This year we visited Kyoto and even stayed at a traditional ryokan. This meant sleeping on futon on tatami floor. The ryokan was on the street leading up to one of largest and most important temples in Kyoto.
Kiyomizusanso is a restored house built in the old japanese style with shoji doors, tatami floors and steep stairs.
Luckily our taxi driver knew exactly where to go. As we learned on subsequent rides, these narrow little alleyways are not well-known, even with GPS.
Remote as it appears, it was steps away from Sannenzaka, a popular and busy walkway (and road) . As we walked down this path, the noise of tourists was left behind. Our room was quiet and peaceful and overlooked the back road and neighboring houses. No traffic, no kids playing, no cars coming and going. Such a contrast to our life in Honolulu.
Remote as it appears, it was steps away from Sannenzaka, a popular and busy walkway (and road) . As we walked down this path, the noise of tourists was left behind. Our room was quiet and peaceful and overlooked the back road and neighboring houses. No traffic, no kids playing, no cars coming and going. Such a contrast to our life in Honolulu. 
