Takao Kinsuitei

While the Kyoto city center has its fair share of attractions, those looking for a “true” Kyoto experience should break free of the confines of its gridded streets and head northward, past the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove; further even than the Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, into the thickly forested hills in the northwest — where they’ll find historic ryokan Takao Kinsuitei. A traditional Japanese inn just down the road from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kosanji Temple (sometimes Kozan-ji), Takao Kinsuitei’s star attraction is its kawadoko dining options: traditional Japanese riverside seating on tatami mats, that offers a variety of stunning views of the Kiyotaki River depending on the season. Autumn is popular for the fiery sights of red Japanese maple, while summer evenings bring the gently meandering lights of thousands of fireflies rising from the foliage. In winter, the heavily forested surroundings are blanketed with snow, and in summer Kinsuitei is a wonderful respite from the often brutal heat of the Kyoto city center, being on average 5°C cooler. Each time of year is uniquely Kyoto in its own way. It’s not just the view of the rushing waters that’s to die for: some of the most authentic Kyoto-style kaiseki, or kyo-kaiseki, can be found here. In especially high demand are the hotpot menus, the exact contents of which vary depending on the season. This is especially true for the hamo pike conger hotpot, which is available only in late autumn and early winter, when it is sweetest and fattest. But Kinsuitei is one of the rare places that guests can try the rare delicacy of botan-nabe, which is a hotpot of locally sourced wild boar, mushrooms and kyoyasai (Kyoto vegetables unique to the Kyoto locality). In the colder months, its particularly warming nature makes for one of the most satisfying things to eat. What makes a meal at Takao Kinsuitei especially appealing is also the ease of accessibility, thanks to a special transportation service provided by the ryokan staff. Buses are dispatched before and after mealtimes to pick up and drop off guests at some of Kyoto’s most accessible locations, such as the Kyoto Tokyu Hotel, the Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo, JR Nijo Station.