Reviews of Tudzura

This little guesthouse was incredible and worth the trip to Kumamoto! The staff are extremely friendly and greeted us with cold sake and a sweet. The building is so beautiful and thoughtfully decorated. The bed and shared facilities were comfortable and clean. Can't recommend staying here enough!

great renovation with taste; the staff (Yatsumi) was very friendly and helped with restaurant bookings.

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Every aspect of the property has been curated by its owner to provide a cohesive celebration of mid-century furniture but in a minimalist/traditional Japanese setting. Each object has so obviously been carefully selected to reflect the owner's exquisite personal taste. There was a gentle calm pervading what is a very special place.

Perhaps a Japanese omelet option for breakfast.

The design is immaculate and the building itself is just magnificent. My time in Kumamoto was amazing and I would gladly come again!

Beautiful property, very tastefully designed. The staff was welcoming and helpful

Super thankful to be accommodated as a solo traveler. The host and staff are very nice and thoughtful. I was amazed by the interior design, and selection of refreshments/drinks/books here, everything is crafted in details and I can feel their efforts and seriousness. It’s truly impressive to be staying in a historical building and surrounded by wood, while enjoying the neat environment and modern design of shared bathroom. This’s also a good location for people who want to slow down and prefer less busy areas. Walkable distance to tram and JR stations, and the nearby area of Shirakawa River’s definitely nice for a walk. And don’t forget to order fine sake by 9pm if you’d like to taste more!

The noise level is acceptable for me and shared bathroom is not crowded during my stay. No things that I really dislike.

The staff was very helpful and communicate very well

Friendly greeting by Yoon. Natsumi is a real sweetheart. She was friendly, professional and went out of her way to make sure of all details of my stay including bus to the airport and places to eat. A modern vibe thanks to a nice remodeling of the old building.

I paid 800 Yen for a "mini breakfast" that I could have done without. The morning staff person was running late, not quite sure of how to get things done, and it turned out to be a pre-packaged bagel that got warmed up and a cup of coffee that was ready about 15 minutes after the 8:00am requested time. Too bad...not the Japanese way. A convenience store might be a better choice especially if you're on a tight schedule.

Tudzura is upstairs in a building that is over 130 years old. The furniture is beautiful - each room has information about the individual furniture designers ( the table in the communal area is particularly lovely). The bed was comfortable, and the lighting well thought out in our ensuite room. The spotlessly clean bathroom included such modern touches as a WC which opens automatically when one walks into the bathroom – and closes automatically when one leaves the bathroom, together with complimentary good quality items guests might need (including a really nice hairbrush). It is a wooden building so sound carries - it helps that one leaves outdoor footwear downstairs and Tudzera provides slippers to wear upstairs. When we stayed all guests observed being quiet between 10pm and 8am so we slept fine - but Tudzura provide ear plugs if this is not the case. We appreciated the warmth of our welcome - greeted with a choice of a glass of one of 9 sakes, or a soft drink, and also the help in advance with information about places to eat. Ewan recommended Matsuba - and contacted Matsuba in advance about my food allergy. Matsuba is at 2-Chome-5-12 Shinmachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, 860-0004 Japan. The Japanese food at Matsuba was delicious - served in one of their 7 traditional rooms. There was a kettle and fridge in our room. Coffee, orange juice and water were provided. I would happily stay here again. Some of the other rooms have shared showers and lavatories - separate for men and women. There is no lift - not a problem for us but may be a problem for others. It was a short walk to the centre of town and Kumamoto Castle, and a tram ride to Suizenji Jojuen Garden (both places full of cherry blossom when we visited at the end of March). There is a launderette less than 10 minutes walk away, and a shop nearby where you can buy food.

We liked everything - we had no problems with noise, but the nature of the building is that if other guests were noisy one would hear them.

very impressive historical building with beautiful interior design. The staff is super helpful and informative, give good recommendations for bar and dinner place

The aesthetic! The place is very beautiful, every detail is well thought and the host is super kind and welcoming. We had a wonderful stay

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Personnel did their best to help us and gave lots of useful information.

We are not used to live in dormitories and Tudzura is a typical dormitory with the only advantage that it is located in the historical building. But sleeping there is not the same as somewhere in Versailles. The room was extremely tiny so we could not even open our luggage on the floor. The walls are not sound proof and you can hear not only all the noise from the street but your neighbors whispering. No privacy at all. WC outside the room may be ok for students but for those who love comfort is really discomfort. Overall it is twice as expensive as any normal hotel in the centre so it does not make sense to overpay that much.

the building is beautiful and the location to the train station, tram & bus stops makes it very convenient, amenities are top notch and a great detail

the room design makes it a certain way for the AC to work that the hot flow stays inert at the top of the room above our heads while the bottom, where everything else is located feels chilly, not a deal breaker since bed and amenities help you keep warm but that's an aspect that could improve

I chose this ryokan as a lower-cost option, as well as being in the old town, so I didn’t really expect much. This place was awesome! A lovely historic shop that’s been turned into an elegant ryokan in the Japandi (Japan & Scandinavian) style. Our host answered every question in English and offered dining options that were spot-on. Also transit options. We walked to Kumamoto Castle from there and did a tram back. I wish we had spent more time looking at nearby temples. Go to the sushi place and Rise Café, both a 2-minute walk. With a bagel and coffee for two at the ryokan we paid $100 (Jan. 2025) for one night. I liked the cozy room we had, as the general area is large and pleasant to read, eat, etc.

Everything is good, the staff, the environment, the location, the facilities. I enjoyed the experience staying in a historical place like this. The bed is very comfortable, the lighting is warm and designed like home. It is sweet to have the light-off time, all staff and guest are friendly, overall it’s a high quality hostel!

I prefer other materials for the indoor slippers than the ones in use now. But I’m not sure if materials like rubber is good for the building’s floor, the building matters the most after all! And I would prefer each guest have their own pair of slippers, as it is a bit easy to mix up the slippers when all slippers are put inside one shelf.

Amazing interiors, the space is really special. The owner was amazingly hospitable. He spoke great english, gave excellent recommendations, and was a delight. Will definitely return if I am back in Kumamoto!

Gorgeous old ryokan with modern touches. Rooms are well designed with everything you need. We slept really well.

Tudzura is located about 10min walk or 1 tram stop from Kumamoto train station. It is a beautifully refurbished building located in a quiet street. Restaurants are nearby with many more options around the train station. All the facilities are beautifully kept and clean which made the stay at such an unique location the more special.

The front door was locked when I arrived and with no doorbell available it was a little difficult to get staff's attention for check in