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THE GATE HOTEL Ryogoku is a comfortable and affordable hotel with a great location on the Sumida riverbank in Tokyo’s historic Sumo Town, Ryogoku.
Since the Edo period, the Sumida River has been a place of life and relaxation for people in Tokyo. THE GATE HOTEL Ryogoku is a gate that connects the river to the city. Let me tell you about my stay here.
I arrived at THE GATE HOTEL Ryogoku on a boat. Yeah, you heard that right, a boat. You see, there is a cruise that runs along the Sumida River between Odaiba and Asakusa. On that cruise, you can enjoy spectacular views of Tokyo from the river, and I highly recommend it.
One of the stops on this cruise is the Ryogoku pier. If you get off the boat like me, you will find yourself right in front of the hotel.
When I got to the hotel, I was greeted by friendly staff members who escorted me to my room after the check-in procedure was completed. My room was really nice and quite spacious. I had a lot of space to relax and move around.
There were two large beds with really comfortable mattresses, and I enjoyed resting there after sightseeing. I was happy to see that I had some fine nightwear available as well.
Additionally, there was a desk which I always prefer, so I have a place to put my laptop and do some work. There is also a smaller table, a couple of sofas, as well as a TV.
I loved how large the bathroom was. Not only were the counter and the mirror wide, but I also had two sinks and some great bathroom amenities. The highlight of the bathroom was the large walk-in shower. That’s my favorite type of shower, actually since I love having so much space.
But the best thing for me about my room was the great view across the Sumida River. I could see many buildings on the other side. It was beautiful both during the day and at night when all of them would light up.
And since you’re next to the river and not some other buildings, you have quite a large field of view and have a completely different perspective on the city. It just feels so different there with all the boats sailing across the river and trains and cars passing across the bridges. It’s always interesting to just sit and relax while enjoying the view.
Since I arrived a bit later in the afternoon, I spent the rest of the evening just relaxing in my room and working a bit. The next day I did some more sightseeing but also spent some time around the hotel. On the top floor, there is a space called Terrace&Lounge.
As you might have guessed, it has a nice terrace that overlooks the river and looks north. It has great views of the city, and you can even see the Skytree very clearly. It’s a great place to just grab some drinks and relax on a sunny day. Champagne, beer, and cocktails are offered here.
In the evening, I headed out to a restaurant located on the second floor of the hotel called Anchor Ryogoku Riverside. The restaurant is located right next to the river and provides a great view and atmosphere to enjoy meals.
I heard a lot of good things about the dinner here at THE GATE HOTEL Ryogoku, and I was really looking forward to it. I was served a multi-course dinner that contained a wide variety of dishes to try. I even got some nice sparkling wine with it.
The dinner included an appetizer, pasta, a main dish, and dessert, and it was really delicious. I have to say that what I heard about the dinner here proved to be correct. I had a really nice time and the dinner itself took about an hour and a half. The view of the river made it very relaxing and a great experience.
The next morning I returned to the same restaurant to have breakfast. For the main breakfast dish, I had a couple of options to choose from; Eggs Benedict, French Toast, and Smorrebrod. Even though I am a huge fan of French Toast, I picked Eggs Benedict this time. It was delicious, and along with freshly squeezed juice, gave me the energy needed for the rush of sightseeing!
Overall it was once again a really nice atmosphere. All along the river, I could see people going early to work, jogging, walking their dogs, or just relaxing.
One of the best things about this hotel is its location. And it is so great for many reasons. One of which is the already mentioned access by boat and its location on the waterfront of the Sumida river and the great room views.
It feels great to be located right next to the river and to observe the city on the other side. I loved taking walks there and even went a couple of times to run along the river. It just felt so much better than being in the middle of the city.
But still, you are well connected with other parts of the city because the Ryogoku station is located only three to four minutes from the hotel. And from it, you can easily access places such as Akihabara, Asakusa, and many other parts of the city. Chūō–Sōbu Line runs through the station and you can use it to reach places like Shinjuku and Chiba directly.
But one of the most interesting things about the neighborhood where this hotel is located is the fact that Ryogoku is known as Sumo City. This is the place where the great sumo venue, Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena, is located and where the biggest tournaments are held.
I was lucky to be in the area during a big sumo tournament, and I could see many sumo fighters throughout the neighborhood. I even met some of them! Also, the area around the arena was beautifully decorated, and it was a very lively place!
Sumo is a really interesting sport and a memorable experience for anyone watching it. I highly recommend you use the chance to see a fight if there is one available. There is also a Sumo museum nearby!
But even if sumo is not your cup of tea, there are other interesting museums in the area. One example is the Edo-Tokyo Museum, which is a modern museum that talks about the Edo period. Also, there is one for the fans of art, especially of Japanese block print Ukiyo-e, and it is called The Sumida Hokusai Museum. While for those of you who like to learn about samurai and ninjas, there’s the Japanese Sword Museum.
And if you want a nice park, there is the Former Yasuda Garden which is lovely, especially in autumn, with beautiful colors. The famous Tokyo Skytree itself is not very far away. So that’s a big plus if you want to visit the tallest structure in Japan!
And you can always spend some time just relaxing on the Sumida River Terrace, a walking path that runs along both banks of the Sumida River. The gorgeous view of the river and the city offers plenty of good photo opportunities.
All in all, this was a great place to stay at. I loved the vibe of Ryogoku and the Sumida riverside, as well as everything offered by this cozy hotel. Check out their website if you think about staying here one day.
