The Edo Sakura: A Family Friendly Ryokan in Tokyo
- Maria DiCicco
- 11 hours ago
- 7 min read
Many bloggers will round up lists of the "best ryokans in Tokyo" based on research, but not actual stays. Instead of garnering up a big ol' list of "ryokan's I've never stepped foot in in Tokyo", I'd rather share with you my first-hand knowledge of one particularly wonderful, family-friendly Ryokan in Tokyo - The Edo Sakura.
This charming and affordable ryokan stands out for its outstanding traditional breakfast, its mix of western-style and Tatami flooring bedrooms, and for their quiet neighborhood setting.
I couldn't say enough good things about this place, so let me share with you why you should book, how you can book, and what there is to do on foot in the area.
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Planning the Family Adventure in Japan
When I started planning my family adventure to Japan (I'd been previously as a solo-traveler meeting up with some kids from Contiki), I knew I had to plan things differently with a three year old in tow.
I wanted to find a Ryokan hotel in a safe and easy to navigate neighorhood that ticked all the right boxes:
It had to be a traditional Ryokan - I stayed in a couple before and I needed my husband and daughter to have the traditional experience for themselves!
I didn't want to deal with the subway at all while I was in Tokyo (we were there a few days before boarding a cruise ship from the Yokohama port).
I wanted to sleep on traditional Tatami floor mats - it was a must!
It had to be affordable!
With these parameters in mind, I scoured the interwebs, and eureka! - I found The Edo Sakura near Tokyo's Ueno Park area.
Let's learn more...
Short on Time?Why Stay at the Edo Sakura Ryokan in Tokyo?
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Where is the Edo Sakura Ryokan in Tokyo?
Technically in "Taito City", it borders Ueno Park and the old-school Yanaka Ginza Neighborhood. The ryokan is in a very quiet residential area that feels like "real Japan". Nothing around the ryokan feels touristy, but you are still completely close to everything.
Getting there, you could travel the subway, take a bus, etc in your jet lagged state, but I recommend booking a car in advance using Kiwi Taxi. This is what we did, and it couldn't have been easier. The cost is high but absolutely worth it not to navigate the world after a 14+ hour flight. Trust me!
After you arrive, do everything on foot!
Things to Do in the Ueno Park area near Edo Sakura Ryokan
Nearby, we were able to walk to all the attractions we wanted to see for 2-3 days. Keep in mind, I had been to Tokyo before and didn't feel the need to really dig into the whole scene as hard as the first visit.
We walked to a ramen restaurant our first night, based on a recommendation from the Ryokan. It had your traditionally confusing vending machine ordering system, which made for a good laugh as we fumbled through our first meal arriving in Tokyo. Ramen always hits the spot after a long flight!
Walking Distance Attractions Include:
Ueno Park, including its temples, shrines, and museums. There's a beautiful walking space there that becomes quite lively during the cherry blossom season. People set up picnics, or just go for a stroll. There's street food stalls and plenty to keep you busy in the fresh air. There are many walking tours in Ueno, if you need a guide.
Yanaka Ginza Neighborhood: full of candy shops, traditional streets and buildings, and a very old-school vibe that you can't really find anywhere else in Tokyo. They call it Tokyo's Old Town, and it is full of historic sites, food tours and Yanaka walking tours.
Nezu Shrine: this place is perfect if you can't make it to Kyoto, because you'll be able to step through a maze of red torii gates similar to Kyoto's. It's an easy walk, but you might be aching for a taxi based on your day's adventures.
Asakusa and Senso-ji temple: we were able to walk here, too! This area is chock full of shopping opportunities like my favorite Daiso (100 Yen Shop), street food stalls, souvenir stands, kappabashi "kitchen street" full of ceramics and cookware, as well as of course the temple complex.
We also enjoyed a stellar okonomiyaki meal at Asakusa Okonomiyaki Sometaro (not to be missed!).
Learn about some of the temples and shrines above here or venture out towards nearby Yokohama, or explore other easy day trips from Tokyo, too!
At the end of your day of touring, the traditional offerings at the Edo Sakura Ryokan await. Let's see what they are!
Traditional Offerings at the Edo Sakura Ryokan
Traditional Breakfast
My parents stayed across town near the Disney complex, along with my brother and his family with their kids. They were comfortably in Marriott beds, indulging in one of those opulent breakfast buffets, and just steps from tourist heaven. And that's cool for them.
