For a first stay in Nara, I recommend Asukasou if you want to visit the temples and spend a night in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). You can walk there from Kintetsu Nara Station, explore nearby Kofuku-ji Temple and the old merchant district of Naramachi, and return for dinner and a bath. Staying for 1 night gives you time to enjoy the inn as well as another morning in Nara.
If you’d rather spend more of that time at the ryokan, it’s worth looking farther into Nara Park and the forest beyond it. Tsukihitei is my top luxury recommendation for its small size and forest setting, while Kotonoyado Musashino suits a traditional stay with meals served in your room. Both involve a longer journey from the station, but I think they’re worth considering if you’re looking forward to the room and dinner as much as the sightseeing.
Check the map below to see where each Nara ryokan is located:
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At a Glance
- A first ryokan stay with sightseeing: Asukasou, near Sarusawa Pond and Kofuku-ji.
- A small luxury inn in the forest: Tsukihitei, with five rooms behind Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
- Traditional rooms and meals in Nara Park: Kotonoyado Musashino, with private outdoor or partly enclosed outdoor baths in its annex rooms.
- A room with a private bath for a couple: Wakasa Bettei, with a choice of indoor cypress baths and outdoor baths.
- Views over the city: Mikasa, on Mount Wakakusa, with a shuttle from the stations.
- A smaller accommodation budget: Ryokan Kosen for a simple Japanese room, or Tsubakiso for a small traditional house and homemade breakfast.
Choosing Where to Stay in Nara
The area around Kintetsu Nara Station and Sarusawa Pond is convenient if you want to walk between your ryokan, restaurants, and sights. Kasuga Hotel is especially close to the station, while Asukasou and Sarusawaike Yoshidaya are near the pond and Kofuku-ji. From there, you can explore Naramachi or continue into Nara Park toward Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Wakasa Bettei is farther north, closer to Todai-ji.
Keep in mind that JR Nara and Kintetsu Nara are separate stations. A ryokan described as a short walk from Kintetsu Nara may involve a longer journey if you arrive on a JR train, so use your actual arrival station when checking directions.
Farther east, Musashino is inside the park and Tsukihitei is in the forest behind Kasuga Taisha. Mikasa sits higher up Mount Wakakusa, with views over Nara. I suggest taking a taxi to Musashino or Tsukihitei when you have luggage, and using a taxi or the shuttle for Mikasa. Staying out here suits an evening at the ryokan, but the central options are easier if you want to go back out to restaurants or make repeated trips to the station.
For the overnight stay itself, I recommend including dinner if you enjoy Japanese food. A kaiseki meal, served in a series of seasonal courses, is a large part of the ryokan experience. It’s worth leaving an evening for that, followed by breakfast and another morning in Nara. My guide to staying in a ryokan explains the meals, rooms, and customs if this will be your first time.
For a brief visit to the park and temples, a day trip from your existing hotel may be more convenient than moving your bags. I suggest staying overnight when the ryokan or the extra time in Nara is something you’re looking forward to. My guide to where to go in Japan can help you decide how much time to give each stop.
Nara Ryokan Comparison
| Ryokan | Location | Best For | What to Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotonoyado Musashino | Nara Park, at the foot of Mount Wakakusa | Traditional rooms and meals served in your room | Choose an annex room for a private outdoor bath |
| Tsukihitei | Kasugayama forest | A small luxury inn away from the central streets | Bathing and dining arrangements vary across the five rooms |
| Asukasou | Near Sarusawa Pond | A first stay combining sightseeing, dinner, and baths | Private-bath reservations and availability of meal plans |
| Wakasa Bettei | Near Todai-ji | Couples who want a bath in their room | Room size, bath type, and children’s eligibility |
| Mikasa | Mount Wakakusa | Views and an evening at the ryokan | Your room’s view and the shuttle timetable |
| Kasuga Hotel | By Kintetsu Nara Station | A short walk with luggage and access to the park | Beds, room size, and private-bath options |
| Sarusawaike Yoshidaya | Beside Sarusawa Pond | A central ryokan with private bathing options | A bath in your room or a separate bath used when vacant |
| Tsubakiso | Central Nara, south of the station | A small traditional house and homemade breakfast | Breakfast needs to be arranged in advance |
| Ryokan Kosen | East side of Sarusawa Pond | A simple Japanese room on a smaller budget | Some rooms have a bath, while others use the shared baths |
The Best Ryokan in Nara
Kotonoyado Musashino
I recommend Kotonoyado Musashino for a traditional stay where you can have both dinner and breakfast in your room. It’s inside Nara Park at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, so you can also take a walk through the park before returning to the inn for your meal.
