Hot Springs Hotels in Nara Prefecture, Japan

This was the best hotel on my Kansai trip to Japan! The room was clean and comfortable – small but perfectly formed. The onsen (hot spring bath) was also incredibly relaxing and had a lovely natural feel to it. They even provided facial makeup remover in the changing rooms, which was super convenient. I visited during the off-season, so the hotel wasn't crowded. Everywhere you looked, there were charming and thoughtful design touches, and it was immaculately clean. The location is also fantastic, near several of Nara's transportation lines and the bus terminal. Plus, there's a small street right next to it with plenty of food options. This is definitely the hotel I'll stay at again next time I visit Nara!

The 12 tatami room was very spacious and clean, and the room smelled refreshing. Moreover, Japanese hospitality and their attention to detail made the whole stay very pleasant. Both breakfast and dinner were amazing. We also informed the Ryokan that this was our 6th anniversary trip and they gave us free photography, which was lovely! Location wise, it is conveniently located right next to Nara park, and just an easy 15min walk away from Nara station or 10min away from Kitetsu line.

Hotel is a station away from Nara center. We took bus or train. About 9 min away from station. Hotel has specious and beautiful Lobby, Rooms are very simple. Of course clean and neat as usually in Japan.

This hotel is super conveniently located right next to JR Nara Station, making transportation a breeze. There's a 7-Eleven and a large supermarket next to JR Nara Station, which is really handy. You can also catch a bus right outside the hotel to Nara Park. The hotel offers many optional services, showing great thoughtfulness. The onsen (hot spring) experience was generally good. They even provided sleep aids like different pillows and sleep supplements. My room was quite spacious for one person, though the facilities were relatively simple. The keyless entry with a password lock on the door was great as it meant I didn't need to carry a room card. The hairdryer was a Refa, and it was fantastic! The best part was definitely the free happy hour at the restaurant in the evenings. There was a wide variety of drinks available, and many guests brought food from the convenience store to enjoy with their drinks.

This hotel holds the high standard of their group as usual. Firstly, I thought the service was not sincere as the front deck refused to reserve the restaurant for us (there were 2 other hotel's front desk rejected in this Dec 2025 trip too). But then they offered tremendous help when I encountered parcel problem and which is out of what they need to offer. That's really helpful. The superior twin room is good for family of 4 with children under 12 years old. We put together the beds and there were spaces for4 big luggage to pack and tidy up things. Thank you to the entire front desk for their help. The downside was the breakfast really average and I only recommend to try once if you are staying long.

We stayed at Mikasa Ryokan (万葉若草の宿 三笠旅館) in Nara, and overall it was a great experience — but there are definitely some things you should know and plan for in advance. 🏞 1. Location & Transportation The ryokan is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, with beautiful views over Nara city — the scenery is stunning, especially at night. But getting up and down the mountain isn’t very convenient. At first, I thought the location was right near Todai-ji Temple and would be easy to access. Turns out: The mountain road is very narrow and winding, and it actually takes longer than expected. According to the staff, walking up the mountain is not allowed. There's a gate, and the staff inside don’t permit people to walk up. Luckily, the hotel offers a shuttle bus up the mountain, but you should arrange it with the hotel in advance. Once you’re at the ryokan, getting out isn’t very easy either. Even if you want to take a taxi, you need to book it in advance — it’s not like calling a cab from the street. So I’d recommend planning your itinerary carefully before you arrive. While Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Kasuga Taisha are technically just at the bottom of the mountain, they’re not within walking distance from the hotel, so you’ll still need transport. 🛌 2. Room Experience We booked the Japanese-style room with a private open-air bath. I did quite a bit of research before booking: Sites like *********** say the room is about 28 sqm (307 sq ft) But Ctrip listed it as 56 sqm, which was confusing After checking in, I think 28 sqm is probably just the indoor area, and 56 sqm includes the balcony, private onsen, and garden area. The room is traditional Japanese-style with tatami floors and a low table in the center. In the evening, while we were out having dinner, staff came in and set up our futon beds for the night — a really nice touch. This was our first time sleeping on Japanese futons. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the room temperature was perfect. If you're traveling with kids, this type of setup could be extra fun. 3. Onsen Experience We tried both the public onsen and the private one in our room: The public bath areas are located on the first and second floors, with men’s and women’s baths alternating daily. They include both indoor and outdoor hot spring pools. The water is hot — after about 10 minutes, we felt totally warm and relaxed. The private bath in the room was also very enjoyable. The garden had high fences and trees for privacy, and the tub was perfectly sized for two people. 🍱 4. Meals We booked a plan that included both dinner and breakfast. One important thing to note — you need to confirm your dinner time with the hotel before arrival, because if you arrive after 7 PM, you might miss dinner. Dinner is served in private dining rooms, which gave us a cozy and quiet atmosphere. The food was beautifully presented and very Japanese — including Wagyu beef and sukiyaki. Breakfast was also very traditional — grilled fish, rice, and various small dishes. Personally, I prefer something lighter for breakfast, and there was no coffee, bread, or buns included. If you want coffee, you can get it later in the lounge near the lobby.

It’s an old hotel. The only bonus I felt was being able to enjoy a private bath session with onsen water.The morning shift customer service was nice. You need to be extra careful with the washing machines. I accidentally inserted coins twice at the same time, but the machine only counted it as one wash. I asked the evening staff for help with a refund because I pressed the refund button, but the coins didn’t come out. Unfortunately, they couldn’t refund it, and I felt a bit sad… 😒 As a solo traveler, this hotel is a good choice if you’re on a budget and enjoy the old-style Japanese ryokan atmosphere.

Fantastic hotel for anyone who drive. Free Car park with lots of spaces. The facility is very clean, spacious room, both indoor and outdoor hot spring. Really there is nothing to complain in this hotel. It is located in a fairly decent neighborhoods and able to provide this standard of hot spring is phenomenal. One of the best stay we had in this journey. Highly Recommended.

I like Mercure very much. There are lounge services in the afternoon and evening. There are quite a lot of drinks, as well as cookies and candies. It is very comfortable to chat with family and friends. The room is quite large. The one we stayed in is a bit old, but the hygiene is still quite good. This time, we included a buffet breakfast and dinner. There are not many categories, but there are still surprises. It includes many specialties of Kashihara Nara, and provides a lot of sauces, which can be DIY. A student team checked in on the second day of the stay, but the hotel management is good, orderly, and food is added in time. The overall feeling is great.

The hotel is within walking distance of Kintetsu Yamato-Saidaiji Station and is also in a great location, just 3-4 minutes from Heijo Ruins Park. It's also perfectly located for soaking in hot springs, which are extremely rare in Nara City. The downside is that the facilities are old, and there are issues with facility management and maintenance, such as room and bathroom locks not locking in some places. Also, the hand washing areas in the rooms are not flush with the rooms, making them difficult to use. We strongly urge the hotel management to ensure that the age of the facilities does not become apparent.