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Kimi Ryokan, Tokyo. Traditional Budget Accommodation

Rumor has it Japan is very, but very expensive. Now I don't know if it's because just months before visiting Tokyo, my husband and I visited Norway, but after comparing prices from the two countries, Japan actually seems quite affordable! The cheap eateries are in abundance here, the use of a JR Pass makes transportation reasonably priced and budget friendly hotels, like Kimi Ryokan where we stayed in Tokyo, make the experience unforgettable.

Location

Kimi Ryokan is located only 5 minutes from the Ikebukuro train and metro station, the second largest railway junction in Tokyo, which places it quite handy for exploring both the city and going on some amazing day trips around Tokyo. As this was our first time in Japan, we didn't know what to expect, but we soon realized Ikebukuro was one of the most interesting parts of Tokyo and one of the most popular places with the young and stylish inhabitants of this amazing city.

Kimi Ryokan is actually situated on a quite street with a village feeling. Once we positioned ourselves in front of the traditional Japanese inn's entrance, it was hard to imagine we were still in Tokyo. The buildings around are no more than 2-3 story tall, and we barely could spot people passing on the street.

However, all the nearby streets are packed with restaurants, bars, shopping malls, pachinko (Japanese arcade games used for gambling). We even discovered a cat cafe not far away. We happened to visit during the Ikebukuro Autumn Festival that took place on the main road nearby, which was an amazing perk of staying at Kimi Ryokan. But next to attending the parades, one other favorite thing to do in Ikebukuro was people watching. Japanese fashion is incredibly different from the Western one and absolutely fascinating and we couldn't have enough of it.

The traditional Japanese inn experience

The ryokans are a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period. So staying at Kimi Ryokan was menat to be both a unique experience and a lesson in design and maybe even history.

This was out first time sleeping on a futon. Well, what can I say, it was interesting! It made me realize we, Westerners, are comfort creatures, and though I wouldn't change my comfy bed at home for a futon, sleeping on one wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined. Actually it was pretty comfortable and I also could rest assured there were no monsters hiding under my bed ;)

The modern glass windows in our room were covered by traditional sliding paper windows that only let pass in a dim light any time of the day, while also ensuring all the needed protection from the outside world. It was a nice combination of old and modern design.

The floor in our room was covered with tatami. Somebody asked me if tatamis were comfortable to sit on. A bit more comfortable than sitting on wood for example. They are no cushion, but they are not cold either, so they are pretty ok.

Throughout the common areas of the inn there were hand polished wooden floors and nobody was allowed to enter the hostel with their shoes on. There was a large enough shoe cabinet at the entrance and guest were encouraged to leave their shoes there at their own risk. Therefore it's advisable to have a pair of warm socks with you when you stay in a ryokan, because that's the only thing that will stay between you and the hard cold floor while wandering around. Plastic slippers were provided to use in the bathroom, but we were not allowed to take them outside this area, which was pretty smart and ensured a clean environment.

And to be honest, Kimi Ryokan was super extra mega clean. Everything was sparkling! Nothing short from what I was expecting from a traditional Japanese accommodation.

They also went the extra mile and provided shampoo, liquid soap, tooth brushes and tooth paste, disinfectant, hair dryer, towels and bath robes at no extra cost, more than any other hostel we've ever stayed in.

The common area was nicely decorated in the same traditional and a bit austere style, with beautiful calligraphy scrolls, flowers arrangements and lots of wood. There was a fridge and a fully equipped kitchen guests could use to cook their own meals and they were nothing short of guide books, while the personnel spoke English and was very helpful, trying to help us out repeatedly.

Conclusion

We were pretty pleased with our experience of sleeping in a traditional Japanese inn and we see this as a must do while vising the Country of the Rising Sun. It really was a nice way to tap into the local culture and experience for ourselves the Japanese lifestyle. We really enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere at Kimi Ryokan. Many of the guests were from far away countries just like ourselves, but I loved how everybody tried to blend in and keep the voice down at all times, as a sign of respect for the culture we were dipping our toes in.

We were guests at Kimi Ryokan. However, all opinions are our own.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you buy via them, I will get some coffee money at no additional cost to you. Thank you for helping me stay awake!

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