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Hoshinoya Kyoto Puts a Riverside Ryokan on the Katsura, Reached Only by Boat
On the quieter west bank of Arashiyama's Katsura River, Hoshinoya Kyoto is reached by a short chartered boat ride upstream from Togetsukyo Bridge, its 25 rooms built around a former riverside villa with Kyoto crafts worked into almost every surface.
Sep 26, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Hoshinoya Kyoto sits upstream of Togetsukyo Bridge on the Katsura River, in the part of Arashiyama that the bamboo-grove crowds rarely reach. Most guests arrive the way the property intends them to: by a short chartered boat that departs from a landing near the bridge and takes them upriver past wooded banks, arriving at a private dock rather than a car park or lobby door. A footpath through the forest offers a second, quieter way in for anyone who would rather walk.
Built into a riverside retreat
The ryokan, part of the Hoshino Resorts group and opened in 2009, occupies the site of a traditional riverside villa rather than a purpose-built plot, which is part of why its footprint feels closer to a private estate than a hotel. It holds just 25 rooms, spread across a handful of low wooden buildings connected by covered walkways and gardens that run down to the water, with the Arashiyama hillside rising directly behind.
Kyoto craft over branding
Rooms lean on the city's traditional trades rather than imported design language: bamboo blinds, washi paper screens and textiles woven in techniques associated with Kyoto workshops recur throughout, and a communal lounge built around a sunken hearth gives the property a shared gathering space more common to a countryside inn than a five-star hotel. Kaiseki dinners built around seasonal, largely local ingredients are served either in a private dining room or, weather permitting, on a terrace above the river.
A quieter side of a busy district
Arashiyama draws large day-trip crowds to its bamboo grove and monkey park on the east side of the river; Hoshinoya's position upstream and on the opposite bank keeps it apart from that traffic, and the boat crossing itself works as a soft transition between the district's more commercial stretch and the resort's grounds.
Traveller tips
- The boat transfer runs on a schedule set by the ryokan; confirm arrival timing in advance since it is the only vehicle access for most guests.
- Arashiyama's bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji temple are a short trip from the boat landing, worth combining with a stay rather than a separate day trip.
- Rooms are limited to 25, so availability during Kyoto's cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons should be checked well ahead.
- Kaiseki dinner seatings are typically fixed; check timing against any temple visits planned for the same evening.
Where this is
Arashiyama, Kyoto