But I wanted to experience Japan for Japan. I wanted to eat fish for breakfast and slurp miso soup alongside it. So I did just that.
The Edo Sakura served us rice, soup, fish, egg, and some other little Japanese kozara (bowls) of pickles and other items.
If you wanted a more western style breakfast, that was also on offer.
Meals were served community style and to order, meaning we sat with our fellow Ryokan neighbors at long communal tables, but our food was served hot and just for us - no buffets.
There is also a traditional tea ceremony every morning, for free, which is a lovely thing to experience if they are offering it. They didn't have it on offer for our stay.
Tatami Beds
I can't forget the precious moment that my then three year old had when we walked into our Ryokan bedroom. "Where's the bed!?", she curiously asked. I giggled nervously, wondering the same. "I'm sure there's another room somewhere", I replied, as I looked around our square box of a room.
No doors led to another room. Where were they?
The Tatami futon beds were actually folded up in the closet! We were told that we could put them away and take them out as we pleased, to allow for room to relax at the room's only other furniture - a small table and floor seats with backs on them.
We opted to have the ryokan staff set up our beds and we left them set up.
Are Tatami Beds Comfortable?
As for comfort - it's comfortable enough.
You're not sleeping on the floor like a teenager for the comfort, it's for the experience.
I'd been to a Ryokan where my pillow was a wooden block - it ain't that, ok. You'll have sheets and a nice pillow.
Think of it like a slumber party! If you are going with your kids, this will be a treasured family memory.
Private Japanese Bath (Ofuro)
The Japanese traditional room that we stayed in did include (private) western amenities, including a jazzed up Japanese toilet, and a nice shower within the room.
However, if you wanted to bathe differently - you could reserve the private Japanese bath, called an ofuro, for you and whoever, for 30 minutes or an hour.
What is a Japanese Ofuro Versus Onsen?
Ofuro is different from an onsen - an ofuro is a private and relaxing bath, versus an onsen, which is a geothermal hot spring or mineral bath. The ofuro is characterized by having a deep soaking tub, perfect for a tranquil moment of pause.
How to Best Experience an Ofuro
I'd been to some insane onsens on my previous Japan trip - a theme park styled one that is no longer in operation, and some relaxing onsens in the mountains - but this was much more subdued - and all mine. (No worries of nudity in public!).
The private ofuro at the Edo Sakura was simply a big tub in a private bathroom. I hate to oversimplify, but that's what memory serves up. It was a nice, quiet and tranquil room that I had to myself to bathe and relax.
Being a mom, having just traveled with a toddler over 24 hours to get to Japan, I was happy to have some "me" time for a little bit.
Of course, I got to wear my kimono down to the room!
Kimonos in Every Room!
Yes, every room came with kimonos perfect for visiting the ofuro or taking shameless photos. They are fun and part of the whole vibe!
Some people even wore them to breakfast.
What Makes the Edo Sakura Stand Out?
Affordability: More than anything, we stayed because of the price! We paid $266 for 2 nights in a traditional Tatami bedroom, which included an extra fee for a third guest. Breakfast was $6 per person, per night.
Notably, they also stored your bags for you if you came in too early or needed to leave after check out. This is a big win!
Family Friendly: People love kids in Japan. They were ready for us with a little book of coloring pages, origami sheets, and little kawaii touches here and there.
My daughter took time to scribble in the Scavenger Hunt Japan travel journal I had written with her in mind (you can buy yours on Amazon here!), and she loved every minute of it.
The Ofuro: It's pretty typical, I think, for a Japanese hotel to have an ofuro these days, but it was a nice amenity to have - especially if you've never enjoyed the tranquility of a Japanese bath before.
The Neighborhood: we found tons of great and authentic Japanese attractions near the Edo Sakura and would gladly stay again.
Overall
My family laughed at us for sleeping on the floor our first few nights in Japan. "We had MARRIOTT beds!", they boasted, trying to provoke jealousy.
But honestly, despite the admitted discomfort of sleeping on the floor, it was an experience I would never trade in.
We experienced real Japan, ate at neighborhood restaurants, and got to kick off our family adventure in Japan in a unique way.
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