Reviews of Ryokan Katsutaro 2 stars

Very traditional ryokan in the heart of Ueno. The owner is extremely courteous and helpful: he kept our luggages with no problem, found us a paper box when in need, and gives guest umbrella if raining. The room was very big, with a comfortable futon bed and all the amenities. Close to a multitude of nice restaurant and izakaya (reserve!).

Location, spaces, style and kindess of the host

Great Ryokan. Around 10-15 minutes away from Ueno station yet the neighbourhood is incredibly peaceful. So you have both the bustle of Ueno Ameyoko, the nearby zoo, museums and temples, but also the charming and cosy neighbourhood of Nezu with its shops, cafes and shrine on the other side. The Ryokan itself is homey and old school, very stylish, with a great staff. It's great to return to after spending too much time in Shinjuku. It's a great inn all around with classic Japanese style if that's what you looking for. I personally find ryokans more comfortable. Also apparently Pete Seeger visited once.

If you're tall, it's easy to hit your head.

Nice staff, coffee and tea available for free Nice attractions near and cheap neighborhood.,,

Loved the traditional style, staff was super nice and always there if you need them. Awesome experience! No noise whatsoever… We slept like babies!

Stairs are a bit steep. Not a problem for us busy just saying.

*Great host family! Very nice and accommodating. *Location is perfect for a more authentic local Japanese experience. *Close to Nezu Subway Station (5 minute walk) *Close to Ueno Park which has multiple National Museums, Zoo, Temple, Shrine for a cultural experience. *Konbini across the street makes it convenient for grabbing a quick bite, drink or other necessities.

It’s an older property and the furnishings could use a little updating. This is a very minor gripe and does not take away from the great experience of staying here.

Nothing

Everything - too many guests having to share bathroom, toilet, very old TV with no English access, extremely steep stairs to the upper rooms making it difficult and dangerous to carry heavy suitcases upstairs. One fridge serves all guests. The apartment is too old, requires a major refurbishment. Beds are very low, basically flush with the floor. No chairs to sit on in the room

Beautiful room Peaceful stay Friendly and caring staff Accommodating

Around a quiet neighbourhood with some convenience stores not too far away. Room gets cleaned daily aswell.

Spacious room!

I don’t recommend for people with small kids, we weren’t comfortable and were mostly worrying about the noise that our kid could make. I was trying so hard to ensure he had no tantrums and wasn’t able to relax. We had stayed in the past with only adults and it was a great experience that’s why we came back. Also, although a nice residential location, I realized the metro doesn’t take you to many tourist places so you need to change lines constantly. We stayed there for the time we wanted to explore that area of Tokyo.

Very friendly staff. Good location.

We stayed for two weeks and enjoyed the entire stay. It was our first proper vacation, and we couldn't have asked for more. We picked a room with communal facilities. The staff are incredibly kind and helpful people who provided us with recommendations and even some snacks and small keepsakes. On the final day, the owner even drove us and our luggage to the nearby station in his own car! Facilities were convenient and cleaned daily and despite being communal, there were no points where I felt that things were dirty or that I didn't want to use them. You have basically everything you need in the ryokan, including a fridge, freezer, microwave, and laundry, and are even provided with a comfortable yukata and slippers to wear around communal areas. There aren't so many rooms that we ever felt that we were waiting to use the facilities, or were being disturbed by other guests beyond enjoyment. Also, the Wi-Fi was incredible. The area is really unparalleled. It's close to Ueno station which can connect you to all of Tokyo, as well as Keisei-Ueno which has express service to and from Narita airport. Ueno park itself is a beautiful place to walk through and takes you right to Ameyoko shopping street and Asakusa, so you'll never get bored even at night. Despite all this, the neighbourhood itself is very quiet and filled with small local cafes of all types. There's also easy access to a 7/11 where you can grab some food whenever you want. Opting for communal facilities definitely offers a bit more of the hostel experience, but it was exactly what my spouse and I were looking for with our budget, and of course the rooms are all completely private. It's important to remember to be quiet and mindful of other guests at night. We saw many friendly people come and go, both Japanese and English-speaking, and all were able to communicate with the hosts and enjoy their stay. I hope we can come back soon!

Loved the neighborhood, calm, close to Ueno Park and the Nezu Metro station, with human-sized buildings. The room was basic but traditional, with tatami mats and comfortable futons on the floor. The managers were very nice and friendly, even if their English is limited. There's a common area where you can bring food to eat, and a convenience store across the street that was very convenient!

The only bothersome thing was the light in the rooms, which, as in many Japanese hotels, was bright and fluourescent-ish. It would be nice if there was a dimmer on the switch. Otherwise, no complaints!

Great hosts & room, very conveniently located behind Ueno park! We booked this at end of our stay, would book again to explore Ueno and Asakusa side of Tokyo more!

clean room, excellent location, quiet

I really loved this ryokan — the rooms were so nice and quiet. Everything was perfect, and the neighborhood felt calm and authentic. It's also very close to the National Museum and a beautiful park.

I loved everything

Very comfy ryokan with ample space for 3 adults. The owners are very nice and accommodating. The facilities were clean and housekeeping was very good. Location is quiet, clean, and has nice scenery for walking.

Shared common spaces with other rooms was troublesome during our stay but there is little that can be done on the property owners side of that.