Japan Best Ryokan may earn a commission when you book through links on this site, at no additional cost to you.

Every inn we currently feature

Three so far, all in and around Kyoto. Each one has been checked against the inn's own Japanese-language pages, and each carries the date we last looked.

We would rather list three inns we have verified than thirty we have not. The other regions are in progress, and this page grows as they are finished.


Featured inns

  • Image placeholder for Hanaikada, a hot spring inn at the south end of Togetsukyo bridge in Arashiyama

    Arashiyama Onsen

    Hanaikada

    Thirteen rooms at the south end of Togetsukyo bridge, with the only viewing open-air bath in Arashiyama, rooms that have their own hot spring bath, and kaiseki served in the room.

    • Hot spring
    • Reservable private bath
    • Kaiseki in room
    Rooms
    13
    From
    ¥24,000 per person
    Last checked
    22 Sep 2026
    Official site Rate from Rakuten Travel
  • Image placeholder for Kurama Onsen, a five-room inn on sulphur water in the hills north of Kyoto

    Kurama

    Kurama Onsen

    Five rooms in the cedar hills half an hour north of the city, on naturally welling sulphur water. Day visitors until 21:00, after which the baths belong to guests. Tattoos are permitted.

    • Natural sulphur spring
    • Tattoo-friendly
    • Free station shuttle
    Rooms
    5
    From
    Direct booking only
    Last checked
    22 Sep 2026
    Official site No listing on the sites we checked
  • Image placeholder for Suiran, a riverside hotel with hot spring baths in Arashiyama

    Arashiyama Onsen

    Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel

    A riverside hotel rather than a traditional inn, but 17 of its 39 rooms have their own natural hot spring bath, and two reservable private open-air baths sit in the garden.

    • 17 rooms with onsen bath
    • Two private onsen spas
    • Riverside garden
    Rooms
    39, of which 17 have an onsen bath
    From
    ¥43,470 per person
    Last checked
    22 Sep 2026
    Compare rates Rate from Rakuten Travel

Rates are the lowest listed per person on the date shown and change constantly; meals and tax may or may not be included. We do not publish guest ratings until they come from a booking partner. We may earn a commission on bookings once those partnerships are in place.


Looking for a region instead?

Each region page explains how the districts differ, how to get there, and which season makes booking hard.

  • Kyoto

    Townhouse inns, and the few places in the city with real hot spring water.

  • Hakone

    Six onsen districts inside one caldera, ninety minutes from Shinjuku.

  • Izu & Atami

    A warm coastal peninsula with sea-facing baths and seafood at dinner.

  • Kanazawa & Kaga

    A craft city, and four old hot spring towns half an hour south.