Kyoto Family Hotels: Ryokan or Hotel, Where to Stay and Rooms for 5
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Note: Counts such as "more than 500 properties" come from the facility data of hotels listed on Kids Stay (as of October 2026, not the total number of hotels in Japan)
Planning Kyoto with kids usually starts with a simple question that turns out to be hard: where should we stay? Kyoto has station hotels, apartment hotels, onsen ryokan and whole machiya townhouses, and it is easy to end up comparing all of them at once. The short answer: stay near Kyoto Station if you arrive by Shinkansen and want to rest right away, in central Kyoto between Nijo Castle and Higashiyama if you want to walk to the sights, and in Arashiyama if you want an onsen and a bigger room. Once the area is set, narrow down by your child's age and by how many of you sleep in one room. This guide does exactly that, using only facts verified on each hotel's official site or Rakuten Travel listing.
Find Kyoto hotels where kids share the bed free
Find Kyoto hotels where kids share the bed free
Filter Kyoto hotels to those where young children can share your bed at no charge, then choose your area and group size.
hotelOur pick
An apartment hotel near Nijo Castle where every room has a kitchen and a washer-dryer, with free crib rental, tatami rooms and rooms with bunk beds. Children 6 and under share the bed free, up to 2 children (confirm the limit when booking).
menu_bookContentsexpand_more
- Choose by area, then age, then room size
- Kyoto Station side, easy arrivals by Shinkansen
- Central Kyoto around Nijo, Karasuma and Higashiyama
- Arashiyama, a scenic base with room to spread out
- Kyoto or Osaka as your base (and when Tokyo or Nara fits)
- Ryokan, machiya or hotel with kids
- Room size and your child's age
- FAQ
- Start with one area
Choose by area, then age, then room size
Kids Stay lists 46 hotels in Kyoto Prefecture (as of September 2026). Many offer free co-sleeping for young children, 22 have a tatami room, and 23 lend cribs. Start with the area.
- Kyoto Station side suits families arriving by Shinkansen. Several hotels are a 2- to 5-minute walk from the station, and some are apartment-style with kitchens
- Central Kyoto (Nijo Castle, Karasuma, Kawaramachi and Higashiyama) suits families who want to walk out to Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market or Gion. Three of the hotels featured here have a natural onsen
- Arashiyama suits families who want a slower, scenic stay. The picks here have large rooms or a whole house to yourselves
- Ryokan and machiya stays suit families who want tatami, a Japanese bath and meals served in a calmer setting
Then look at your child's age, and finally at how many beds you need.
Kyoto Station side, easy arrivals by Shinkansen
The simplest choice for a first trip. You walk a few minutes from the train with the stroller and luggage, and you are done for the day.
Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo
A large hotel a 2-minute walk from the Hachijo exit of Kyoto Station, with deluxe family rooms for up to 6 guests and a spacious tatami room of two connected rooms (8 and 6 tatami mats). The official site says children through elementary school share the bed free (one child per bed, meals charged separately). Baby cots are free for infants under 6 months, in limited numbers. There is no large communal bath, and the guest bathrooms have a step, so take care at bath time with little ones.
hotelSleeps 5
Family rooms for up to 6, free co-sleeping through elementary school, and a 2-minute walk from Kyoto Station.
MIMARU Kyoto STATION
An apartment-style hotel a 2-minute walk from the Hachijo East Exit of Kyoto Station. Every room is over 40 square meters with a bunk bed and a full kitchen, and you can borrow a crib, bed guards and a stroller.
hotelKitchen in room
Over 40 square meters with a bunk bed and a full kitchen, a 2-minute walk from the Shinkansen side of Kyoto Station.
Glanz Kei Kyoto Station
A family condominium within walking distance of the Hachijo exit, next to Aeon Mall Kyoto. Every unit is 55 square meters and sleeps up to 6, with a kitchen, cooking tools and a washing machine. Cribs are available, but there are no bed guards. It works well for longer stays with babies and toddlers, and guests like buying groceries at the mall next door to cook in their unit.
hotelCrib available
55 square meter units with a kitchen, a washer and a crib, next to a shopping mall.
DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station
A 266-room city hotel a 5-minute walk from the Hachijo exit. Children aged 5 and under share the bed free, and from age 6 the adult rate applies. Cribs and bed guards are free to borrow, but numbers are limited, so contact the hotel in advance. With the family plan (breakfast included) you can order a kids' plate at the restaurant, and staff will warm baby food you bring (bottles cannot be sterilized).
hotelKids share the bed free
Free co-sleeping for ages 5 and under, free cribs and bed guards, a 5-minute walk from the station.
Central Kyoto around Nijo, Karasuma and Higashiyama
Closer to the sights, with a subway or train station a short walk from each hotel, and a wide price range from a business hotel to a luxury stay.
MIMARU Kyoto Nijo Castle
Within walking distance of Nijojo-mae Station on the Tozai Line, along Horikawa-dori. Every room has a kitchen and a washer-dryer, cribs are free with a reservation, bed guards are provided, and there are rooms with bunk beds and tatami rooms. There are craft activities and a stamp rally for kids.
hotelKitchen in room
Kitchen, washer-dryer and bunk beds near Nijo Castle, with free cribs.
Hotel Monterey Kyoto
A 2-minute walk from Exit 6 of Karasuma Oike Station, with a natural onsen spa on the top floor that guests use free of charge. Children under 3 and children still in diapers cannot use the spa. Children who have not started elementary school share the bed free (one child per bed), cribs can be rented for a fee, and the Japanese restaurant has a children's menu. Nijo Castle and Nishiki Market are within walking distance.
hotelKids share the bed free
A top-floor onsen for guests and free co-sleeping for preschoolers, 2 minutes from the subway.
Super Hotel Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi
A business hotel about a 3-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Kawaramachi Station, with a natural onsen communal bath. The bath switches between men's and women's hours, so the whole family cannot use it together. Co-sleeping for preschoolers and the breakfast buffet are free, and unbreakable children's tableware and kids' chairs are provided. Nishiki Market, Yasaka Shrine and Gion are within walking distance.
hotelFree breakfast
Free breakfast buffet, a natural onsen bath and free co-sleeping for preschoolers.
The Westin Miyako Kyoto
A luxury hotel in Higashiyama, a 2-minute walk from Keage Station, close to Nanzenji Temple and the Philosopher's Path. A free shuttle bus runs from the Hachijo exit of Kyoto Station, so you can skip subway transfers with luggage. It has a natural onsen spa and an indoor pool, but both have age limits, so check before booking. Cribs are free for babies under 1, and breakfast is free for preschoolers.
hotelCrib available
Free cribs for babies under 1, free breakfast for preschoolers, an onsen spa and a free shuttle from Kyoto Station.
Arashiyama, a scenic base with room to spread out
Kyoto's riverside hot spring district. Kids Stay lists 4 hotels here (as of September 2026), and nearby Saga adds whole-house rentals.
Looking for a Kyoto onsen with kids? Arashiyama is the place to start. The two Arashiyama onsen ryokan in this guide, Kyoto Arashiyama Onsen Kadensho and Arashiyama Onsen Hanaikada, both have private-hire baths your family can use on its own, five at Kadensho and an open-air one at Hanaikada. That takes much of the worry out of a first soak with small children. You will find them in the ryokan section below, while the two picks right here are chosen for space. In central Kyoto, Hotel Monterey Kyoto's top-floor spa is a shared natural onsen that is not open to children under 3 or in diapers, and The Westin Miyako Kyoto also has a natural onsen spa with age limits. For a whole hot spring town, Arima Onsen and Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo are two more Kansai options.
