Ryokan Ugenta is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Kyoto, offering a charming environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
Nearby landmarks such as Koun-ji Temple (2.5 mi) and Itsukushima Shrine (2.7 mi) make Ryokan Ugenta a great place to stay when visiting Kyoto.
Ryokan Ugenta is a charming ryokan offering air conditioning in the rooms, and it is easy to stay connected during your stay as free wifi is offered to guests.
While staying at Ryokan Ugenta, if you are feeling hungry, you can find Kurama Onsen (0.8 mi) a short walk from the ryokan.
There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular monuments and statues such as Memorial of Zosan Sakuma, Masujiro Omura, Hikokuro Takayama Statue, and Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We came here as a friend recommended us the ryokan 'as the best place he had ever stayed in'. The room was gorgeous, on 2 levels, beautiful finishings and furniture. As it has been said before the temperature in the outside onsen is very hot - I had no issues in other onsens but here we both could not handle more than a minute in the water. What a pity! The Kiseku dinner was just too much for us - too much in terms of the amount of food but also in terms of what we were served. We got so much eel that we could not bear the smell or the taste of it anymore for the rest of our Japan trip. The surroundings are absolutely beautiful - the ryokan is located on an upward sloping street by a river in the middle of the mountain. I am afraid if I compare Ugenta with ryokans that cost a fraction of what we paid here I would only give it an average rating - the location and the room though still make it a beautiful place. Considering how expensive it is we would not stay again.
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This ryokan was the highlight of our Japan trip... We stayed at Four Seasons, Peninsulas etc, but this was truly an experience. we had the Japanese room (there are only two rooms - one traditional and one western style) -- and we enjoyed it sooo much.
The food was to die for - but I guess for food lovers of the Japanese cuisine! Not for beginners...
The service was more than amazing as we had it basically all to ourselves! I wish we could return to Japan and to Ugenta.
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Date of stay: April 2010
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have stayed in many ryokans in Japan, and I have to say that Ugenta is one of my top experiences. The design is not quite like a traditional ryokan but a fascinating blend of classic Japanese and contemporary modern design. The blend is seamless and it worked very well. While the design of this ryokan is modern, the service is old-school Japanese, which is to say, excellent.
Ugenta is situated in a 2-storey building along the Kibune road (and next to the river). Kibune is a small road-side town which has interesting shops and small restaurants, and it is lovely to wander about after visiting the shrine. It will probably take all of one hour to do that, so the ryokan is perfect for a getaway to do “nothing”. Of course there is the forest trail which goes up over the hill to Kurama (and other lovely temples) but again you can do that in less than 2 hours at a very slow pace (from Kibune to Kurama, and back).
We were provided with a complimentary pick-up from Kokusai Kaikan station (less than 30 mins from Kyoto Station) and from there to Ugenta it took about 20 minutes. Check-in was done in the room and we were served matcha and sweets.
Dinner was amazing – a 9-course meal of amazing presentation and meticulous cooking. I requested for a no-meat menu (fish is ok) and it was done very well. Plenty of spring vegetable, roots and flowers were used in the meal. The wine and sake list was impressive though a little pricey (expected).
We chose the Western room. The other room is the Japanese room which is only slightly bigger. Both rooms have a private “rooftop” bath and shower, and there is nothing quite like soaking in a hot tub looking at the forest in the privacy of the ryokan. I even spotted a wild deer! The Western room has many George Nakashima pieces (dining table, chairs, sofa, sofa table) – all very tastefully put together. It isn’t like some hotels with jarring designer pieces which gives one the sense that they are trying too hard, if you know what I mean. The bathroom was superb – very spacious with large windows overlooking the forest. Soap and shampoo are from Lanvin, and the facial set is from Shiseido. We didn’t use the fireplace as it wasn’t cold enough.
The service, like I mentioned earlier, was excellent. They helped us make dinner reservations in Kyoto for the next day, and accommodated our last-minute request to check out a little later than planned. The next morning, we were given a information print-out of an onsen at Kurama just because the night before we asked if there were any onsen in the area! It reminded me of the impeccable, they-know-what-you-want-even-before-you-know-it service I experienced at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo.
