can enjoy a relaxing morning bath before you check out. Reservations are required.

Japan has long been famed for the quality, durability, and beauty of its metalwork, from the cast iron Nambu teapots of Iwate to the Takaoka copperware of Toyama to the intricate Zogan metal inlay techniques of Kyoto itself. But the greatest mystique of all surrounds the creation of Japanese swords and knives using techniques that have been passed down through the centuries by generations of blacksmiths. In this exclusive Wabunka experience, you will have the opportunity to participate directly in this cultural legacy as you learn to craft your own Japanese knife under the expert eye of a master blacksmith.

Located just a few blocks away from Hiiragiya, Kanetaka Hamono has been producing and selling quality blades in Kyoto for centuries. Previously a sword smithy, the business moved to its current location in 1770 and began to produce high-end knives, household implements, and tools for artisans working in a variety of different traditional industries.

Under the guidance of master blacksmith Yoshitaka Yamada, whose family has run Kanetaka to heat the metal to just the right point so that it can be shaped into a useful knife that is also a work of art. No machines are used in this traditional workshop; it all comes down to the hand and the eye of the craftsman.

Following the forging of your knife, as an additional option, Yamada can also lead you through the process of sharpening and polishing the blade (additional fees apply). You can also choose to select your own preferred knife handle and have your name engraved on the blade (additional fees apply). In the years to come, every time you use your knife at home, you will remember that you yourself had a genuine hand in casting this fine blade at a traditional Kyoto neighborhood blacksmith’s shop.

Staying at Hiiragiya offers you the unique opportunity to experience an authentic Kyoto ryokan with over 200 years of history in the hospitality trade. And yet Hiiragiya is no museum—it is a special place alive with joy and warmth due to the ongoing efforts of its sixth-generation proprietress Akemi Nishimura, her successor Mai Nishimura, and their staff. From seasonal flower arrangements to the bamboo blinds and screens of summer to timeless kaiseki cuisine, no effort is spared to provide guests with unforgettable memories of authentic Kyoto hospitality.

The city of Kyoto itself has always been ever-changing, evolving as it incorporates new influences into its long legacy of art and culture. At Hiiragiya, there remains a strong desire to help visitors embrace the unique traditions of their city, which is why they work tirelessly to promote the preservation and continuation of traditional arts, such as those practised by the blacksmiths at Kanetaka Hamono.