ryokan · Arashiyama
Arashiyama Benkei Review
A riverside ryokan at Susukinobaba-chō in Saga Tenryūji, on the Ōi river bank in Arashiyama.
Best for
An evening in Arashiyama once the day is overSecond visitsTravellers ending a trip rather than starting one
Why it stands out
The river at night. Arashiyama by day is as crowded as anywhere in Japan; the same bank after dark is close to empty, and that is what you are paying for.
Main trade-off
Everything else in Kyoto is a train ride away and the last ones are not late. On a short first visit this is the wrong side of the city to sleep on.
Why we recommend it
Best riverside ryokan
Our pick for Arashiyama because it is on the bank of the Ōi river itself, which is the one thing a stay here buys: the day-trippers leave at dusk and the water is outside the window.