The GrandWest Arashiyama
A 10-room hotel about a 5-minute walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Every room is 53 square meters or more, and the Japanese-Western family room sleeps up to 5 with futons laid on the tatami area. Children can share the bed from age 0. There is a diaper bin, a Bumbo seat and toys to borrow, a rooftop tent space popular with kids, and free nagashi somen (noodles slid down a bamboo flume) in summer. There is no elevator, only stairs, so families with a stroller should plan how to carry their luggage. A room for five starts from about ¥53,000.
hotelSleeps 5
Rooms of 53 square meters or more, with futons on tatami for up to 5, a short walk from Hankyu Arashiyama.
Tanimachikun Hoshiya Danzan
A whole-house rental in Saga, about a 10-minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station and about 10 minutes by bus to Arashiyama and Toei Kyoto Studio Park. The 65 square meter Japanese-Western room sleeps 1 to 6 guests, some rooms have a mini kitchen and a microwave (reserve ahead), and all four plans have child rates. No breakfast or dinner is served, so eat out or bring food in. The whole house for five starts from about ¥51,000.
hotelWhole house
A whole-house rental for up to 6, with child rates on every plan.
mapFind family-friendly hotels in Kyoto and Arashiyama
Browse every Kyoto and Arashiyama hotel Kids Stay has verified, area by area
Family-Friendly Hotels in Kyoto: Stations, Machiya, Tatami Rooms
From station-side hotels that make a great sightseeing base to machiya townhouses where you live like a local, and inns with tatami rooms where everyone can rest
Family-Friendly Hotels in Arashiyama: Kyoto's Riverside Hot Spring Retreat
Kyoto's most scenic district, with hot springs and Kyoto cuisine the whole family can enjoy
Kyoto or Osaka as your base (and when Tokyo or Nara fits)
Kyoto vs Osaka with kids is less of a choice than it looks, because the two cities are close. JR Special Rapid trains link Kyoto Station and Osaka Station in about half an hour, and the Shinkansen reaches Shin-Osaka in about 15 minutes. The real question is where you want to wake up on your busiest days.
- Stay in Kyoto for temples, gardens, tatami rooms, ryokan and machiya, and a slower pace
- Stay in Osaka if Universal Studios Japan (USJ) or the Kaiyukan aquarium is the main event, with Kyoto as a day trip
- Split the stay if you want both, for example a few nights in Kyoto and then Osaka for the park day
The USJ day. If USJ is on the plan, sleep in Osaka the night before. From Kyoto the trip takes close to an hour each way, usually with a change in Osaka, which is a long start before a full park day with small children. For hotels near USJ and family hotels in Namba and Umeda, see our Osaka family hotels guide.
Luggage and how many nights. Every hotel change means repacking the stroller, the diaper bag and the suitcases, so with small children two longer stays usually beat four short ones. If you split, the Kyoto Station side keeps the move short, since Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo and MIMARU Kyoto STATION are a 2-minute walk from the station. Units with a washing machine, such as Glanz Kei Kyoto Station, let you pack fewer clothes, and hotels that lend cribs and strollers lighten the load further. See our guide to hotels with baby gear rentals.
Adding Nara or Tokyo. Nara is under an hour by train from either city, so it works well as a day trip without changing hotels. If you would rather spend a night there, see our list of family friendly hotels in Nara. If Tokyo is part of the trip, Kyoto is a little over two hours away on the Nozomi Shinkansen, and flying into Tokyo and home from Kansai Airport, or the reverse, saves a long ride back. See the Tokyo family hotels guide and which Shinkansen car and seat to book with a baby. For how many days to give Kyoto, with 1 to 3 day plans, read our Kyoto with kids itinerary.
Ryokan, machiya or hotel with kids
Will a ryokan make things easier or harder with small children? Three features decide it.
Tatami rooms. With futons on a tatami floor there is no high bed to roll off, and toddlers can crawl freely. Kids Stay has verified tatami rooms at 22 hotels in Kyoto Prefecture (as of September 2026), and not only at ryokan. Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo and MIMARU Kyoto Nijo Castle have them too, so you can get the floor without giving up a station location.
