Tawara-An

Tawaraya is a historic ryokan that steadfastly clings to its roots, for better or for worse. For instance, it has no official website, does not accept online reservations (save for a handful of Japanese booking sites like JTB) and room descriptions and details are non-existent - you literally have to call them up and talk to a staff member to have a discussion about room options (and confirm the room.) Combine that with the fact that the property only has a scant 18 guest rooms, and you definitely will get the sense that you'll be staying somewhere very exclusive. Do these things add to the allure and mystique, or is it too much of a hassle to bother with? The answer is quite complicated, and it will depend on your interests. Given that, as first time visitors we were curious as what kind of service we can expect; we were bracing ourselves for some amount of snobbery, but thankfully the service was elegant, dignified and personal. Tawaraya's staff are not particularly chatty, which is a plus or minus depending on whether you want unobtrusive or engaging service. To us, it was just right. Immediately upon stepping foot into the narrow entrance of Tawaraya, we felt like we were being whisked away to a bygone era, and not in any contrived way... Tawaraya was established during the time when America was still a British colony (the ryokan was founded in 1707, to be precise.) Everything from the architecture, the decor, paintings and gardens harken back to the Edo-era Japanese aesthetic (see the accompanying photos to see for yourself.) Tawaraya does not stand out in a way that's typical of historic properties in other countries - no grand entrance, no blingy adornments, no massive lobby or lounge area, and no sweeping views of any place in particular (except for the immaculately maintained gardens.) Instead, you'll enter into a wooden maze of corridors that reveal different angles (and amount) of natural light, ancient artifacts (hanging scrolls, small stone figurines), folding screens with paintings from the Muromachi period, old books, ikebana flower arrangements, a small seating area for two with views of the garden - things like that. You really need to slow down and take your time, and perhaps enlist the services of your room attendant to explain the history, uniqueness and meaning of everything that's decorated in the public areas as well as in your room. Then, you will feel the authenticity of Tawaraya. In too many cases, "old" and "historic" equals shabby and run-down; this is definitely not the case with Tawaraya. Everything is meticulously maintained, including the small gardens scattered througout the property, and we didn't notice a single speck of dust anywhere on site. Furthermore, most modern amenities on offer (fast WiFi, Toto toilets with washlets, TV, a wooden bathtub) are similar to what you'd find and expect in a contemporary luxury hotel. We booked a "standard Japanese room" online at JTB's website (sadly, only in Japanese), which is the only room category that's bookable online (confirmed later by our Tawaraya room attendant), and we didn't bother to explore options to get a better room there - from what we've heard from trusted sources, the best rooms (assuming you even know the names of the rooms) are generally only made available to repeat customers. Maybe next time we'll get preferential treatment in this regard. In any case, we were assigned room #19, named "Kotobuki." It was on the ground floor and was spacious enough for the two of us, although we definitely would have opted to pay more for an upgraded room if given the choice. For instance, there was no place to stow away our luggage out of sight, there was only one sink, and the Japanese style room had a typical layout that was reminiscent of "lesser" ryokans; in other words, it's a dual-purpose room - you get one big room that serves as a living/dining room during the day, which later becomes your sleeping quarters at night (your butler will come in and move the coffee table and sitting chairs off to the side, and roll out the futons. We have been spoiled in our travels by generally choosing rooms with dual sinks/vanities, large closets that can fit both of our rollerboards, and dedicated and separate living room/bedrooms. That said, our room did have a (very) small but functional separate study room with a table and two chairs, and the overall size is similar to what you'd find in an entry level room at Four Seasons Kyoto or Ritz-Carlton Kyoto. Finally, each room on the ground floor has its own small private garden, which you can admire from the living room (you can even step outside into the garden if you so desire.) We love having meals served in our own room (the actual room that we're staying it), and many ryokans nowadays do not offer this option nowadays (prohibitive labor costs, I'm guessing.) We were delighted to find that Tawaraya still holds to the ancient Japanese ryokan tradition of serving both kaiseki dinner and breakfast in each guest room, and is handled by the room attendant (aka "Butler") assigned to you. We found the cuisine to be above average, but not exceptional... mind you, we are major foodies and have stayed at many of the top ryokans in Japan, so that's what we're comparing Tawaraya to. The flavors are definitely on the bland side (Kyoto flavors, in general, are very subtle, mind you), and was neither particularly creative nor memorable. We love Kaiseki, and enjoyed our meals at Tawaraya, but based on our own experience (and opinion), I wouldn't consider the food to be the primary reason to stay here. The same held true for the Japanese breakfast; the spread was not as varied or vast as what we've experienced at other top ryokans, and we felt that it lacked imagination. A few other random observations: - Tawaraya offers free valet parking; Hiiragiya, which is located right across the street, does not. The latter points you to the nearest parking lot, and you need to go park the car yourself. This only matters if you choose to drive to the property. - A Hiiragiya, the Okami-san (proprietress) stopped by our room to pay her respects, and engaged in conversation with us for about 10 minutes. While this is not standard practice, it is somewhat commonplace at high-end, family-run small ryokans. This is in spite of Hiiragya having almost double the number of guest rooms than Tawaraya. So... is it worth staying at Tawaraya? If you're simply looking for a luxury hotel stay with a vast room with modern comforts, and want a bar, gym, pool and concierge, then there are better options. If you're looking to share Instagram-worthy photos with our followers, there are properties with much more compelling "money shot" opportunities - Tawaraya is not a place where you look at one photo and think, "Wow, THIS place looks fabulous, I want to stay here!" On the other hand, if you're looking for a remarkable cultural EXPERIENCE, are a Japanophile, or would like to truly detach yourself from the modern world and your hectic daily routine, then few properties rival Tawaraya in providing an authentic Japanese stay that's seeped in history and the country's famed "Omotenashi" service ethos. There are definitely many inns in Japan that offer superior views, Onsen hot springs baths, larger rooms and delicious food at similar (or lower) price points, but Tawaraya is not a tick box-checking place, and stakes claim to something that few other places have - it has history on its side.