Kifune Ugenta
Ultra-private Japanese ryokan with museum-quality furniture — original George Nakashima, Isamu Noguchi, and Sori Yanagi pieces used as everyday furnishings — set in a cedar-and-river mountain landscape. Seasonal dining is central to the experience. The vibe is deeply deliberate: every element points you toward the outside world rather than away from it.
Request the outdoor bath in the evening — the sounds of the river and forest air are at their best after dark.
Why It Matters
Only two guest rooms exist. Both are maisonette-style suites with private indoor and outdoor baths. The family has as many teahouses as they have guest rooms — one century-old traditional teahouse and one glass-walled cedar grove version — serving only those two sets of guests. From May to September, meals are served on kawadoko platforms that hover literally a few feet above the flowing Kibune River. The Michelin Guide and Tablet Hotels both list it. There is nothing quite like it in Japan.
Kifune Ugenta is a two-room, approximately 200-year-old ryokan tucked into the mountain village of Kibune, deep in forested hills about 40 minutes north of central Kyoto. The Ugenta family traces its roots to hereditary attendants of Kifune Shrine; the current generation converted the family estate into an inn in 1962. Two guest rooms, two private teahouses, and a seasonal restaurant built over a mountain river — that's the whole operation. Current representative Torii Ugenta Hiroyuki still runs it personally.
Where You'll Stay
2 room types available
Japanese-Style Suite (和室)
From JPY69,000 / nightA two-story maisonette suite expressing traditional Japanese aesthetics through furniture by George Nakashima, Isamu Noguchi, and Sori Yanagi. The first floor has a living room with a traditional irori (sunken hearth), bedroom, and pine Jacuzzi bath. The second floor has an open-air bath and a combined study and salon. Up to four guests can stay comfortably — though two is ideal. Views face the gorge. Breakfast and dinner are included and served in-room.
Futon · 90.5 sqm
Western-Style Suite (洋室)
From JPY64,000 / nightAn 85 sqm two-story maisonette that blends Japanese craftsmanship with Western comfort. First floor has a living room with a glass-encased fireplace, bedroom, and Jacuzzi bath. Second floor has a private open-air bath and combined study and salon. Furnished with original George Nakashima pieces — guests have reported finding the dining table, settee, coffee table, and credenza are all authentic Nakashima works in daily use. River-facing views from large picture windows. Breakfast and dinner included and served in-room.
Bed · 85 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
A roughly 2-hour hike from the ryokan leads through the forested mountains to the Kurama temple complex. The trail passes through snow-covered terrain in winter and lush forest in other seasons. No guide required — the path is well-established.
Guests can dress in kimono and relax around the property and outdoor baths. Facilitated by ryokan staff.
Two private teahouses on property — one built over a century ago by the current owner's grandfather for formal tea ceremonies, and a newer glass-walled teahouse surrounded by a cedar grove for casual sipping. Both are available exclusively to the property's two sets of overnight guests.
From May through September, dining on platforms built directly over the Kibune River. The river flows beneath your table. Available to both overnight guests and restaurant-only visitors by advance reservation.
Kifune Shrine — a 1,600-year-old water god shrine and the head of approximately 500 affiliated shrines across Japan — is steps from the property. The Ugenta family itself descends from the shrine's hereditary priesthood, giving a visit here unusual personal meaning.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Breakfast and dinner are served in-room for all overnight guests. The multi-course kaiseki (or nabe in winter) is prepared fresh daily and forms the centerpiece of the stay. Meals change seasonally.
Staff provide pocket translators to ease communication for non-Japanese speaking guests.
An on-site gallery and cafe space showcasing the Kifune Cosmetics line developed by the Ugenta family. Also has an online shop.
The ryokan arranges complimentary pick-up from Kibuneguchi Station if requested in advance. Also available for dinner-only guests at the restaurant.
Each suite has its own private outdoor bath on the upper floor, overlooking the river and forest. Also a private indoor Jacuzzi bath on the first floor. Not shared — fully private per suite.
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Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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