Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto is a ryokan in Shimogyo Ward, about 4 minutes on foot from JR Kyoto Station. The old Ryokan Ginkaku closed in 2018 and, five years later, reopened under its new name with a grand opening on May 27, 2023. Before you book, three things matter: since June 21, 2025, guests with tattoos may use the large bath; under the inn’s terms of stay, rooms are yours from 16:00 to 10:00; and the website is in Japanese only.
Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 709 Higashi-Shiokoji-cho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 600-8216 (Akezu-dori, south of Shichijo) |
| From Kyoto Station | About 4 minutes on foot from the JR Karasuma Central Exit |
| Opened | Grand opening May 27, 2023, after closing in 2018 |
| Check-in / out | 16:00 / 10:00 (terms of stay) |
| Baths | Basement large bath, four bathrooms rotated daily, plus a private bath |
| Tattoos | Restriction removed from June 21, 2025 |
| Dinner | Seasonal Kyoto kaiseki course, 18,500 yen including tax |
| Phone | +81-75-371-5252 |
From the official site and terms of stay, read October 20, 2026.
The inn says it was built with as few steps as possible, in a universal design, with up-to-date systems. Each floor has its own theme: Bengara red for the old Kyoto geisha districts on the 3rd floor, indigo on the 4th, the four seasons of the 24 solar terms on the 5th to 8th floors, and the Tale of Genji in pale purple on the 9th. There is a lounge called Ginshanada and a tea room, Kogetsu-an.
The baths at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
What is the large bath like?
The large bath is in the basement, designed around Fushikaden, the treatise on Noh by Zeami. Its four bathrooms, Kaden-no-yu, Joka-no-yu, Kakyo-no-yu and Kashin-no-yu, each use different materials on the walls and tiles, and they change from day to day. The official pages do not give the bath hours or mention an outdoor bath.
Is there a private bath?
Yes, one private bath, Hika-no-yu. The inn asks you to ask at the front desk about using it; the official pages give no price or booking rule.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
Yes. In a notice dated June 10, 2025, the manager announced that from June 21, 2025, the inn removed its restriction on guests with tattoos using the large bath. Our tattoo and onsen guide covers how other baths in Japan handle this.
Is it a hot spring?
The official pages do not call the bath a hot spring, and the inn is not on the City of Kyoto’s list of facilities that collect the bathing tax on hot springs. Our onsen bathing tax guide explains that tax.
Rooms at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
Rooms are named after Kyoto places and seasonal terms, on the theme of a stroll through Kyoto. The room types page lists seven types:
| Room type | Floor | Guests | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Modern (special room) | 9F | 2 | 35–41 m² |
| Comfort Japanese | 8F | 2–4 | 34–39 m² |
| Deluxe Japanese (two rooms) | 4–7F | 2–8 | 37–44 m² |
| Wide Japanese | 3–4F | 2–4 | 26–30 m² |
| Superior Twin (universal design) | 3F | 2 | 26 m² |
| Standard Japanese | 3–8F | 1–3 | 22–24 m² |
| Moderate Japanese | 3–4F | 1–2 | 22 m² |
From the official room types page, read October 20, 2026.
Which rooms have a bathtub?
The Standard and Moderate rooms have no bathtub; the inn asks guests in them to use the basement bath. The Wide room has a separate bath and toilet. The Superior Twin is described as easy to use for wheelchair users. For the other types, the page does not say what the bathroom is like.
What is in the room?
Every type lists shampoo, conditioner, body soap, a foam soap that works as hand soap, face wash and shaving foam, a refresher, a hairbrush, a toothbrush, a razor and cotton swabs.
Meals at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Dinner is a seasonal Kyoto kaiseki course at 18,500 yen including tax, from the executive chef, with courses such as a starter, a clear soup, sashimi, a grilled hassun, a steamed dish, a fried dish, rice and dessert; the menu changes with what the market has. Breakfast pairs seasonal side dishes with rice cooked in a donabe clay pot. Under the terms of stay, breakfast is 7:00 to 9:00 and dinner 17:00 to 20:00. The official pages do not say whether meals are served in the room or in a dining room.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The menu page does not mention allergies, vegetarian or halal meals for individual guests. Ask the inn before you book a plan with dinner.