In-room dining. With a baby or toddler, dinner in your room makes for a calmer evening. Hanaikada serves Kyoto kaiseki in your room, and Kadensho serves dinner in a dining room of semi-private booths.
Private baths. A shared onsen can be tricky with small children, so a bath just for your family helps a lot. Both Arashiyama ryokan below have private-hire baths. Hotel Monterey Kyoto's top-floor spa and Super Hotel's communal bath are natural onsen too, but shared.
For babies up to age 1, a tatami room at a hotel near the station is the easiest choice. From about age 2, when children start to enjoy the food and the bath, a ryokan starts to pay off. For a side-by-side look, read the hotel vs ryokan comparison, and before the first family soak, the onsen debut guide.
Looking for a family friendly onsen in Kyoto beyond the two Arashiyama ryokan below? Browse every hotel with a verified private bath, then narrow it to the Kyoto or Arashiyama area to find a Kyoto ryokan with a family private onsen. For how private-hire baths work with a baby in diapers elsewhere in Japan, see onsen with a baby in diapers.
Kyoto Arashiyama Onsen Kadensho
An onsen ryokan a 1-minute walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Besides the main baths, five private-hire baths (three of them open-air) are free and need no reservation, so the whole family can bathe together. Dinner is served in a dining room of semi-private booths. Children's meals are sized for ages 4 to 8, and for preschoolers the ryokan suggests sharing from the adults' dishes. A low-allergen menu that avoids 28 specified allergens can also be ordered.
hotelPrivate bath
Five free private-hire baths and kids' meals, a minute from the station.
Arashiyama Onsen Hanaikada
A 15-room onsen ryokan about a 5-minute walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. It has a private-hire open-air bath the whole family can use (reservation required), and Kyoto kaiseki is served in your room. Rates for babies and toddlers come in four tiers depending on whether meals and bedding are included, and elementary school children are priced by grade.
hotelIn-room dining
A family-use open-air bath and kaiseki served in the room.
Mibu Doudan Momiji
A whole-house machiya rental in Mibu, a 6-minute walk from Hankyu Saiin Station, for 2 to 6 guests. It has tatami rooms, a kitchen and a Kiso hinoki cypress bath, and meals can be served in the house. According to the official site, co-sleeping is free through elementary school, up to 2 children per room (meals charged separately). The house for five starts from about ¥83,000.
hotelKids share the bed free
A whole townhouse with tatami, a kitchen and free co-sleeping for up to 2 children.
Room size and your child's age
Rooms that sleep four or five
Whether family friendly hotels in Kyoto actually work for your group usually comes down to four checks. First, can all of you sleep in one room, so you are not booking two? Second, is there a tatami room where futons can be laid out on the floor for a toddler or a fifth guest? Third, what are the free co-sleeping rules, including the age cutoff and how many children may share each bed? Fourth, how far is the walk from the station with a stroller and luggage? Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo meets all four, with family rooms for up to 6, tatami rooms, free co-sleeping through elementary school and a 2-minute walk from Kyoto Station. Use the same four checks when you compare any Kyoto family accommodation.
Among the picks in this guide, these have a confirmed room for five. Sample one-night rates for five on Rakuten Travel (checked in July 2026, they change by season and date) start from:
- Glanz Kei Kyoto Station, Kyoto Station, from about ¥40,000
- Tanimachikun Hoshiya Danzan, Saga near Arashiyama, from about ¥51,000 (whole house)
- The GrandWest Arashiyama, Arashiyama, from about ¥53,000
- Mibu Doudan Momiji, central Kyoto, from about ¥83,000 (whole house)
- Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo, Kyoto Station, from about ¥105,000
- MIMARU Kyoto STATION, Kyoto Station, from about ¥136,000
- Arashiyama Onsen Hanaikada, Arashiyama, from about ¥165,000
Tatami rooms make five easier, since extra futons can be laid out, while a bed-only room is limited by its number of beds. For how Japanese hotels handle a fifth guest, see our guide to family of 5 hotels.