There are 12 rooms, with quite different bathing options. The Rokumeisansou annex rooms have private outdoor or partly enclosed outdoor baths, while the standard west-wing rooms have a toilet and washbasin and use the nearby communal bath. If a private outdoor bath is part of what you’re looking forward to, compare the photographs for each building in the room guide (in Japanese) before choosing.
For a short visit where you’ll spend most of your time out sightseeing, Asukasou or Kasuga Hotel would be more convenient. Musashino is worth the longer journey when you want to spend time in the park and return to your room for meals.
Tsukihitei
Tsukihitei is my top luxury recommendation in Nara for a couple or small group who wants to stay away from the central streets. It has only five rooms, surrounded by forest behind Kasuga Taisha Shrine. I suggest choosing it when you want to spend the afternoon and evening at the inn, with time for dinner and the baths.
You can sleep in a Japanese room or choose one with Western beds, and each room has its own bathroom. There are also two separate baths you can reserve for private use at reception on the day. Meals are served in your room or in a separate dining space, depending on which room you book. You can compare the sleeping and dining spaces in the photographs in the room guide (in Japanese).
The forest location is a reason to spend more here, provided you’re happy taking a taxi to the inn. If you expect to go back and forth to the station or central restaurants, I’d recommend staying closer to them instead.
Asukasou
Asukasou is a good choice for a first ryokan stay because you can have a Japanese dinner and enjoy the baths while staying close to central Nara. It’s an 8-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, near Kofuku-ji, Sarusawa Pond, and Naramachi. I recommend booking a plan with dinner and breakfast early, since meal plans have limited capacity and can sell out before the rooms.
For bathing, you have indoor communal baths, rooftop outdoor baths, and a separate private bath available by reservation for a fee. That private bath can be useful for a couple or family who wants time to bathe together without paying for a room with its own outdoor bath. The communal baths use water with added minerals rather than natural spring water, and the separate private bath isn’t a natural hot spring either.
Kofuku-ji’s five-story pagoda is covered for restoration, which affects the views from the ryokan. Asukasou has also installed screens around its outdoor baths because of the works. If you’ve been drawn to photographs of the pagoda, the photographs in the restoration notice (in Japanese) show how the view has changed.
Wakasa Bettei
For a couple who wants a private bath in the room near Todai-ji, I recommend Wakasa Bettei. Its room options include Japanese rooms with indoor cypress baths, rooms with outdoor baths, and compact twin rooms with outdoor baths.
The compact twins give you the outdoor bath with less space inside, so compare them with the larger Japanese rooms if you expect to spend much of the evening there. Some options are sold without meals. For a stay that includes the ryokan’s kaiseki dinner, you’ll need to choose a meal plan as well as the room.
It’s about a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, with check-in at the main Hotel New Wakasa building. You can also use the shared bathing facilities, which have water with added minerals rather than natural hot-spring water. For a trip with children, confirm that the ryokan can accommodate their ages before paying.
Mikasa
I recommend Mikasa if you’d enjoy spending the evening at a ryokan looking out over Nara. It’s partway up Mount Wakakusa, with city views from the lobby and selected rooms. If you want that view from your own room, check the room description rather than relying on the photographs of the lobby.
You can book dinner at the ryokan and use its shared baths, or choose a room with a private outdoor bath. The bathing facilities use water with added minerals. Staying in central Nara would be more convenient if you’d prefer to walk out to restaurants and return whenever you like.
