A tale of two ryokans: Tawaraya on the left, Hiiragiya on the right

Our third stay at Hiiragiya was the best yet, and the reason now feels obvious to me. This is a place where the appeal lies not in overt opulence, but in depth. Much like Tawaraya, the more closely one looks, the easier it becomes to lose oneself in layers of detail that are usually overlooked. Nothing about Hiiragiya shouts for attention the way a grand dame like the FS George V in Paris or some of the palace properties in India might. Instead, its charms reveal themselves gradually, and that is precisely the point.


Hiiragiya - view from the outside

Hiiragiya was founded in 1818 as an upscale inn for dignitaries, notable writers, and daimyo - feudal lords who travelled to Kyoto to pay their respects to the Emperor while he still resided in the Kyoto Imperial Palace before the Meiji Restoration of 1869. This beloved ryokan is one of Kyoto’s original “big three”” alongside Tawaraya and Sumiya, both of which are, remarkably, even more storied. Tawaraya dates back to 1707, while Sumiya’s iconic sukiya-style building began life around 1641 as an elite geisha entertainment house and did not become a ryokan until 1920. All three share another trait: they are clustered within a few blocks of each other, with Hiiragiya and Tawaraya directly facing each other across a narrow one-way street. The reason for their location has to do with its accessibility to the Imperial Palace, Gion entertainment district and Heian Jingu Shrine, which are all about 20 minutes away by foot and were likely the three most prominent places for dignitaries to visit when coming to Kyoto back in the day.


Front entrance


Inner walkway to the lobby

The name “Hiiragiya” comes from a sub-shrine within Shimogamo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as Hiiragi Shrine. Hiiragi – holly trees - has long been believed to ward off evil spirits, and one of the priests who blessed the inn recommended the name, giving rise to “Hiiragiya,” or “house of holly.” Motifs of holly leaves, now the inn’s emblem, appear everywhere: in the carpets, carved into alcove woodwork, and woven into table linens and lacquerware. These small, repeated details give the property a sense of quiet coherence.




Library



Over the centuries the ryokan has grown, most notably in 2006 with the opening of the concrete-built annex (Shinkan), adding seven accommodations and bringing the total to 24 (Tawaraya, by comparison, has 18). The Shinkan is linked to the original Honkan (main building) via a short internal corridor. It feels noticeably more modern and less traditional than the Honkan, though its aesthetic is beautiful in its own right. The presence of an elevator is a practical blessing for older guests and those with mobility issues, allowing easy access to upper floors. For those seeking the quintessential old Kyoto experience, the Honkan is the obvious choice: slightly dark, richly atmospheric, and imbued with a strong sense of history, as if one had slipped back into the Edo period. The Ms. Mai Nishimura, the Okami (proprietress), described the new wing as a way to both preserve tradition and leave something of the present era for the future. The lacquered floors inlaid with jewel-like beetlewing patterns and the luminous, contemporary Japanese spaces feel like they could stand the test of another two centuries.


One of the numerous decorative installations at Hiiragiya


Stained glass artwork of a Maiko

Some visitors might feel apprehensive about staying at such a venerable establishment, especially when greeted by staff in exquisite silk kimono - the Okami and her mother in particular look as though they possess a museum’s worth of timeless garments. Yet the atmosphere is far from intimidating. A calligraphy panel at the entrance reads “Kairaisha nyoki,” which roughly means, “May arriving guests feel as if they are coming home,” and the staff echo this sentiment out loud as guests step inside. There is not a trace of snootiness or self-importance, even from the Okami and her mother Akemi Nishimura (the previous Okami, who still plays an active role). Both women are dignified yet disarmingly charming, and from our very first stay they made us feel entirely at ease. Any stiffness we expected simply never materialized.