I’ll go back to Ugenta again in a heartbeat if I could!
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Date of stay: April 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Western or Japanese will be just as good. The Japanese has a bigger indoor bathtub, and the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
After reading such rave reviews about Ugenta, we had great expectations when we booked both rooms at this Ryokan. We have already stayed at a number of Ryokans on this long trip, therefore we can easily make comparisons.
It would be best to do this review in point form:
1) Cleanliness - Ugenta is disappointing in one of the most important aspects of Japanese hospitality. When we lifted the box of Kleenex and the clock on a bench above the bed, there was not just dust, but dust-balls underneath. They seemed to not have dusted or cleaned the main tables in our rooms, crumbs were everywhere. The bathrooms were not cleaned to the standards of other Ryokans.
2) Open-air onsen bath on roof-top: On all four days, the water was far too hot for us to get in, both in the Japanese and Western rooms.
3) Insects - we found rather big dark flying insects in the western room almost every night.
4) Water noise - there are short water-falls and a rapid stream right across the narrow street from the Ryokan. It is really quite loud and at night when everything should be quiet, we really noticed the noise.
5) The staircase leading up to the roof top is not really all that stable and uncomfortable to walk on.
6) The tabi socks they provided are of poor quality.
7) We had to wait a long time for there to be hot water flowing through the hot taps in the bathrooms.
OK, to be fair, dinner at Ugenta is excellent and the chef really put in a lot of effort. The attitude of the 2 ladies staff are wonderful but they are obviously over-worked, which may have contributed to the fact that rooms were not cleaned to the standards of other Ryokans.
We discovered that guests do not have to stay at the Ryokan to have dinner there. Visitors can book private rooms (there seems to be a few) for their kaiseki dinners.
I would not recommend guests to stay at this Ryokan, but just to visit the surrounding areas which are very interesting and full of history.
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Date of stay: December 2014
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is 45Mins Approx from Kyoto Train Station, Along the car journey to your destination you follow the path of the main river with beautiful tree's and other scenery which will change from city to rural as you get closer to this destination.
The Ryokan is set along side a riviene at is both calming and scenic.
Its a great place if you want to just get away from it all and relax. There are 2 rooms there a western style room or tradional Japanese room. We stayed in the traditional Japanese room and it was massive. Over 2 Floors you have 2 Hot tubs (1 in and 1 outside) A balcony that over looks the riviene and a bedroom with tatami mats and duvets (Very comfortable)
The ground floor has a sunken table as a centrepiece with heated floor for your feet. The room has airconditioning and a state of the art electronic toilet (with seat warmer of course). Also a TV but dont expect to receive too many channels or CNN or BBC News etc. Its not that kind of place.
The top floor has a cd player and a computer although everything is in Japanese but they can convert some of it into english. But you can connect your laptop to the LAN cable.
You need to have a fairly good understanding of the Japaese language as the staff here do not speak too much english but are very very helpful. From the time you check in to when Breakfast and dinner is being served it is all done with great care and respect.
Breakfast and Dinner is included and breakfast can be Continental English or Traditional Japaese (Fish Rice Miso etc)
Dinner is a long 1-2 hour affair with approx 10 courses served individually. Amazing presentation of food and amazing original Japaenese flavours of food. Thi is real Authentic Rural Japan.
Worth the money and worth the experience.
There is not much around the long hill side, a pottery shop at the bottom a few traditional restaurants and also a beautiful temple.
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Date of stay: April 2009
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ugenta is nestled in the hills by a mountain stream. While there are power lines and other ryokans and restaurants on the road, Ugenta is like an island of peace. The water from the river is an excellent, peaceful background sound. The rooms (there are only two and we had both) are fantastic. They are simple, large and beautiful and furnished with furniture designed by George Nakishima (look him up, his stuff is beautiful). The meals (breakfast and dinner are included) which are served in your rooms, is wonderful, some of the best we had in Japan. And the service couldn't be better. There might be a language barrier but it is well worth overcoming.
