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Home » Asia

A Luxury Stay At Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen, Japan

Created On: June 20, 2015  |  Updated: February 14, 2025  |   23 Comments

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links from which we may make commission from. As always, we only recommend places and products we love! In addition, we try our best to keep our articles up-to-date with current prices, locations, and hours of operation however we always recommend double-checking when planning a trip as these items can change frequently.

Table of Contents show
1 A Luxury Stay at Nishimuraya Honkan
2 How to Get to Kinosaki Onsen
3 Our Stay at Nishimuraya Honkan
3.1 Interior at Nishimuraya Honkan
3.2 The Gardens at Nishimuraya Honkan
3.3 Our Room with Private Onsen at Nishimuraya Honkan
3.4 Kaiseki Dining at Nishimuraya Honkan
3.5 Other Information for Nishimuraya Honkan

A Luxury Stay at Nishimuraya Honkan

One experience you should have while in Japan is staying at a traditional Japanese ryokan or inn. One of the best places to enjoy a ryokan stay is Kinosaki Onsen, which is a quick trip from Kyoto or Osaka. Kinosaki Onsen will give you a luxurious traditional experience complete with kaiseki dining, onsen soaking, and enjoying a quaint town stroll in yukata.

As denoted by the name, Kinosaki is the onsen district of the city of Toyooka, Japan. Onsen are traditional Japanese hot springs, that are fed by natural hot springs ranging in temperature and offering a variety health benefits. Kinosaki Onsen has been regarded as one of the best onsen towns in Japan, with over 1,400 years of onsen history!

On our first visit to Kinosaki Onsen, we stayed at Nishimuraya Honkan which is one of Kinosaki Onsen’s most luxurious ryokan which is the main focus of this post. However, if you are looking for other places to stay in Kinosaki Onsen or more things to do in Kinosaki Onsen, check out this post.


How to Get to Kinosaki Onsen

Train station at Kinosaki Onsen
Train station at Kinosaki Onsen

From Osaka: Take the JR Kounotori line from Shin-Osaka station to Kinosaki Onsen Station (estimated time: 2h 50min)

From Kyoto: Take the JR Kinosaki Limited Express line from Kyoto station to Kinosaki Onsen Station (estimated time: 2h 45min)

From Tokyo: Take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Hikari or Kodama if using the JR pass) from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station no later than 10:30AM in order to reach Kinosaki Onsen before 4:00PM. From Shin-Osaka station take the JR Kounotori line to Kinosaki Onsen Station (estimated time: 5-6h).

After you arrive, Nishimuraya Honkan has a complimentary shuttle bus that will pick you up from Kinosaki Onsen Station and take you directly to the ryokan. Just be sure to contact them ahead of time to let them know your approximate time of arrival so they can be ready for you.


Our Stay at Nishimuraya Honkan

Exterior of Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen
Exterior of Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen

With a history of over 150 years, Nishimuraya Honkan is a luxurious ryokan with onsite and in room onsen, exquisite kaiseki dining, beautiful private gardens, gift shop with local goods, and an onsite town historical museum.

Front desk and entrance to Nishimuraya Honkan.
Front desk and entrance to Nishimuraya Honkan.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the staff of Nishimuraya Honkan at Kinosaki Onsen’s train station where staff collected our bags and drove us on their shuttle bus to the ryokan. When we got to the ryokan, we checked in with a staff member who arranged our meal times and other additional on-site experiences we wanted to enjoy.

READ MORE: Important Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan


Interior at Nishimuraya Honkan

Sitting area of Nishimuraya Honkan
A small sitting area at Nishimuraya Honkan with agarden view.

After checking in, we were shown around the ryokan before visiting our room. The lobby of Nishimuraya Honkan has many seating areas to relax and a cozy bar area that was available to all guests. The lobby area is located just next to the hotel gift shop which is a great place to look for a souvenir for yourself or someone you are wanting to buy for.

Most Japanese ryokan pride themselves on providing guests with the ability to purchase or look at local goods and traditional crafts, therefore having a gift shop inside a ryokan is extremely common. In the gift shop at Nishimuraya Honkan there are beautiful linens, pottery pieces, fans, chopsticks, and edible goods that are all available for purchase in the gift shop each with their own story and historical significance.

After settling in our room, we decided to continue exploring the rest of the hotel. One of our first stops was the museum which features a collection of paintings, photographs, and artifacts from the past history of Nishimuraya Honkan as well as the town of Kinosaki Onsen. The museum is small but worth visiting to have a better understanding of the history of the hotel and town.

Museum at Nishimuraya Honkan
Museum at Nishimuraya Honkan

READ MORE: Things to Do in Kinosaki Onsen


The Gardens at Nishimuraya Honkan

The Gardens at Nishimuraya Honkan
The gardens at Nishimuraya Honkan.

