Uji Tea Inn

This was my first night on a futon in a tatami room. The traditional building is beautiful and feels authentic, and I was impressed by how clean it was. The host was kind and friendly, and let me check in late, at around 9 PM. The room had nearly everything: a private shower, towels, toiletries, hair dryer, kettle, AC, outlets, trash bins and napkins. Not every room has a private shower, so check your booking. It’s an old building with no soundproofing, so you can hear other rooms and street noise. The curtains also let sunlight through, which comes with the traditional room.

We were glad we only stayed one night. The futon wasn’t as supportive as the ones at the other ryokans we’d stayed in. With no curtains, sunlight started coming in around 4am, so you can’t choose your wake-up time. The room was by a road, and traffic and engine noise began around 5:30am. Our room was upstairs on the second level, with stairs only. If you have heavy luggage, you’ll need to leave it on level one or carry it up yourself. The people working there didn’t offer to help bring it upstairs.

The rooms were very clean, the futon comfortable, and the neighborhood lovely, though it’s a little away from central Uji. The owner was the kindest I’ve met in Japan, which says a lot given how polite and nice everyone is. I’d highly recommend staying here.

There’s a lovely traditional garden outside this beautiful old house, and the common area is spacious, with a full kitchen: range, microwave, large fridge and dish dryer. Green tea and coffee are complimentary, with milk or cream pods and sugar available. The shower, toilet and bathroom areas were spotless. A bath towel and face towel are included. The rooms have tatami mats, while the common areas have hardwood floors. The Japanese futon is firm, with a fluffy, cozy duvet cover, and there’s one pillow, probably best for back sleepers. In winter each room has a heater. In summer, the washi paper window screens let you air out the room while keeping privacy. The shower has body wash and shampoo. There are four WiFi routers to connect to and plenty of outlets for devices. The front door has electronic access for 24-hour entry, along with a room key. The house is right beside a small temple, a peaceful place for morning contemplation before setting off again. A truly lovely place to stay, with everything you need.