How To Book Tawaraya Ryokan

Tawaraya is Kyoto’s best ryokan but it can be difficult to book because they’re not on any booking websites and they don’t have their own website. Luckily, it’s now possible to book via email. Here are all the details.

[Tawaraya Ryokan — image © InsideKyoto.com]

Tawaraya is one of the finest ryokan in all of Japan. They’ve got a dedicated following of elite Japanese and international guests so they don’t have to try very hard to fill their rooms. They don’t even have a website and there’s no way to book it via third-party booking sites. However, Tawaraya has recently been accepting bookings via email, which makes things much easier for foreign tourists.

Booking Tawaraya from Abroad in English

Before we give the email address and explain the process, we want to stress this point: Please only contact Tawaraya if you’re serious about staying there and understand what it costs to do so (see the section on rates below). If Tawaraya gets inundated with frivolous inquiries, they’ll shut down email reservations and you’ll need a personal connection in Japan to book a room for you. Okay, with that out of the way, here’s how to book:

First, email Tawaraya in English at: info@the-tawaraya.jp. Tell them your preferred date(s), the number of people in your party, how many rooms you want, and any dietary preferences or restrictions you have. They will respond to let you know if any rooms are available. If there are, they will give descriptions of the rooms and the rates for the rooms in question. If you’d like to book one of those rooms, they will email you a booking form. They’ll explain payment and cancellation fees by email. It’s as easy as that.

[Tawaraya garden viewed from guest room © Joi]

Room Rates at Tawaraya

There are 18 rooms in total. Costs vary according to season, room size and the quality of the garden view. Rooms have attached bathtubs and bathrooms. As a basic guide, per person rates range from ¥45,000 to ¥90,000, including two meals (note: rates are per person, NOT per room). If you are going to arrive late or want to eat dinner out, it is possible to request breakfast only for a 15% reduction in cost. However, the meals are a big part of the experience and it would be a shame to miss the experience of enjoying sublime traditional Japanese cuisines in the privacy of your room. For breakfast, you can choose Japanese or Western.

To get a sense of what it’s like to stay at Tawaraya, see A Night At Tawaraya, which will help you decide if it’s for you.

Near To Here:
Tawaraya Ryokan is located in Kyoto’s Downtown district. See our complete list of things to do in Downtown Kyoto, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

More Kyoto Ryokan info:

• Kyoto Ryokan overview
• Best Luxury Ryokan In Kyoto
• Best Mid Range Ryokan In Kyoto
• Best Budget Ryokan In Kyoto
• Best Ryokan Near Kyoto
• Kyoto’s Best Ryokan For Families
• Kyoto’s Best Ryokan For Couples
• Kyoto Machiya

Best High-End Ryokan In Kyoto

• Tawaraya (Read guest reviews of Tawaraya on TripAdvisor.com)
• Hiiragiya Ryokan (Read guest reviews of Hiiragiya on TripAdvisor.com)
• Ugenta (Read guest reviews of Ugenta on TripAdvisor.com)
• Hoshinoya (Read guest reviews of Hoshinoya on TripAdvisor.com)
• Seikoro (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Yoshida Sanso (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Garden Ryokan Yachiyo (check availability on Agoda.com)

Best Mid Price Ryokan In Kyoto

• Hirashin Ryokan (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Nishiyama Ryokan (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Ryokan Izuyasu (check availability on Agoda.com)

Best Budget Ryokan In Kyoto

• Kyoto Yoshimizu (Read guest reviews of Kyoto Yoshimizu on TripAdvisor.com)
• Ryokan Shimizu (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Uemera Ryokan (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Matsubaya Ryokan (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Hanakiya Ryokan (check availability on Agoda.com)
• Tanaka-ya (check availability on Agoda.com)

More Kyoto Hotels info:

• Kyoto Hotels Overview. Check availability and pricing for Kyoto hotels at Agoda.com
• The Best Places To Stay In Kyoto
• Where To Stay In Kyoto
• Best New Kyoto Hotels
• The Most Romantic Hotels and Ryokan in Kyoto
• Best Value Hotels In Kyoto
• Kyoto Vacation Rentals
• Best Luxury Hotels in Kyoto
• Best Boutique Hotels in Kyoto
• Best Small Hotels in Kyoto
• Best Mid-Range Hotels in Kyoto
• Best Budget Hotels in Kyoto
• Best Kyoto Hostels and Guesthouses
• Best Kyoto Hotels For Families
• Best Japanese Hotel Chains
• Best Ryokan In Kyoto
• Kyoto Machiya

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- For a quick overview, see my [First Time In Kyoto](/blog/kyoto/first-time-in-kyoto) guide. - [Check if a visa is required for Japan](/blog/japan/need-visa-japan) - Check Kyoto accommodation availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com. - [Buy Japan Rail Tickets and Shinkansen Tickets Online](/blog/japan/how-to-buy-japan-rail-tickets-and-shinkansen-tickets-online). - For tips on where to stay, see [Where To Stay In Kyoto](/blog/kyoto/where-to-stay-in-kyoto). - See my [Packing List For Japan](/blog/japan/packing-list-for-japan). - Purchase an [eSim or SIM card for Japan](/blog/japan/internet-access-in-japan-for-tourists-wifi-pocket-wifi-sim-cards-rental-phones-etc). - Compare flight prices on Skyscanner. - Consider a Japan Rail Pass - see [if it's worth](/blog/japan/japan-rail-pass-is-it-worth-it) for you. - Consider a travel insurance.