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Date of stay: March 2017
Location
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
located on a bustling but incredibly charming street with a little creek running along it. the setting, the scenery is just oozing with charm.
we stayed in the japanese room, it was incredibly spacious, the bathrooms are divine and the rooftop onsen tubs were such a treat.
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Date of stay: November 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:the traditional japanese room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This property is a bit of an odyssey, but I enjoyed it. To get the most out of it one should stay at lest two days.
Ugenta is an exercise in qualified very good. I really liked our room which was spread over two levels. The main living area was well structured and quite functional as was the bathroom. The upstairs desk area was a plus that allowed me to do some reading after waking up early without disturbing my still sleeping wife. However, the placement of the toilet, which was at the entrance to the room, was odd and awkward. We didn't like that at all.
The upstairs outside bath was very enjoyable. I soaked twice, which is unusual for me. However, my wife was correct to note that the wood decking was worn and that staff should have put some towels upstairs. (This property is expensive so I agree with her that even exterior areas should be well maintained).
Service was attentive and helpful, but our main server's English was limited. This was overcome somewhat by the manager's better English.
The kaiseki dinner was good, interesting, and nothing short of huge. However, the quality of cooking and probably better said, the style, is rustic and hearty, not highly refined. Not the best I have had, but solid. Breakfast (Japanese) was almost equally huge. Again, the style was hearty and rustic, although the tamago was possibly the best I've ever had.
Scenery is country side road net to a stream, marred a bit by power line polls and lines. Rustic, not gorgeous.
So why did I prefer this to Hoshinoya? Well, I preferred the structure of the room. I found it easier to use. I would not have wanted to stay in the Hoshinoya room for any more than the day I was there whereas I could happily have lived in the Ugenta from for several days. I appreciated the slightly more interesting range of English language books at Ugenta and the interesting furniture. Food was at the same quality level, but Ugenta was easier. It was served in my room and was less pretentious. Don't get me wrong, as an ex-chef I love cutting edge food, but if I have to choose between hearty and good and only partially successful attempts at fancy fusion, I'll go with the former. And that's Ugenta over Hoshinoya.
A downside of this place is that there is essentially nothing around it. Nothing. So you come here and hang out for a couple of days and that's it.
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Date of stay: February 2015
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Came here on a friend’s recommendation to escape the heat in the city. We didn’t stay the night, just went to the restaurant. It took about an hour by train to get to Kifune station from central Kyoto.
If you have a dinner reservation the ryokan provides a shuttle service from the train station. Make sure to check with them! We didn’t realise and took the public shuttle up (it only cost about 100 yen though)
You can also walk up but it’s a steep climb on a narrow road with no pedestrian walkway.
There are platforms on top of the river for dining. A very unique experience to have the food brought out to you while you’re listening to a mountain stream. The food was excellent. The alcohol selection was quite limited though.
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We booked the Western-style room and I - not having done any homework - was amazed to find original George Nakashima works being used as ordinary furniture: dining table and chairs, settee, coffee table, credenza...all beautifully kept, yet sporting the inevitable scratches and marks of daily use.
The room actually comprises the upper two stories of a 3-storey building. Large picture windows offer galllery-like views of the ryokan's carpark, adjoining road, river and the area beyond which slopes upwards to the ridge separating Kibune from the huge Kurama temple-complex. Walking back from the latter involves a picturesque 2-hour hike; in our case, it was snow-covered and uniquely enjoyable, almost spiritual.
Service is impeccable and the food is as good as a Michelin-starred (or two) restaurant's.
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Date of stay: December 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:There are only two rooms to choose from. Each is self-contained and very private.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Santa Monica, California13 contributions24 helpful votes
You can check their website which should have a phone number. You can search for Ugenta ryokan kyoto
I booked it through Tablet Hotels. They are terrific and very helpful. Good luck and have a wonderful time!
Hong Kong, China128 contributions199 helpful votes
"Western or Japanese will be just as good. The Japanese has a bigger indoor bathtub, and the dining table is "sunken in", whereas the Western room has a "normal-height" dining table and a fireplace."
There are more places to choose from in the Kyoto area.
LOCATION
JapanKinkiKyoto PrefectureKyoto
NUMBER OF ROOMS
2
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