IchiEnSou Reviews

A five star hostel. Yashi and Sunam are lovely hosts. The place is really clean, central and atmospheric. Really glad we stayed here.

One of the nicest hostels ever! Location absolutely ideal for sightseeing & nightlife; the house combines traditional character & modern comfort with a wonderfully homely atmosphere - bedrooms spacious & comfy; living area warm and cosy. Staff are fantastic! really friendly, always on hand if you need help, or just passing out little treats in the evening! Only possible addition would be lockers but as it's a small place & staff are always around, it's not a big problem. Thanks for a great stay!

The owner of the guest house Mr Yashi-san definitely made me felt like home during my stay there... and I love the lounge area cos' that was the place where I got to make a few friends!

I can't say enough good things about this hostel! The staff was so kind and incredibly helpful, the location was wonderful (close to bus stops and Kansai station, in a bustling part of town... I actually passed a geisha right in front of the hostel). It has a very homey atmosphere, and my friends and I looked forward to hanging out in the common area after long days. If there's a hostel better than this one in the Gion area, I'd have a hard time imagining it. I'd absolutely recommend this place!

Best hostel I've stayed at in a long time. Location is PERFECT and the staff are amazing!

Clean hostel with friendly staff who have lots of recommendations. In a fun area with many great restaurants and bars. The only downsides are that the hostel is quite cold in the winter outside of the main lounge and dorm (for instance, in t.he shower and bathroom) There is a heater in the dorm that is turned on at night. There are also no security lockers, which seems to be less of a problem in Japan (low crime rate) but still is a bit worrisome.

A really lovely place to stay. Always clean. The staff were very friendly, helpful and multi-lingual. The area was great for spotting Geishas.

Having cabinets where people can lock their stuff would be helpful. O

Loved staying here. Cozy common room with great character and comfort, perfect to come back to after a cold day and meet some other travelers. Yashi, the owner, was a great host, and likes to socialize with the guests which is makes for a very comfortable atmosphere. He and his wife even took us out to a sushi dinner one night! Absolutely recommended, especially for a solo traveler.

IchEnSou was an incredible hostel. It may seem a little expensive compared to other hostels but the extra couple of quid is well worth it. The Hostel is full of character and has everything you could possibly want for your stay. Both rooms were clean and safe as were the showers and bathrooms. The location was great for the Gion district and perfect for the temple hopping in the east of Kyoto. Yashi, the owner, is a great guy and gave me some great advice. Always approachable in a laidback atmos

excellent place and friendly people. no locker though, not that it was an issue. would definitely recommend and stay again when we have the opportunity

The location was a bit difficult to find, as the entry is at the end of an alcove off of an alley, which is further set off from a side-street connecting to a larger artery. It was well worth the search, though, as the accomodation was relaxing, welcoming, and reassuring. There is a large but cozy commons with excellent, laid-back music from a few decades ago and a well-equiped, if smallish kitchen. The proprietors were extremely helpful and engaging, and the rooms were lovely.

I couldn't have asked for a better stay. Beautiful property, tranquil, great location, owners are knowledge about the area and are willing to chat about anything.

Wonderful hostel! Great staff! We stayed over Christmas and they made us feel so welcome! A little bit exxy, but you get what you pay for!

Yashi and his wife are lovely, welcoming hosts and made our stay at IchiEnSou incredibly comfortable and our visit to Kyoto both fun and easy, not to mention their incredible Christmas dinner. The location is fantastic and makes seeing the city very easy.

amazing place... i will definitely return if im ever in Kyoto.. Friendly owner and truly just the best location to stay in Kyoto...

We had a fabulous stay in Kyoto because of the fantastic hospitlity at IchiEn Sou. The staff were absolutely lovely and gave us lots of advice about how best to explore the city. It's in a great location to walk to many of the most important cultural sites on the East side of the city such as Kiyomizu-dera. One of the rooms had traditional tatami floors and we slept on futon mattresses, which was a great experience to have during our stay in Japan.

I really can't fault this hostel! Great place, great location and amazingly friendly and hospitable staff... Many thanks!

Excellent. I was lost finding the hostel and the owner biked in the cold to come find me. I also had a late night bus and was able to both leave my bags at the hostel all day and then use the internet in the common area in the evening until my bus left. The hostel is also beautiful! One of the best I've ever stayed at.

This is 3rd time I stayed at IchiEnSou, it was always already perfect the first time, but Yashi and his lovely wife keep on improving small things here and there, making it even more better every time. Great location, so very comfortable, can't beat the price. And that beautiful bar / comon room, what a great place to meet new people and fellow travelers ; ) Thank you soo much for the warm welcome and hospitality, and treating us to Taiwanese sweets and drinks : ) And again congratulations ; )