Modern art gallery


Dining hall. Only used for breakfast (you can also choose to have breakfast in your own guest room)

Within, Hiiragiya is saturated with traditional craftsmanship and artistic flair. There are see-through wall openings with hand-carved wooden railings, different woods harmoniously combined around the tokonoma, dazzling stained glass in one of the two family baths, and distinctive geometric and floral patterns on sliding fusuma and ceilings - some woven with wisteria. Shoji-style paper panels in the lounge ceiling softly filter daylight. Gardens, both large courtyard spaces and miniature pocket gardens, appear throughout the property, even on upper floors. The result is an environment that feels subtly overwhelming in a very calm, almost zen way.


Shinkan (new wing) room (#63), 62m². They installed a dining table and chairs at our request


Shinkan (new wing) room (#63), 62m²

Decoration is largely ephemeral, in tune with the seasons and occasions. Our stay coincided with the New Year holidays, so the styling centered on Oshogatsu traditions. Kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements) and shimekazari (sacred straw ropes) adorned the doors of every room, while sprigs of senryo (red berries symbolizing longevity, endurance, and prosperity) appeared throughout the inn. In the entrance hall, a display of mochibana - willow branches decorated with tiny red and white rice cakes - symbolized fertility and a bountiful harvest. At the table, every piece of ceramic, lacquer, and glassware differed from our previous visits, with winter and New Year themes prominent in many designs. As with Tawaraya, Hiiragiya manages to feel new each time, consistently offering fresh experiences and sensations.


Shinkan (new wing) room (#63), 62m²

This time we chose two rooms in the Shinkan facing Tawaraya. On our previous visit, Mrs. KI‑NRT and her mother had stayed in the top Honkan room and, while they appreciated the sweeping garden views, they ultimately prefer newer, more modern spaces. As Mrs. KI‑NRT’s mother memorably put it, “I grew up in an old house in rural Japan; why should I go out of my way to stay at a place like that?” Different strokes indeed. Availability was limited by the time we booked, but they were content with the arrangement and stayed in Shinkan room 63, a 62 m² suite with two distinct areas. My room was cozier at 49 m² and better suited to those who like a sofa-centric layout.


Shinkan (new wing) room (#53), 49m²


Shinkan (new wing) room (#53), 49m²

The Shinkan rooms lack the deep historical ambiance of the Honkan, but their modern Japanese aesthetic may appeal to guests who prefer a cleaner, more contemporary look. That said, by current luxury standards they do show their age. There is only one sink, the Toto toilet is at least two generations behind the times, and the humidifier in my room was both dated and non-functional. The small LCD television, maybe 20 inches at most, was politely hidden under a cloth cover so it wouldn’t disrupt the room’s aesthetic. Futons are laid out at night in both our rooms. Ultimately, room appeal is subjective, but it’s worth emphasizing that all 24 rooms are distinct and thoroughly traditional in their own way, built with excellent craftsmanship and decorated with works by master artisans - stained glass, fine woodwork, and kakejiku scrolls among them.

Dinner is served in the guest rooms, while breakfast can be taken either in-room or in a dining hall; we opted to have both meals in our rooms. Once again, the culinary experience was superb. Kyoto is the cradle of kaiseki, so it makes sense that a revered ryokan like Hiiragiya would devote immense effort to its cuisine. Some dishes were New Year-specific, but the overall structure and spirit remained distinctly kaiseki, and a creative one at that. A standout was the clear soup with hamaguri shinjo, a clam-based fishcake. Shinjo is more commonly made with shrimp or crab, so reworking the usually chewy clam into an airy, umami-rich ball was a small stroke of genius.


Fried abalone, Yuba soy milk tofu skin, sea urchin, broad beans, jellied bonito & vinegar broth


Fugu puffer fish from Shimonoseki, Fugu skin, Fugu Milt, Asatsuki chives, Cayene Peppers, Jellied ponzu sauce containing soy sauce and citrus juice

Sashimi focused on fugu (puffer fish), with fugu skin and a luscious sauce incorporating ponzu and fugu milt. The nimono (simmered course) was “shrimp taro” with snow crab and ginger ankake—a glossy, kudzu-thickened dashi sauce seasoned with soy and other elements. The humble shinogi (a small “intermission” dish) was a savory mochi rice cake paired with dried mullet roe, wrapped in nori. It was satisfying yet impressively light. Breakfast was more restrained, with fewer dishes but consistently high quality. The ozoni, made with white miso as is typical in Kansai, was remarkable despite our usual preference for the clear-soup version, and the mochi was sculpted into a perfect sphere. There was also the customary kazunoko (salted herring roe) and a selection of tsukudani, those soy- and mirin-simmered morsels that serve as flavorful rice accompaniments. In many places strict adherence to tradition can stifle the food, but Hiiragiya managed to honor the occasion while still offering memorable cuisine.