The free shuttle makes arrival easier, with services from both Nara stations. Pickup at JR Nara requires advance reservation, while the Kintetsu Nara service leaves from the ryokan’s information office near the station. Use the shuttle timetable and pickup directions (in Japanese) to plan your connection, or take a taxi if the times don’t suit you.
Kasuga Hotel
Kasuga Hotel is just a 2-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, beside Kofuku-ji and the approach to Nara Park. I recommend it if a short walk with your bags would make arrival easier, particularly for a brief stay or a trip with children.
There are Japanese rooms, rooms with Western beds, and larger Japanese rooms to compare for your group. Some also have a private outdoor bath. If you’re happy using shared baths, you can choose another room and still use the indoor and garden outdoor baths. All the baths use tap water, so this isn’t a natural hot-spring stay.
With a meal plan, you can spend the evening at the hotel enjoying a seasonal Japanese dinner. It’s a convenient alternative to Asukasou when you want both a ryokan stay and a short walk to your train the next day.
Sarusawaike Yoshidaya
Sarusawaike Yoshidaya gives you another way to stay beside Sarusawa Pond and bathe privately. Alongside the shared baths, there are two separate baths you can use on your own when they’re vacant, free of charge and without reservations. I suggest considering it if you’d prefer to bathe with your partner or family but don’t need a bath attached to your room.
If you’d prefer a bath that’s yours for the whole stay, some rooms have their own, including partly enclosed outdoor baths overlooking the pond. You can choose beds or futons (Japanese floor mattresses), and dinner and breakfast depend on the plan you book. Comparing the room and meals with Asukasou’s will give you a better idea of the price difference than comparing their cheapest advertised rates.
If you’re considering a room for its view, keep Kofuku-ji’s pagoda restoration in mind. Older photographs may show the tower before it was covered, so check recent room photographs before paying extra for that view.
Tsubakiso
I recommend Tsubakiso if you’d enjoy staying in a small, older Japanese house. It’s on a residential street in central Nara, about 6 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station, so choosing a small inn here still leaves you close to the center.
Breakfast is one of the reasons to stay. The owner prepares a homemade Japanese or Western meal, which you can have before heading out into Nara. You’ll need to select a rate that includes breakfast or request it at least 3 days in advance.
For a formal dinner and a choice of larger baths, I recommend comparing Musashino or Asukasou instead. Tsubakiso suits a simpler stay with breakfast at a small inn.
Ryokan Kosen
For a smaller accommodation budget, I suggest Ryokan Kosen, also spelled Kousen. It’s on the east side of Sarusawa Pond near Kofuku-ji, so you can keep costs down while staying in a Japanese room close to the sights.
Some rooms have their own bath and toilet, while others have a toilet only and use the separate men’s and women’s shared baths. Choose a room that includes a bath if you want your own bathroom. This is a simple ryokan, with room-only and breakfast plans, so it suits a stay where you’re happy to go out for dinner.
I recommend comparing the total for your dates with Asukasou if you’d also enjoy a ryokan dinner. The difference may be easier to justify once you include the cost of eating out, though Kosen remains worth checking if keeping the room price down is your priority.
Before You Book
If you’re choosing a ryokan mainly for its bath, decide whether you want privacy, natural hot-spring water, or both. A separate private bath gives your group sole use for a limited period, while a bath attached to your room is yours throughout the stay. Either can be an ordinary indoor bathtub, and even an outdoor bath may use tap water or water with added minerals. For a trip where you want to walk between public hot-spring baths, I recommend a town such as Kinosaki and visiting Nara separately.
Your room also needs to be comfortable to sleep in. If sleeping on the floor would be difficult, look for Western beds rather than futons laid out on tatami (woven floor mats). Once you’ve found a suitable room, compare the meals and cancellation terms for the same number of guests. For allergies or dietary requirements, get confirmation from the kitchen before paying for a meal plan.
I recommend booking early when you want a private outdoor bath, because only certain rooms have one. Once it’s reserved, check the required arrival time for dinner before planning that day’s sightseeing. Leaving enough time to reach the inn, put down your bags, and have a bath will make the evening more enjoyable than arriving just as the meal begins.