Kyoto Ryokans and Tours on our own

Hello,

We will be in Kyoto 3 May to 5 May. We want to see Fushimi Anari Taisha, Kinkaju-ji, and Arishiyama Bamboo Forest and as many other worthwhile sites. We will be staying at Seikoro Ryokan but, it is expensive, so any other Ryokan suggestions are appreciated.

Also, do you think it's wise to take an English speaking guide tour to visit the above, or do you think we can manage on our own with buses and taxis?

thanks in advance.

Hi, for the ryokan where you have chosen looks amazing. We have been staying at Yasaka Yutone Kyokyoyado the last few times we visited Kyoto, and can only say good things about it (well except last time we were on the top floor and could hear rats in the roof at night, but it was getting colder so I cant fault them for that). There are no onsen baths, but they do have nice hinoki baths in the rooms, the rooms are modern, the food would be the best I have eaten ever, and the location is on one of the paths going to Kiyomizudera, just near yasaka pavillion.

I would really recommend it, very special but not if you are after an old fashioned, traditional place. It is more like a boutique 7 room hotel with kaiseki meals.

The sights you mention are easy to get to. No need for tours unless you are just happy to pay someone to drive you around.