Disclaimer: The content is translated from Traditional Chinese by AI. We’re reviewing all translations manually to ensure the accuracy!
📍Ryokan Seryo (料理旅館 芹生)
Seryo(芹生) is located in Kyoto's Ohara district(大原), the birthplace of the Buddhist music "Sermon", surrounded by lush greenery and stunning natural scenery. After a busy day of sightseeing in Kyoto, the relaxed pace of life in Ohara brings relaxation and peace to our journey. This ryokan has been recognised by the Michelin Guide for nine consecutive years and is renowned for its warm and attentive service and high quality rooms and hot springs! This is not a sponsorship, this is a genuine introduction, it is the most heartfelt hotel I have ever stayed in.
Upon entering the lobby, we immediately felt warmly welcomed. We were greeted by friendly smiles and bows from the staff. Slippers were placed neatly beside the benches for us to change into. Although we intended to put them in the locker ourselves, the staff immediately came over to us. They believed that it was their responsibility to put the shoes in the locker and insisted that guests should leave it to them.
Next, we headed to the restaurant to check in. The staff kindly entertained us with hot tea and Japanese snacks, and let us relax in a beautiful garden setting while they waited for us to complete the check-in process. It's a 10-minute walk up the hill from the Ohara bus stop. the ryokan offers a free shuttle bus that takes guests to and from the Ohara bus stop, making it easier for guests to avoid lugging their suitcases. We opted for a paid service (1500yen/luggage) where we pay the delivery company to transport our suitcases to the hotel. Click here for more detail.(Japanese Website)
Serisei Ryokan has nine rooms, all with garden views and access to a communal hot spring. We chose a Japanese Style (Tatami 畳) double room with a private garden and its own hot spring for our one night stay. While we were checking in, the staff delivered our luggage to our room. Another elderly woman introduced us to the ryokan and the facilities in our room, especially the outdoor hot spring, reminding us to be careful of catching a cold. Even though we didn't understand the language, we could feel her sincerity through our broken Japanese and her translator.
After the staff left, we started to explore the room on our own. We enjoyed the view of our private garden through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, which was so peaceful and cosy! Comfortable pyjamas and a pair of Yukata (浴衣) were provided in the room for us to use when travelling to the restaurant for dinner. If you find that they are not the right size, you can always contact the staff for an exchange. It's worth noting that there is an illustration next to the yukata detailing the correct way to wear it, as in Japanese culture left side of the yukata is wrapped over the right side or the oposit have different meaning.
We opened the sliding door (screen) to separate the garden from the sleeping area. It's so convenient to have this changeable design! When we came back to the room after dinner, two quilts were already made, providing a cosy atmosphere for us to rest.
Reservations are required for dinner, and you can choose from shabu-shabu(しゃぶしゃぶ), sukiyaki(すき焼き), or kaiseki(草菜味懐石). We have chosen the most varied selection of Kaiseki cuisine. To ensure that we use the freshest ingredients, the menu is changed every month. This time (November), we had yuzu sake as an aperitif, grilled mackerel sushi, fish sashimi, small hot pot, steamed sea bream, grilled wagyu beef with hoba leaves, tempura platter, miso soup, aji rice, and desserts. Each one is delicately paired and each one is superbly delicious.
After dinner, it was finally time for our long awaited hot spring! The Onsen is said to be brought in from the depths of the earth at an altitude of 1,175 metres, and is rich in sodium ions and bicarbonate ions, which are known to relieve fatigue and smooth the skin. The constant sound of the water flowing in the spring is very calming, and I thought I would be cold when I left the hot spring and was exposed to the air, but the walk back to my room from the hot spring was very warm!
When I wake up in the morning and look at the peaceful scenery, I feel that this is an ideal life, and it is even better to be far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Do you all work hard and have the desire to live like this? Those of you who have been following me for a long time will no doubt understand my love for nature and my goal to one day live far away from the city.
The first thing we do when we wake up is to enjoy the daytime hot spring! The water was still flowing continuously, and as the sun rose slowly behind the trees, I could see the mountains and trees in the distance clearly.
Breakfast was more substantial than we expected, with a generous selection of salads, miso soup, chawanmushi (steamed tea bowls 茶碗蒸し), white rice and side dishes, as well as a free choice of Oden(おでん)! As we were having our breakfast an older female staff member regulary came up to us gently and asked if we needed any refills. Like the other staff member yesterday, both of them reminded me of my grandmother who took care of me since I was a child.
Before leaving the ryokan, we took a photo of ourselves in our own private garden for the day. Afterwards, we headed to Sanzen-in三千院, a Tendai sect's gateway a few minutes away! For more details, please check out:
【Kyoto】Sanzen-in Temple | Tiantai Sect Ruins, Birthplace of Buddhist Statement, Beauty of Maple Reds
How to get to Ryokan Seryo？
💡Method 1: Take the Osaka Subway (Umaru Line) to Kokusaikan Station and transfer to Bus No. 3 (for Ohara and Takadaiwaishi) for a 23-minute ride to Ohara. 10-minute walk from Ohara Bus Stop
💡Method 2: Take Bus No. 17 Ohara from Kyoto Station's C3 bus stop for about 1 hour. It is a 10-minute walk from the Ohara bus stop.。
💡Address：22 Oharashorinincho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 601-1241（Google Map Link）
💡Official Website：https://www.seryo.co.jp/
🚝 Must-haves for traveling in Japan
Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest international and national flight, together with JR Pass, you can enjoy unlimited travel on the nationwide JR network, including Shinkansen. Giving you the freedom to explore Japan at your own pace, with no limit on the number of trips you can take.
