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Where to Stay in Kyoto (2026): Five Areas and 14 Hotels and Ryokan, Compared

By Casey, Gently Yonder editor

Stay downtown near a subway line for the best all-round base, by Kyoto Station for the Shinkansen and Kansai Airport, in Gion and Higashiyama for the old city at dawn. Five Kyoto areas, 14 hotels and ryokan, and the tax that rose in March 2026.

Last updated · 10 min read

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In this guide10 sections
  1. The short answer
  2. Two things to know before you choose
  3. Downtown: Karasuma, Kawaramachi and Sanjo
  4. Kyoto Station: the transport base
  5. Gion and Higashiyama: the old city, early and late
  6. Arashiyama: the river at dusk
  7. The northern hills: seclusion
  8. All 14 at a glance
  9. If you are still undecided
  10. Frequently asked questions

Kyoto is small on the map and slow on the ground. The temples you came for are spread around the edges of the city, the buses that reach them are some of the most crowded in Japan, and a base that looks central can leave you in queues for an hour a day. So in Kyoto, more than anywhere, the right place to stay is the one that puts you on a train or subway line, not just near the sights.

Coming from Tokyo? Where to stay in Japan on a first trip covers how many nights to give each city, and how to move your bags between them.

This guide covers the five areas worth considering, then fourteen places to stay across them: grand hotels, a hostel, two of the most famous ryokan in Japan, and a hotel in a 1930s schoolhouse. They are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in September 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

If you… Stay in Why
want the best all-round base Downtown (Karasuma, Kawaramachi, Sanjo) Two subway lines plus the Hankyu and Keihan railways; Nishiki Market and the Kamo River on foot
are arriving by Shinkansen or from Kansai Airport Kyoto Station Shinkansen, the Haruka airport express and JR lines to Nara and Arashiyama at your door
want temples and old streets at dawn and dusk Gion and Higashiyama Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera and Ninenzaka on foot, before and after the crowds
want quiet evenings by the river Arashiyama The bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge, peaceful once the day-trippers leave
want seclusion above all The northern hills Forest and silence, far from the crowds, by car
The five-storey Yasaka Pagoda rising behind traditional wooden houses on a Higashiyama street
The Yasaka Pagoda above the old streets of Higashiyama. Photo: maxed. RAW / Pexels

Two things to know before you choose

The accommodation tax went up sharply on 1 March 2026. Kyoto now charges, per person per night: ¥200 on rooms under ¥6,000, ¥400 from ¥6,000, ¥1,000 from ¥20,000, ¥4,000 from ¥50,000, and ¥10,000 on rooms of ¥100,000 or more. On a luxury room for two, that is up to ¥20,000 a night on top of the rate, usually collected at the hotel.

The buses are the bottleneck. The bus-only one-day pass was withdrawn in September 2023 to ease overcrowding; the subway-and-bus one-day pass (¥1,100) remains. A base near a subway or rail station lets you use the trains for most of the distance and the buses for as little as possible.

Downtown: Karasuma, Kawaramachi and Sanjo

A narrow lantern-lit alley in Pontocho at night, lined with wooden restaurant fronts
Pontocho at night, a two-minute walk from downtown's main streets. Photo: Julien / Pexels

For most first trips, this is the base. Downtown is the grid between Karasuma and Kawaramachi streets, from Oike down to Shijo, and it has the most transport in the city: the Karasuma and Tozai subway lines, the Hankyu railway to Osaka (and, with a change at Katsura, Arashiyama), and, across the river, the Keihan line to Gion-Shijo and Fushimi Inari. Nishiki Market, the lanes of Pontocho and the Kamo River are all on foot, and so are more restaurants than you will have evenings for.

Where to stay downtown

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

The two famous ryokan

A few streets west of Kawaramachi, on a narrow lane in Fuyacho, two of the most celebrated ryokan in Japan face each other. Tawaraya opened in 1709, has been run by the same family for generations, and keeps just 18 rooms. Hiiragiya, founded in 1818, received the feudal lords and writers of its day. Neither is a hotel with a Japanese theme: expect tatami, futons, a kaiseki dinner served in your room, and customs to follow. Choose one for a single unforgettable night, not a week.

Kyoto Station: the transport base

Passengers waiting on a sunny platform at Kyoto Station under a steel roof
A platform at Kyoto Station, where the Shinkansen, the Haruka and the JR lines meet. Photo: Leongsan Tung / Pexels

The area around the station is not the Kyoto of postcards, but it is the most practical base if you are arriving by Shinkansen (see Tokyo to Kyoto, compared), flying into Kansai Airport on the Haruka express, or planning day trips to Nara and Osaka. The Karasuma subway line runs north from here into downtown.

Where to stay near Kyoto Station

Gion and Higashiyama: the old city, early and late

Gion’s teahouse streets, Yasaka Shrine, the lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka climbing to Kiyomizu-dera: this is the Kyoto most visitors picture, and staying here lets you see it at seven in the morning, before the tour groups, and again after dark; a self-guided audio walk from WeGoTrip is a good companion for those quiet hours. The price is crowds by day, higher room rates, and fewer subway stations, so you will lean on the Keihan line and the buses. Our Gion guide has the streets and the etiquette.

