Matsui Honkan is a ryokan in the middle of downtown Kyoto, with more than 90 years of history in the city and 27 rooms. Shinkyogoku and Kawaramachi are a 5-minute walk away. Before you book, three things matter: its two large baths are heated well water, not a hot spring; dinner and breakfast are both served in your room; and the doors are locked after midnight, so you call to be let in.
Matsui Honkan at a glance
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | Front desk opens; breakfast in your room from 7:00 to 9:00 |
| 6:00–9:00 | Large baths open in the morning |
| 10:00 | Checkout |
| 16:00 | Check-in; large baths open until 1:00 |
| 17:00–19:30 | Dinner in your room (last start 19:30) |
| 22:00 | Front desk closes |
| 24:00 | Doors locked; call to be let in |
A day at the inn, from the official FAQ, rooms page, facilities page and terms, read October 20, 2026.
The address is Yanagibaba Rokkaku-Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8113, and the phone number is +81-75-221-3535 (9:00 to 19:00). The whole building is non-smoking, with a smoking room on the 1st floor, and there is free Wi-Fi in every room. All rooms have antiviral tatami. The FAQ says plainly that there are no views.
Getting to Matsui Honkan in downtown Kyoto
How do I get there from Kyoto Station?
The FAQ gives two ways: the subway toward Kokusaikaikan for 2 stops to Shijo, then about 8 minutes on foot, or a taxi of about 10 minutes, about 1,000 yen. The access page also has directions from Exit 13 of Hankyu Karasuma Station.
Is there parking or a shuttle?
No. The FAQ says there is no shuttle service and no guest parking; the inn introduces paid parking nearby, and its terms say it is not responsible for cars parked there.
Rooms at Matsui Honkan
What kinds of rooms are there?
The 27 rooms mix old and new, in what the inn calls a modern sukiya style. They include special rooms of two connected rooms with their own bath, rooms with an anteroom, rooms with a small inner garden, a Japanese and Western room with beds, and standard Japanese rooms. A universal design room by the elevator is barrier-free, with an electric bed and a wheelchair-accessible shower booth. Room sizes and capacity are not on the official pages.
What is in the room, and what can I borrow?
Rooms have an air purifier with humidifier, a kettle and a 500 ml bottle of water per person. Amenities include a toothbrush, towels, a yukata, a razor, a shower cap and a hairbrush. The inn lends items such as an iron, a baby bouncer, a baby chair, a bottle sterilizer set, a wheelchair and a bath chair for assisted bathing.
The baths at Matsui Honkan
Is the bath a hot spring?
No. The FAQ says the baths are not a hot spring: they use spring water from a well about 100 m underground, heated. The official pages do not mention a bathing tax.
When are the baths open?
There are two large baths in the basement, Hana-no-yu and Taki-no-yu, with jet baths. They open 16:00 to 1:00 and again 6:00 to 9:00. The English facilities page notes that swimwear is not permitted. The special rooms have their own bath; the official pages do not mention a private bath for booking or an open-air bath.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Meals at Matsui Honkan
Where and when are meals served?
The FAQ says dinner and breakfast are both served in your room: seasonal Kyoto kaiseki in the evening, from 17:00 with the last start at 19:30, and breakfast from 7:00 to 9:00. If sitting on the floor is hard, the inn can set a table and chairs. Plans with no meals or with breakfast only are on the booking page, and one dinner plan is sukiyaki of Kyoto beef.
What is breakfast like?
The cuisine page highlights yudofu, simmered tofu from the long-running maker Takaoya, with a freshly scooped yuba salad and Kyoto-style rolled omelet. Our yudofu guide explains the dish. Extra dishes can be ordered, such as sashimi for four from 12,100 yen or hamo sushi for 2,200 yen, both with tax and service included.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages do not mention allergies, vegetarian meals or other diets. Ask the inn before you book.
Can I invite a maiko?
Yes. The maiko page offers a maiko, a geiko and a musician for one hour in your room, 55,000 yen with tax and service included.
Prices, children and the rules that cost money
What extra charges should I expect?
Prices on the booking page change with the room, the number of guests and the date, and are shown with consumption tax included. On top, the plans say Kyoto City’s accommodation tax is paid at the inn. Kyoto City revised the tax from March 1, 2026, and the amount depends on the price per person per night; see the Kyoto City tax page for the current rates.
What about children?
Kids’ yukata are for about age 3 and up; bring pajamas for younger children. The large bath has a baby cot corner. Child rates appear on more than one official page with different figures, so ask the inn.
What is the cancellation policy?
The official pages show more than one cancellation table. Check the rule on your plan’s booking page, or ask the inn. Under the terms, a booking may be treated as canceled if you have not arrived by 20:00, or two hours after the arrival time you gave. See our late arrival guide and hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay, and what if I check out late?
The terms list cash, traveler’s checks, vouchers and credit cards, paid at the front desk when you leave; the booking page also offers payment at the inn, PayPal or card prepayment. Card brands are not listed. Staying past checkout costs extra: 30 percent of the room charge for up to 3 hours, 60 percent up to 6 hours, and the full charge beyond that.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Matsui Honkan
- Bring your passport; the terms say foreign guests show it at check-in and the inn takes a copy.
- The baths are not a hot spring, but you bathe as at one: no swimwear.
- Back after midnight? Call the inn to be let in.
- The front desk can hold your bags at any time.
- Some pages of the English site, such as the FAQ, show Japanese text. The inn takes questions by phone or through the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Is the bath at Matsui Honkan a hot spring?
What time is check-in at Matsui Honkan?
Are meals served in the room at Matsui Honkan?
Does Matsui Honkan have parking or a shuttle?
What is the cancellation policy at Matsui Honkan?
Bottom line (2026): Matsui Honkan is a 27-room ryokan in downtown Kyoto, a short walk from Kawaramachi, with meals in your room and two large baths of heated well water. Plan for the midnight lock and the lack of parking, and confirm prices and the cancellation rule on the official English booking page.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Matsui Honkan’s official pages: home (Japanese), home (English), rooms, rooms (English), cuisine, baths, facilities (English), FAQ, access, maiko plan and privacy and terms, the official English booking page, and Kyoto City. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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