The average rating does not, in my opinion, reflect the value of this place. The attractive price with the offer of this ryokan compares very favourably. It is not easy to find such a place in Tokyo. Tucked away in a small alley is an atmospheric little hotel. The ryokan has a local vibe, a friendly staff, cafes with delicious coffee and snacks. The rooms are small bu neat and the mattresses comfortable.

I can mention two weaknesses: An unpleasant smell in our room on the 4th floor, probably caused by an old age wooden construction, dampness, and poor ventilation, which, however, is not present at all in the common areas. Loud a/c

The staff were very friendly and helpful and - contrary to some other comments that made us wonder - were present the whole time. Kimi Ryokan was one of the cheapest places to stay in Tokyo we found, was quiet and good value. The location is in an area of Tokyo that is not necessarily suitable for children, but we found it kind of interesting and always felt safe. There are many cafes and restaurants in this area, including excellent and very reasonably priced sushi places where we met mostly locals.

The room was quite cramped. With two people and our luggage in the room, you could practically only sit on your bed and prepare for the next trip or sleep. The (shared) bathrooms, showers and washbasins were also a bit cramped, but quite acceptable for this price.

Overall it was a very good experience. Everything was conveniently placed and easy to use. The room was clean and quite spacious for two people with surplus space to lie two medium suitcases flat. There were also enough ports for us to use hairdryers and charge our devices. The futons were amazing, soft and comfortable. Everything was provided in the shared bathrooms and they were clean and easy to use. There is a lift once you go inside the building. There is also a fridge to store food and drinks on each level.

The few steps at the front entrance are quite steep, it is best to be careful when going down them. There is only one drinking tap that is located on the 1st floor and that is shared with the cafe during the day. The bathrooms are a cubicle that opens out to a shared corridor, so there is minimal privacy. The walls are quite thin, so if people are loud you can hear it.

In a city as vast as Tokyo, it's hard for anything to be truly "centrally" located, but this place is near a useful train station (Ikebukuro) with access to many train lines. Ikebukuro is not quite as crazy as Shinjuku or Shibuya for those new to Tokyo, but there's still a lot going on (and it's very close to those places - only a few stops away). There are plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance, yet it's also on a quiet street, so noise is not an issue. There is a cafe and a common area, but really, this is a "business" ryokan - small, clean, no-nonsense rooms, 50/50 Japanese/foreign guests. Shared bathrooms were fine, hot water was good.

The pillows were worse than the ones you get on a plane (but they gave me a few, so it wasn't too bad, stacking them). Also, they have a 1AM curfew, and don't open again until 7AM, so depending on what your plans are in the city, that might be problematic (I wasn't there to party, so it didn't bother me, but I did find it odd)

Kimi Ryokan was an awesome home base for exploring Tokyo for the first time. It was recommended by friend who stayed there 20+ years ago and it lived up to their recommendation. It was cold a few nights and the in-room heater was sometimes a little loud but overall we found sleeping very comfortable. Shared baths got a little congested at peak times but we rarely had set timeline so didn't impact our schedule too much. Enjoyed exploring surrounding streets and subway was close enough that it was easy to get everywhere else we wanted to go. Staff was very welcoming and helpful, and cafe was nice bonus.

We had a really good stay at this hotel. The room was small but cozy, with tatami mats on the floor and traditional Japanese beds that were surprisingly comfortable. The Japanese bathrobes provided were a nice touch and made the experience feel more authentic. The staff were friendly and helpful, even with our late check-in. The shared bathroom and shower were very clean and well-kept. The overall atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, great for relaxing after a day out. It’s also conveniently located just a short walk from the train station, which made getting around easy.

The price was a steal. We paid so little and received such a relaxing place, beautiful looking, clean and with towels, yukata, brushes… everything was there. Such a lovely place and in a style of a ryokan. The futons were so fluffy. Loved it!!

There was some mould in the shared shower. The fan in the room was a bit loud but we didn’t notice it too much as we were very tired.

I really like the ambience of the place. I slept well on the comfy futon and tatami mat for the first time. The shared amenities were all kept tidy and ready to use anytime. I wasn't able to try the bath since you have to book in advance, but I would like to try it next time. The cafe within the hotel serves good coffee too that I didn't bother looking for another cafe in the mornings. The staff has been very nice and accommodating despite the language barrier at times. Will definitely book the place again whenever I go on a solo trip again.

Very helpful friendly staff, going a very long way to accommodate your requests. Really well connected area in terms of transport with Ikebukuro train/subway station a 5 min walk away. Reasonably priced room. Lively area, with a wide choice of restaurants and convenience stores nearby while the hotel room remained very quiet. Very clean establishment.

Shower space could be slightly more spacious.

Clean, comfortable bedding. Walking distance to train station, convenience stores like Family Mart and 7eleven, and lots of dining options nearby. Although toilet and shower were communal, it still felt private as the property is quiet. Good value for money. We stayed in the room for 3 people and are very happy with it. Coffee downstairs is really good and the natural baked goods are very yummy especially the scones and muffins. This property looks so much better in real life. Photos don't do justice.

Considering the price, there isn't anything I can and want to complain about! Rooms aren't big but that's Tokyo for you. Reminds me of Paris which offer about the same type of space.