Gion Yoshi-ima is a 16-room inn on Shinmonzen Street in Gion, Kyoto, built as a traditional machiya townhouse: only about 8 meters wide at the front, but running deep enough to reach the next street, Shinbashi-dori. Before you book, three things matter: every room is tatami with its own bath and toilet; dinner and breakfast are both served in your room; and there is no parking, so arrive by train or taxi.
Gion Yoshi-ima (Yoshiima) at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 229-2 Nishinocho, Shinmonzen-dori Yamatooji Higashi-iru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0088 |
| Building | Traditional Kyoto machiya in the sukiya style |
| Rooms | 16, all tatami, each with bath, toilet, air conditioning and TV |
| Check-in / out | From 16:00 / by 10:00 |
| Meals | Dinner and breakfast in your room |
| Payment | Credit cards accepted (American Express, Visa, Diners and others) |
| Parking | None; nearby paid lots |
| Phone | +81 75 561 2620 |
From the official sites, read October 20, 2026.
What is it like to stay in a Kyoto machiya at Gion Yoshi-ima?
The inn describes itself as a quiet sukiya-style Kyoto inn in one of the most Kyoto-like corners of the city. A long, narrow machiya of this kind is called an unagi no nedoko, an “eel’s bed,” for its shape. Inside are a Japanese garden, a tea room and a Buddhist altar room. For a walk around the neighborhood, see our Gion map.
Which room types are there?
| Type | Size | Up to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 8 or 10 mats | 3 guests | Some rooms look onto the garden |
| B (3rd floor) | 10 mats | 4 guests | No garden view |
| C | 8 mats | 3 guests | Some rooms do not face the garden |
From the official rooms page, read October 20, 2026.
Every room has a bath, toilet, air conditioning and TV. The rooms page lists a hair dryer, a warm-water toilet seat, yukata and towels, and amenities of body soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, razor, shampoo, conditioner and a shower cap. The English site notes that shoes come off at the entrance.
What are the garden and tea room like?
The tea room, Kotei, is modeled on the Hassoseki tea room at Konchi-in, a sub-temple of Nanzen-ji. The English site describes a small inner courtyard garden with an Oribe-style stone lantern and a linden tree more than 150 years old, and an altar room showing everyday objects from about 150 years ago. The English site also mentions a tea ceremony for guests; ask the inn whether one is held during your dates.
Meals at Gion Yoshi-ima
What is dinner like?
Dinner is a seasonal Kyoto kaiseki course of fish and seafood, Kyoto vegetables, nama-fu (fresh wheat gluten) and fresh yuba (tofu skin). One sample menu on the official cuisine page runs from hassun and sashimi through simmered, vinegared, grilled, steamed and tempura dishes to soup, fruit, rice and pickles; the menu changes with the season. The rice is Omi rice sent straight from the farm, and the autumn leaves and flowers on the dishes are picked from the garden each morning.
Where are meals served?
Both dinner and breakfast are served in your room, so you can take your time.
Can the inn handle a special diet?
The English site asks guests to say in advance if they have requests about ingredients, such as grilled dishes only or vegetarian meals. The Japanese pages say nothing on allergies, so give the details when you book.
Prices and rules at Gion Yoshi-ima
How much does a stay cost?
Rates change with the date and the number of guests. As an example, checked on October 20, 2026, the English booking page listed these per-person rates when three guests share one room, with tax included:
| Plan | Per guest (3 sharing) |
|---|---|
| Dinner and breakfast | 26,800 yen |
| Dinner only | 24,160 yen |
| Breakfast only | 21,520 yen |
Example from the official English booking page, checked October 20, 2026. Your rate will differ.
Is there an accommodation tax?
Kyoto charges an accommodation tax per guest per night, set by the room-only price, from 200 yen up to 10,000 yen, paid at the place you stay; see the City of Kyoto tax page. The inn’s pages do not say whether it is in the rate shown, so ask.
What do children cost?
The booking page has a field for children, but the official pages do not give ages or rates. Ask the inn before you book.
What is the cancellation policy?
The terms-of-stay page did not display text we could read, and the plan list does not show the fee schedule. Check the rule on your plan before you confirm; our hotel cancellation guide covers what to look for.
How do I pay?
The inn accepts credit cards, naming American Express, Visa and Diners among them. On the Japanese booking page, prepayment is arranged through a travel contract with Time Design Co., Ltd.
Bathing at Gion Yoshi-ima
Every guest room has its own bath. The Japanese and English pages also describe bathing beyond the rooms in different words, so if you want to know more, ask the inn how it works. The official pages do not mention a large public bath, bathing hours or tattoos.
Getting to Gion Yoshi-ima in Gion
The inn is a short walk from Keihan Shijo and Sanjo stations, and about 7 minutes on foot from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station. From JR Kyoto Station, a taxi takes about 15 minutes. The inn suggests telling the driver “Hanamikoji Shinmonzen nishi-iru” for a smooth ride. There is no parking; the access page lists nearby paid lots. A shuttle is not mentioned.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Gion Yoshi-ima
- The inn has an English website and an English booking page with plans and prices.
- There is no public email address. Use the contact form, which the inn says is not a booking form, or phone +81 75 561 2620; the inn asks guests in a hurry to call.
- Confirm your latest arrival time with the inn. If you may be late, see our late arrival guide.
- Rooms are tatami and shoes come off at the entrance.
- Type B rooms are on the 3rd floor; the official pages do not mention an elevator, so ask if stairs are a concern.
Frequently asked questions
Do the rooms at Gion Yoshi-ima have their own bath?
What time is check-in at Gion Yoshi-ima?
Where are meals served at Gion Yoshi-ima?
Is there parking at Gion Yoshi-ima?
What is the cancellation policy at Gion Yoshi-ima?
Bottom line (2026): Gion Yoshi-ima is a 16-room machiya inn on Shinmonzen Street in Gion, with tatami rooms that each have a bath and toilet, a tea room and garden, and kaiseki served in your room. Check the cancellation rule and your arrival time with the inn, and come without a car.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Gion Yoshi-ima’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms, cuisine, facilities, access, contact, home (English), the official English booking page and the official Japanese booking page, plus the City of Kyoto tax page. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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