It was a wonderful staying at Gallery Nozawa as it gave us the experience of staying at a traditional Japanese minshuku. The best part was the great interaction with the owners, who were very friendly and always were available to help us with our stay by providing lots of useful information about what to see and where to go as well as driving us to a nearby temple and then to Kyoto station. We got good advice about where to have lunch and experience a hot spring onsen just a block away. Though there are just two rooms availble, they are large and it truly is a place you should stay if you want to have a true Japanese experience. The breakfast is cooked by the wife, who provides a large assortment of tasty treats, and on one day, a hot pot of tofu, cabbage and meatballs. This is an experience of being in Japan you would not get from any regular hotel. Guests should be aware that while each room has a modern washlet-style toilet, the bath and shower are shared, which is also typical of other minshukus, and really not an inconvenience. The bathrooms and shower area are very clean, modern and easy to use. Guests should also be aware that part of staying at Gallery Nozawa is experiencing a traditional Minshuku, which will be different from staying at a regular hotel room. There is a shared refrigerator where you can store food and drink. The place is also within a few blocks of buses (5 minute walk) that can take you to different parts of Kyoto, and a 10 minute walk from Umekōji-Kyōtonishi Station, which is one stop on the JR Sanin line from Kyoto Station. A Family Mart convenience store is a 5 minute walk away. Gallery Nozawa will be my first choice for a place to stay the next time I visit Kyoto.

While the rooms are large and clean and provide a true minshuku experience, those who may have mobility problems will have a challenge carrying a large suitcase up a narrow staircase to get to the room.

We loved our stay at Gallery Nozawa in Kyoto. Easy walks to bus stop and local JR station. Taxi from Kyoto station and to most places were reasonable for our family of 4 - comparable to price per person on bus. The room we stayed in was spacious for us, traditionally decorated and clean. Futon beds were comfortable. Handy having the Toto toilet and sink in the room as the bathroom with shower was shared use with guests in one other room. We didn’t have a problem of clashing usage with the other guests at all. Every evening after returning, there would be delicious sweet treats and flask of tea waiting for us. They had a laundry basket in the room and would do our laundry for us! Breakfast was Japanese style - homemade with care! Just a warning if you have your breakfast late, it will be tasty but cold, though miso soup and rice is always piping hot! :) Morio-san and his wife were gracious and generous hosts and go out of their way to make sure you have the best experience in Kyoto. He even offered to take us to Kyoto station on our last morning to catch our train to next destination. For an authentic stay to experience living in Japan as a local, this is the place is it!

Staying in the Gallery Nozawa Inn has become the highlight of our trip to Kyoto! Our host Moria-san and Yoshiko-san had us just like their family members staying at their home -- Warm greetings and welcome to their beautiful 100+ years old Ryokan, every morning waking up to elaborate home cooked breakfast, local advice of the day to avoid crowds in Kyoto, we came home with delicious and well-chosen sweets 🍡, warm hojitcha tea and clean rooms ready for us. 😍 Unexpectedly, they even washed our laundry and offered to drop us off at the Kyoto station. (We hope these details don't burden them as these are beyond the services). 🥹 The location is perfect, as it's peaceful and serene, with conveniently close amenities such as restaurants, bus-stops and a great onsen nearby it almost feels surreal! We had the entire upstairs 2 rooms for our family of 4. It is very spacious yet cosy, the futons are very comfortable, bathroom and toilets are clean and modern. We love the view of the zen garden from our windows 🪟. 🌳 We really enjoyed our stay and we'll miss it a lot. 🌸🤍

Nothing! But we just wish we had some more time to sit down and chat with Moria-san and Yoshiko-san. 🍓

A really nice small ryokan in a quiet but well located neighborhood in n Kyoto. Moryo and his wife are amazing hosts and we immediately felt at home. Everyday they made the most delicious Japanese breakfast which was served in a traditional Japanese living room with beautiful details like traditional Japanese pottery, artworks and books. Because the second room was not occupied, Moryo let us use the entire first floor for our family. After a day of sightseeing there were nice refreshments prepared for us. And upon departure Moryo was even so nice to drive us the Kyoto station. An amazing home away from home. We’d love to come back some day!

Nothing

This is a traditional guest house with two rooms furnished in a classic Japanese style − comfortable and charming. Each room has a private toilet and sink, and the shared shower is lovely and kept very clean. The hosts are truly kind and go out of their way to help. The owner speaks English, which makes communication relatively easy. They also serve a generous, freshly prepared Japanese breakfast every morning − a real experience in itself. It’s a perfect place for those who are looking for a simple yet authentic stay that gives a real taste of Japanese culture.