Ebi-imo "shrimp" taro, snow crab, ankake sauce with ginger. Ankake is a starchy dashi broth that contains kudzu and soy sauce, among other things


Breakfast at Hiiragiya. The white miso Ozoni with mochi not shown.

Service, however, is where Hiiragiya truly distinguishes itself. The level of omotenashi is as high as anything experienced in Japan. They remembered our preferences from our two previous stays in impressive detail: Mrs. KI‑NRT’s need for two extra-large bath towels to support her neck and shoulders while sleeping, the various dietary quirks of both her and her mother, and the request for an additional air purifier. All were ready in the room when we arrived. They also thoughtfully arranged a dining table and chair in the living space for her mother, who struggles to sit on the floor for extended periods - a request that Tawaraya, incidentally, does not accommodate. Hiiragiya provides complimentary valet parking for guests arriving by car, and the care extends even to luggage and mobility aids. Before bringing our bags to the room, they quietly wiped down our rollaboards and her mother’s wheelchair wheels until everything was spotless. And when they noticed Mrs. KI-NRT’s mother had left an item in the room, they shipped it to her without asking for a single yen for the trouble. These are the kind of details that no one demands yet everyone remembers.


View of the main building rooftops from the third floor of the Shinkan (new wing)

Planning a stay at Hiiragiya is also far easier than organizing one at Tawaraya. Tawaraya has essentially no public-facing online presence, no floor maps, no room photos or descriptions available in advance, and only a handful of booking channels. Specific room requests are generally reserved for repeat guests. Hiiragiya, by contrast, offers an excellent English website with photos, detailed room descriptions, and precise sizes for every accommodation. The difference, I believe, likely stems from two factors: Tawaraya’s slightly higher profile (with four fewer rooms) and its deliberate positioning as a ryokan that caters heavily to repeat guests, using scarcity and opacity as part of its mystique.

The contrast continues once you are inside. Tawaraya’s interiors, in my view, are more atmospheric, and its meals are more rigidly traditional - though, to my palate, not quite as memorable as Hiiragiya’s. The Okami at both ryokans speak decent English, and they and their staff are more than happy to engage in conversation and walk guests through the property and explain its history and artistic details. Both inns are extraordinary in their own ways, and anyone with a serious interest in Japanese culture will be best served by experiencing each of them.


Back left: Mai Nishimura, 8th generation Okami. Back right: Akemi Nishimura, 7th generation (former) Okami

That certainly applies to me. The more idiosyncratic and traditional the setting, the more it tends to resonate - compromises such as dated fixtures or the absence of Western beds bother me far less than they do Mrs. KI‑NRT. She, on the other hand, is far less forgiving when it comes to old toilets and sleeping on futons. As a result, for next New Year’s we have booked two rooms at The Shinmonzen, a new Tadao Ando-designed luxury property in the heart of Gion that promises modern comforts and Japanese-French fusion cuisine. We'll be back at the Kyoto "big three" before too long; just not right away. As the saying goes, happy wife, happy life!

P.S. - I've had a few requests for photos of our most recent prior stay in the Honkan (main building) room, so here they are. We stayed in the Tokubetsu Shitsu (special room) - each room is different, so YMMV.


Honkan (main building) Tokubetsu shitsu (special room)


Honkan (main building) Tokubetsu shitsu (special room)


Honkan (main building) Tokubetsu shitsu (special room)


Honkan (main building) Tokubetsu shitsu (special room)


Honkan (main building) Tokubetsu shitsu (special room) - View of garden