Check-in, curfew and late arrival at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
What are the check-in and checkout times?
The website itself gives no times. Per the inn’s terms of stay, rooms can be used from 16:00 until 10:00 the next morning.
Is there a curfew?
Yes. The terms of stay set the door curfew at midnight, and front desk service runs from 6:00 to 22:00. If you plan a late night out, ask the inn how it works.
What if I arrive late?
Tell the inn. Under the terms, if you have not arrived by 20:00 without contacting it, or two hours after the arrival time you gave, the booking may be treated as canceled by you. See our late arrival guide.
Prices, children, cancellation and payment at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
How much does a stay cost?
The room types page shows only minimum prices, from 8,000 yen for a Moderate room up to 18,000 yen for the special room. It does not say whether these are per person or per room, or whether they include meals or tax, so check the actual price on the booking window. Kyoto City also charges an accommodation tax per guest per night, based on the room-only charge (room and service charge, without meals or consumption tax), paid at the inn:
| Room-only charge per person per night | Tax |
|---|---|
| Under 6,000 yen | 200 yen |
| 6,000 to under 20,000 yen | 400 yen |
| 20,000 to under 50,000 yen | 1,000 yen |
| 50,000 to under 100,000 yen | 4,000 yen |
| 100,000 yen or more | 10,000 yen |
From the City of Kyoto’s accommodation tax page, read October 20, 2026.
What do children cost?
Under the terms, children aged 3 to under 12 pay 70 percent of the adult rate with adult-style meals and bedding, 50 percent with a children’s meal and bedding, and 30 percent for bedding only. Children under 3 who need no meals or bedding stay free.
What is the cancellation policy?
The terms of stay include a table of cancellation charges by group size and days before arrival, as a share of the basic rate. Check the charges on the booking window or with the inn before you book. Our hotel cancellation guide explains how these rules work in Japan.
How do I pay?
Under the terms, you pay at the front desk on arrival or when the inn asks, in cash, by credit card, or with traveler’s checks or vouchers the inn accepts. The official pages do not list which card brands work.
Getting to Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
From JR Kyoto Station, the inn is about 4 minutes on foot from the Karasuma Central Exit. From Hankyu Karasuma Station (Shijo-Karasuma) or Keihan Shichijo Station, it is about 5 minutes by taxi. By car, the inn gives about 15 minutes from the Kyoto-Higashi or Kyoto-Minami interchange of the Meishin Expressway. The official pages do not mention guest parking or a pickup service; under the terms, if the inn points you to a parking lot, it only makes the introduction.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto
- There is no English website. The booking window and FAQ open inside the Japanese site, and the times and rules are in a Japanese PDF.
- Bring your passport: under the terms, guests without an address in Japan show it at check-in, and the inn keeps a copy.
- Do not confuse the inn with Ginkakuji. Give a taxi driver the address near Kyoto Station.
- If you book a Standard or Moderate room, plan to use the basement bath; those rooms have no bathtub.
- For questions, the contact form is in Japanese; calling +81-75-371-5252 is another route.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto near Ginkakuji temple?
Can I use the bath at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto with a tattoo?
What time is check-in at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto?
Do all rooms at Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto have a bathtub?
Does Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto have an English website?
Bottom line (2026): Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto is a ryokan reopened in 2023, a short walk from Kyoto Station and nowhere near Ginkakuji, with a basement bath that changes daily, tattoos allowed since June 2025, and seasonal Kyoto kaiseki. Read the terms of stay for times, and check prices and cancellation charges before you book.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Ryokan Ginkaku Kyoto’s official pages: home (Japanese), room types, floor concept, facilities, meals, tattoo notice, contact and the terms of stay (PDF), plus the City of Kyoto’s accommodation tax page and bathing tax page. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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