Higashiyama Shikikaboku

Higashiyama Shikikaboku is one of our favorite boutique hotels in Kyoto. With only eight rooms, attentive personal service and a great location within walking distance of downtown and the sights, it’s pretty much perfect.

Shikikaboku exterior

Higashiyama Shikikaboku At A Glance

• Great for: couples, honeymoons, discerning solo travelers
• Strong points: location (close to downtown and the Higashiyama sightseeing districts), warm personal service, superb Japanese design, excellent breakfast, rooftop bath and terrace
• Sample rates: from US$300 to $900 per night

Syuusui room

This little gem of a hotel is located on Sanjo-dori Street, very close to Higashiyama Station on the Tozai Line. I used to live in this neighborhood and it’s perhaps my favorite area of the city. It’s within easy walking distance of both the Southern Higashiyama and Northern Higashiyama sightseeing districts. The Okazaki museum district is five minutes’ walk away along a magical canal lined by beautiful footpaths. And both downtown and Gion are about 10 minutes’ walk away. So, the location is perfect – super convenient but mercifully free from the crowds that plague downtown.

Enshuu room

The hotel is a passion project of a local husband and wife architect/designer team, and it shows. Every detail is a celebration of traditional Kyoto culture, right down to the carefully curated music that you can play in your room. While the building is modern in design, the rooms themselves feel more like those of a luxury ryokan, but with all the modern features and beds instead of futons. Some offer superb views north to the Higashiyama and Kitayama mountains (beckoning you to explore the trails of those areas).

Rooftop bath

There are two wonderful rooftop baths, which you reserve so that you can have them entirely to yourself. There’s something magical about taking a hot bath and then cooling off while enjoying the view across Kyoto, especially once the evening lights come on.

Rooftop terrace

You can also enjoy the views from the wonderful rooftop terrace. It’s the perfect place for an evening drink. And down on the first floor, there’s an excellent restaurant/lounge area where they serve a wonderful breakfast from local ingredients. It’s healthy and filling and it’s the perfect way to fuel a day of sightseeing in Kyoto.

Shikikaboku restaurant/lounge

While the facilities of the Shikikaboku are superb, it’s the service that really seals the deal. The staff can make reservations for Kyoto restaurants with which they enjoy close relationships, as well as helping with other aspects of your travel.

Needless to say, the Shikikaboku is extremely popular with both foreign and Japanese guests. You’ll have to book far in advance. If you’re one of the lucky few who get a room here, you’ll will find it the perfect base for a magical stay in the Old Capital.

Check Hotel Availability

Destination

Check-in date

Tue 08 Oct 2024

Check-out date

Wed 09 Oct 2024

Name in English:
Higashiyama Shikikaboku

Name in Japanese:
東山 四季花木

English address:
85-1 Imakoji-cho, Sanjo-dori-Shirakawabashi-nishiiru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan 605-0023

Japanese address:
〒605-0023 京都市東山区三条通白川橋西入ル今小路町85-1

Price range: luxury

Nearest Transport:
1-minute walk from Higashiyama Station (exit 2) of Subway Tozai Line

Telephone: 81-75-744-6654

Website: shikikaboku.jp/en/

:: Check availability and pricing for Higashiyama Shikikaboku on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Kyoto District Map

• Arashiyama
• Central Kyoto
• Northwest Kyoto
• Nishijin
• Northern Higashiyama
• Southern Higashiyama
• Downtown Kyoto
• Kyoto Station Area
• South East Kyoto