Under 1
Look for a free crib and a place to prepare bottles or baby food. Some cribs have an age limit: free cots at Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo are for infants under 6 months, and free cribs at The Westin Miyako Kyoto are for babies under 1. Glanz Kei Kyoto Station and MIMARU Kyoto Nijo Castle have a kitchen and a crib, and DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station will warm baby food you bring. Our baby food travel guide covers what to pack.
Ages 1 to 2
This is the age of falling out of bed. Bed guards are available at DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station and both MIMARU hotels, and a tatami room at Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo means no high bed to roll off. Hotel Monterey Kyoto has a children's menu and free co-sleeping for preschoolers, though its spa is closed to children under 3.
Ages 3 to 5
Kids start to enjoy the bath and the food. Kadensho's free private-hire baths fit well, and its children's meals are sized for ages 4 to 8. The GrandWest Arashiyama has a rooftop tent space and free nagashi somen in summer. Check the free co-sleeping cutoff, since at DoubleTree it ends after age 5.
Elementary school
Free co-sleeping runs through elementary school at Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo, and at Mibu Doudan Momiji for up to 2 children per room. Bunk beds at the two MIMARU hotels and the rooftop tent at The GrandWest Arashiyama keep older kids happy.
FAQ
What is the best neighborhood to stay in Kyoto with kids?
There is no single best one, so match it to how you travel. The Kyoto Station side is easiest for Shinkansen arrivals, central Kyoto around Karasuma, Kawaramachi and Higashiyama puts Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market and Gion within reach, and Arashiyama gives you more space and family-only onsen baths at its ryokan. The area sections above compare the picks, and the Kyoto and Arashiyama area pages list every verified hotel.
Which Kyoto hotels are the most family friendly?
It depends on where you want to be, so start with the three area sections above. On the Kyoto Station side, Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo combines family rooms for up to 6 with free co-sleeping through elementary school, in central Kyoto Hotel Monterey Kyoto adds a top-floor natural onsen spa and free co-sleeping for preschoolers, and in Arashiyama The GrandWest Arashiyama has Japanese-Western rooms with tatami and a room that sleeps 5. To compare more, browse hotels with a tatami room or with free co-sleeping for kids, then narrow down to Kyoto.
Do kids stay free at Kyoto hotels?
It depends on the hotel and the age. Among the picks here, free co-sleeping ends after age 5 at DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station, at school age at Hotel Monterey Kyoto and Super Hotel Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi, and after elementary school at Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo. Meals are often charged separately. See child rates and co-sleeping in Japan.
How many kids can share our bed for free?
Often only one per bed. Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo and Hotel Monterey Kyoto allow one child per bed, and Mibu Doudan Momiji allows up to 2 children per room. Two children sharing with two adults fit within either rule, but a third child usually means paying for one or asking the hotel directly, so a room that sleeps five is often simpler.
Can we get a crib in Kyoto?
Yes. Kids Stay lists 46 hotels in Kyoto Prefecture (as of September 2026), and 23 of them lend cribs. DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station and MIMARU Kyoto Nijo Castle lend them free, and The Westin Miyako Kyoto lends them free for babies under 1. Request one when you book. Our travel baby bed guide covers the alternatives.
Tatami or beds with small children?
Futons on tatami leave no high bed for a toddler to roll off. Beds are easier if your baby sleeps in a crib. Hotels such as Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo offer both tatami rooms and family rooms.
Start with one area
Pick Kyoto Station for easy arrivals, central Kyoto for the sights, Arashiyama for space, or a ryokan or machiya for tatami and a family bath. Then match your child's age and count the beds. If USJ is on your list, add a night or two in Osaka.
Find Kyoto hotels by feature
Find Kyoto hotels by feature
Start from the Kyoto area list and narrow down by free co-sleeping, cribs, tatami rooms or kitchens.
Find Kyoto hotels where kids share the bed free
Find Kyoto hotels where kids share the bed free
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