Where to stay in Gion and Higashiyama

Arashiyama: the river at dusk

Togetsukyo Bridge crossing the Katsura River in front of wooded hills, framed by pine branches
Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama. Photo: Bruna Santos / Pexels

On the western edge of the city, Arashiyama has the bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge, and it is packed by day. By evening the day-trippers are gone and it is one of the quietest places in Kyoto. It is a short train ride from Kyoto Station on the JR Sagano line, or from downtown on the Hankyu line.

Where to stay in Arashiyama

The northern hills: seclusion

All 14 at a glance

Price tiers are relative to Kyoto, from ¥ (budget) to ¥¥¥¥ (luxury). Rates swing hugely in cherry-blossom season and autumn (see our Kyoto autumn guide), and the accommodation tax rises with the rate, so compare the same night.

Place to stay Area Tier Best for Watch out for
HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO Downtown (Nijo) ¥¥¥¥ Serene luxury with a hot-spring spa ¥10,000 tax per person on ¥100,000+ rooms
Ace Hotel Kyoto Downtown ¥¥¥ Design, coffee and energy Busy lobby
Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo PREMIER Downtown ¥¥¥ Gardens and a public bath Books out in peak seasons
Cross Hotel Kyoto Downtown ¥¥¥ The busiest corner of the city Busy streets
Len Kyoto Kawaramachi Downtown ¥ A sociable hostel Shared spaces
Tawaraya Downtown (Fuyacho) ¥¥¥¥ Japan’s most storied ryokan 18 rooms, strict customs
Hiiragiya Downtown (Fuyacho) ¥¥¥¥ A classic ryokan since 1818 Ryokan customs
THE THOUSAND KYOTO Kyoto Station ¥¥¥ A calm base by the platforms Station surroundings
Hotel Granvia Kyoto Kyoto Station ¥¥¥ Trains downstairs A big, busy station hotel
Park Hyatt Kyoto Higashiyama ¥¥¥¥ Ninenzaka and the pagoda Crowds outside by day
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto Higashiyama ¥¥¥¥ An 800-year-old garden A ride to the centre
The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu Higashiyama ¥¥¥¥ A 1933 schoolhouse near Kiyomizu-dera Hills and crowds
HOSHINOYA Kyoto Arashiyama ¥¥¥¥ A riverside ryokan reached by boat Far from downtown
Aman Kyoto Takagamine ¥¥¥¥ Forest seclusion Taxis everywhere

If you are still undecided

Choose downtown, near a subway station. It gives you the most of Kyoto for the least time on buses, and the old city is a short ride away when you want it. If you are arriving from Kansai Airport or leaving early by Shinkansen, stay by Kyoto Station for those nights. If Kyoto is a day trip from Osaka, our Osaka or Kyoto guide weighs the two bases. For what to do once you arrive, see our list of things to do in Kyoto or three slow days in the city.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Kyoto for first-timers?

Downtown, between Karasuma and Kawaramachi streets. It has the most transport in the city (the Karasuma and Tozai subway lines plus the Hankyu and Keihan railways), puts Nishiki Market, Pontocho and the Kamo River on foot, and keeps your bus time to a minimum.

Is it better to stay near Kyoto Station or in Gion?

Near Kyoto Station if you are arriving by Shinkansen or from Kansai Airport on the Haruka, or planning day trips to Nara and Osaka. In Gion and Higashiyama if you want to walk the old streets at dawn and after dark. Gion costs more and relies more on buses and the Keihan line.

How much is the accommodation tax in Kyoto?

Since 1 March 2026 Kyoto charges, per person per night: ¥200 for rooms under ¥6,000, ¥400 from ¥6,000, ¥1,000 from ¥20,000, ¥4,000 from ¥50,000 and ¥10,000 for rooms of ¥100,000 or more. It is usually collected at the hotel.

Is there still a one-day bus pass in Kyoto?

The bus-only one-day pass was withdrawn in September 2023 to ease crowding. The Subway & Bus One-day Pass, ¥1,100, is still sold and covers the city subway and buses and some other bus routes.

Should I stay in a ryokan in Kyoto?

For a night or two, yes. Tawaraya (1709) and Hiiragiya (1818), facing each other in Fuyacho, are among the most celebrated ryokan in Japan, and HOSHINOYA Kyoto in Arashiyama is reached by boat. Expect tatami, futons, a kaiseki dinner and customs to follow; many travellers pair one ryokan night with a hotel for the rest of the stay.

Is Arashiyama a good place to stay in Kyoto?

For quiet evenings, yes: once the day-trippers leave, it is one of the calmest parts of the city. It is on the western edge, a short ride from Kyoto Station on the JR Sagano line, so it suits a night or two rather than a whole stay.

Sources & further reading

Hotels renovate, rebrand and reprice, and Kyoto’s accommodation tax changed in March 2026. Every detail here was checked in September 2026; confirm rates, taxes and room types with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links to Klook and WeGoTrip, and to hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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