The Sanjo district of Kyoto is a lively neighborhood in the heart of the city, just a short walk from the many local shops and culinary delights of historic Nishiki Market. Given this prime location, Sanjo has a long history of accommodating travelers who seek to explore the historic and cultural wonders of the Thousand-Year Capital. Amidst traditional houses dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1868) and Western-influenced buildings constructed in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) stands Sumiya Ryokan, considered one of Kyoto’s finest and most atmospheric ryokan inns.

From the moment you step through the entrance of Sumiya Ryokan, moving behind its outer walls and bamboo curtains, you will find yourself in another world—a realm of tradition, peace and tranquility. Founded well over a hundred years ago to provide lodging for those who wished to practice the tea ceremony, Sumiya Ryokan is one of the finest remaining examples in Kyoto of traditional sukiya-zukuri architecture, a style characterized by tea house aesthetics and the abundant use of wood in construction.

Throughout its existence as a residence and then a haven for travelers to Kyoto, Sumiya Ryokan has undergone several renovations and refittings so that guests can enjoy their stay in comfort. At the same time, great care has been taken to ensure that the traditional character of the ryokan is preserved. For example, while rooms still possess sliding doors, tokonoma alcoves, and tatami mats, beds are now provided instead of futon bedding on the floor.

Eschewing anything ornate, garish, or cluttered, the refined aesthetic at Sumiya Ryokan emphasizes the beauty of understatement and the sophistication of simplicity. As is tradition with sukiya-zukuri architecture, wood is abundant within the guest rooms, adding its calming presence to an already tranquil atmosphere.

Long ago, prior to its establishment as a ryokan, Sumiya Ryokan once housed a blacksmith who crafted and sold a range of metal items both decorative and practical. Subtle hints of the building’s intriguing past remain in its decorative metal door pulls and nail covers.

Despite its timeless aesthetic and long history, Sumiya Ryokan is no museum piece. It is very much a living, working ryokan, owing its continued existence to a family who has breathed life into it for three generations. Third-generation proprietress (okami) Hiroko Horibe and her successor-to-be (waka-okami) Yumi carry this legacy forward, welcoming new guests into the ryokan with warmth and grace.

The proprietress Hiroko possesses a wealth of knowledge about the history of Sumiya Ryokan. She will be happy to show you around the building as she recounts fascinating stories about the ryokan passed down to her from her predecessors or from her own time as proprietress. After this brief tour, you will join both okami and waka-okami in Sumiya Ryokan’s Gyokutoan tearoom for a private tea service.

For your meaning meal at Sumiya Ryokan, there is no need to leave the comfort of your guest room. In the true spirit of Kyoto hospitality, breakfast will be brought to you and served in a sumptuous array of dishes that includes grilled fish, local seasonal vegetables, pickled tsukemono, and rice. This traditional Kyoto-style breakfast is informed by Japanese tea culture, which emphasizes balance and finesse in preparation, with each dish at just the right temperature whether served cold or hot.

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 from Sumiya Ryokan (which was itself a former blacksmith’s shop long ago), 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.

History is often remembered for the few who ruled from palaces and castles, rather than for the many who toiled in fields or forges. Through a hands-on experience at Kanetaka Hamono, not only will you observe the time-honored blacksmith’s art of shaping Japanese blades from steel, you will feel the weight of the hammer and the heat of the flames. Anyone can visit Japan and purchase a knife, but you will leave Kyoto with precious memories of the effort and ingenuity required to create the blade that you now own.

Of course, Kyoto has always also had a softer side. The city is home to some of the finest ryokan inns in Japan, offering a true taste of authentic Japanese hospitality. Your stay at Sumiya Ryokan, including a private tea service and traditional Kyoto-style breakfast, will provide a sense of the refined charms that travelers have enjoyed here for hundreds of years.