Honestly, nothing negative to mention given the context. Of course, it’s not a luxury hotel, but the overall experience more than makes up for that. During my stay, the weather was pleasant and the temperature was warm. I am therefore not in a position to comment on the issue of the house being “too cold,” as mentioned in other reviews.

Feels like home! I arrived a bit late in the evening and Morio-san has waited for my arrival to introduce the room. The room is super spacious. It can fit for 4 guests. My room faced the garden and neighborhood area, it is quiet and peaceful. It makes me feel I stayed in the area for a long time. Yoshiko-san helped a lot of my laundry. She cooked delicious breakfast every morning. They also give me sweet snacks with hot tea in every evening. Hot water is always ready at the room. The location is a bit far from tourist attraction but that doesn’t matter because the bus stop is reachable by walking. The hospitality experience is 100/10!

Nothing!!

From the very first day, the host family was an absolute blessing. Both owners are incredibly kind, speak English very well and welcomed me into their home with open arms. In addition to the formidable hospitality, my room was spacious, clean and equipped with all ammenities I could have possibly asked for - including air-conditioning, Wi-Fi and more. My favorite aspect however was the laundry service & the very delicious and traditional Japanese breakfast. If I could give 11 points instead of 10, I absolutely would. I will come again. 🙂‍↔️

There is nothing to complain about.

A gorgeous old Kyomachiya residence with just two guest rooms that has been lovingly transformed into a small inn by the owner couple who live on site. I really loved my huge suite of rooms, which, I was told, was the smaller rooms, the comfortable sofas and futon, down to the very stylish loungewear! The owner will prepare the room for you, put your futon out, and his wife cooks a wonderful traditional breakfast. Nothing seems too much trouble. The house is stylishly decorated. All this at the fraction of a price of the established traditional ryokan. The area is nice, with a couple hotels, an okay onsen nearby, basically a residential area with just a few restaurants. You can walk to Gojo-dori and Kotoku Park where you find many more smaller family-oriented restaurants with few tourists, as well as supermarkets and drug stores. After I checked out, the lovely owner drove me to Kyoto Station, which I highly appreciated, because it was raining and I had accumulated a bit of shopping. I would love to stay here again, if you find availability, take it, as this lovely place appears to be sold out most of the time.

Nothing.

A retired couple runs this small 2-room hotel, an intelligent and friendly couple. Got spoiled with large and tasty breakfasts - different breakfast every morning served in different quality kitchenware. All Japanese style. 5 min walk from train stn; Location in great overall, can easily get to the most tourist attractions in Kyoto; Free service to wash your clothes - simply leave them at a designated spot Enjoyed the possibility to open the windows and enjoy fresh air as most modern hotels don't allow you to do that. No noise at all in the area.

One shower for two rooms. I was the only one in the hotel, so had no issues at all.

Nozawa Inn is my favourite stay in my entire trip, I wished I had stayed here for the whole holiday. Yoshiko San and Morio San are not staff, they are hosts and they treat guests like family! They are such a lovely couple who went out of their way to make me comfortable every day... From helping me plan my daily trips, washing my clothes, driving me to the station, introducing me to their friends, giving me daily treats and tea, beer and sake, telling me stories, lending me books (she used to be an editor so there's lots of them!) and making recommendations for food and onsen (just go wherever they send you, it will be great), they made my stay in Kyoto the best time ever! Oh yes, breakfast each day is different, plentiful and really good and tasty. The rooms are a good size and have all the facilities you would expect and more. The toilet in the room is clean and you get fresh towels each day. The shower is shared but there's only 2 rooms in the house so this isn't a problem, and it's clean and the water is warm... it doesn't matter anyway as the onsen around the corner is brilliant and open until 10pm. The location is perfect, in a nice, quiet and pretty part of town with a train station 6 mins away. There's a blowfish restaurant opposite if you want too, and a nice sweet shop as well, who make nice sweet rice balls fresh. The house is over 100 years old and feels so special, with wooden beams and screens, and a cute garden where you can smoke if you need... Fun fact - the house was designed by the uncle of the famous Sumo wrestler Takakeisho (look him up, he's going to be Yokozuna one day) and they are both sumo fans!

I hated leaving. Next time I come to Japan I will contact Nozawa Inn first and stay here as my base for the entire trip.