About this hotel
General information
HOSHINOYA Kyoto is a ryokan on the banks of the Oi River in the Rankyo Gorge, in the part of Arashiyama where Kyoto's nobility came in the Heian period to watch the seasons turn. Guests arrive by boat, travelling upstream, so the journey itself sets the hotel apart from the city. The property inherits the architecture of a riverside inn from the Meiji era, roughly a century old, and pairs long-standing craftsmanship with modern comfort.
Its 25 rooms are set in separate guest pavilions, each with windows onto the gorge. Between them lies the Hidden Garden, a dry garden of white sand and a polished mirror-like stone that borrows the view of Mt. Ogura across the river, while the open-air Floating Tea Room juts out over the water in the manner of Heian-era pavilions and hosts seasonal events. The hotel's own pleasure boat, Hisui, is built of cedar and cypress, with a glass-inlaid roof that opens up the slopes of Arashiyama.
Location
The hotel lies in Oku-Arashiyama on the western edge of Kyoto, on the Oi River, and guests are taken there by boat from a landing near Hankyu Arashiyama Station, a 6-minute walk or 2-minute taxi ride away. From JR Saga-Arashiyama Station the landing is a 15-minute walk or 5 minutes by taxi, and Kyoto Station is 15–20 minutes away on the JR San-in Line; Kansai Airport is 85 minutes from Kyoto Station on the Haruka express. When the weather or river conditions stop the boat, guests are driven by car instead; the hotel has no parking, and luggage can be sent ahead by a delivery service from Kyoto Station or the airport.
Spa
There is no separate spa facility; treatments come to the room, with a full-body shiatsu massage by reservation. The Five Elements Retreat programme combines Japanese acupuncture with the traditional teaching of yin-yang and the five elements, set against the nature of Arashiyama.
Sports & leisure
Cultural sessions and quiet rituals arranged by the hotel along the river:
- Outings on the Hisui boat with matcha-making and seasonal views of the gorge
- Zen meditation in a temple hall at dawn and a morning outdoor stretch
- A five-minute evening stillness session in the dry garden as it emerges from the dark
- An introduction to the Japanese incense ceremony, an ikebana lesson for beginners and a shell-matching game painted with scenes from The Tale of Genji
- Kimono dressing with guidance and kimono rental for exploring Kyoto
- A two-day digital detox programme of Kyoto nature and culture, away from phones and computers
Restaurants & bars
Room rates do not include meals: breakfast and dinner are reserved separately.
- Savor of SHINMIJIZAI — a kaiseki dinner in the hotel's dining room, pairing Japanese tradition with ingredients and techniques from around the world
- A La Carte — light Kyoto-style dishes in the dining hall in the evening: yuba and seasonal vegetable udon, bubuzuke, plus curry and beef bowls
- In-room dinner — beef shabu-shabu or a vegetarian-friendly yuba and vegetable shabu-shabu, with cha-soba, seasonal dishes and dessert
- In-room Japanese breakfast — seasonal vegetables cooked in a gentle broth
- Incense bar — evenings for adults aged 20 and over in a 130-year-old kura storehouse, pairing Japanese whisky with fragrant aromatics
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Rooms
The 25 rooms and suites, for one to three guests, are spread across guest pavilions above the gorge. Wooden pillars and ceilings are revived with a traditional Kyoto wood-cleaning technique, walls are finished in handmade karakami paper, and every room has a low tatami sofa placed for the best view.
Every room has a bathroom with a bathtub, a separate toilet with an electronic bidet seat, an audio player, reading light, humidifying air purifier, kettle, minibar, safe, loungewear, pyjamas, slippers, bath amenities, hairdryer and free Wi-Fi.
Mizunone King
A snug room for one or two guests with a king-size bed-style futon, a writing desk and a bench sofa by the window.
Tanigasumi King
A room with sweeping views of the gorge, a king-size bed-style futon and a living area with a sofa, for up to two guests.
Yamanoha King
A secluded, villa-like room at the end of an approach off the garden path, with a king-size bed, a generous sofa and large windows onto Oku-Arashiyama and the river close by; up to two guests.
Tsukihashi Maisonette
A two-storey corner suite with panoramic windows, a tatami living room, a large private study with an audio system, a spacious bedroom and one bathroom; up to three guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.