Something else that is very special and unique to Nishimuraya Honkan is its on-site gardens. The gardens are perfectly manicured and very tranquil to spend time in. In fact, we spent a lot of time during our stay at Nishimuraya Honkan walking around the gardens, watching the koi fish swimming, and sitting on one of the outdoor benches enjoying the weather.


Our Room with Private Onsen at Nishimuraya Honkan

Since we first visited Kinosaki Onsen on one of our first trips to Japan, we wanted to have a day of relaxation between all our days of heavy travel. We knew that staying at a traditional Japanese ryokan was the perfect way to do so! We elected to splurge on a room with a private garden and onsen so we wouldn’t have to book specific times to enjoy a private onsen and add to the romance of staying in an onsen town. But there is an onsen that is public for hotel guests to enjoy at any time as well as many public onsen available in town.

View of the garden area and open-air bath from the living space in the Hatsune Room at  Nishimuraya Honkan.
View of the garden area and open-air bath from the living space of our room at Nishimuraya Honkan.

If you are looking to have an experience of ultimate luxury and romance, we definitely recommend staying in a room with a private onsen. We stayed in the Hatsune room with an open-air bath which was quite spacious and had an on-suite private bathroom, large vanity including toiletries (common in Japanese hotels), and an outdoor shower.

Bathroom vanity of the Hatsune Room at Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan.
Small kitchenette area and mini fridge next to the toilet area of the Hatsune Room at Nishimuraya Honkan
Seating area in room at Nishimuraya Honkan
Private onsen at Nishimuraya Honkan

Nishimuraya Honkan also provided us with Yukata to wear while we were out in town or to wear while relaxing in our room. In the evening after dinner, the table and chairs are removed for turn down service and the futon beds were placed on the floor and fluffed.

The summer yukata the staff laid out for us to wear around the town of Kinosaki Onsen.
The summer yukata the staff laid out for us to wear around the town.

Kaiseki Dining at Nishimuraya Honkan

During our stay at Nishimuraya Honkan, we elected to have traditional Japanese meals in the form of Kaiseki dining. Kaiseki is a multi-course dinner that often features small portioned, artistically arranged seasonal dishes.

Overall, we found the food to be wonderful and such a unique dining experience! I’ve been able to enjoy a number of other kaiseki meals since I visited Nishimuraya Honkan but this meal is still quite memorable to me. We started off with a small appetizer of sweet shrimp, sushi, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette), and sazae (turban sea snail). This was followed by a small plate of fresh sashimi and a crab soup. Then a hot plate with a selection of seasonal meats, seafood, and vegetables to grill and hot pot with vegetables, fish, and local beef. Dessert was a hojicha gelatin with fresh fruit and green tea.

Sashimi starter from our kaiseki meal.
A hot pot with seasonal fish, vegetables, and meat.
Soup and sashimi set.

 Breakfast was also a kaiseki-style. Our seasonal breakfast came with a soft boiled onsen egg, grilled fish, chirimen jako (young salted dried sardines or anchovies, soft tofu, congee (rice porridge), miso soup, and other small vegetable side dishes and pickles.

Grilled fish and a variety of sides.
Grilled fish and a variety of sides.

READ MORE: Dining Guide for Japan

Other Information for Nishimuraya Honkan

Address: Japan, 〒669-6101 Hyogo, Toyooka, Kinosakicho Yushima, 469 西村屋 本館
Cost of rooms: 45000 JPY – 55000 JPY/night (check current rates)

Kinosaki Onsen, Japan
Walking through the streets in Kinosaki Onsen.

While our first visit to a Kinosaki Onsen was brief, we enjoyed every moment of this beautiful town and our experience at Nishimuraya Honkan.

posted in: Asia, Japan, Kansai

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Chrysoula says

    November 19, 2016

    That is a lovely city. I love natural baths but I didn’t have the time to visit one when I was in Japan. Although I love tasting traditional things everywhere I go, I would prefer a continental breakfast!

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 19, 2016

      It was a beautiful experience! The natural baths are an added bonus to this quaint town. If you do visit this specific ryokan they do have a “Westernized” breakfast option that would be what you’re hoping for. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Vicki says

    November 20, 2016

    I love your photos of the Japanse Gardens – the green and the details are just beautiful. And you’re room looked pretty special too! I can’t wait to get to Japan and experience an Onsen for myself!

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 20, 2016

      Thank you Vicki! It was a cooler, slightly rainy day when we were there which made the green of the garden pop even more. We loved it! The room was a splurge but well worth it for the experience. I hope you are able to visit and experience this as well!

      Reply
  3. Raghav says

    November 20, 2016

    Such a lovely post and amazing photos. Japan has always fascinated me the most and I hope to travel there once again in the future. I was there as a kid so not many memories from that trip. I actually saw and TV episode on Onsen and since then have been intrigued about the area. Certainly looks like a must visit place.

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 20, 2016

      Thank you very much! Japan has been our favorite country thus far. The people are so considerate and the culture is fascinating to us both; especially Logan as he is part Japanese. I hope you’re able to make a return trip soon!

      Reply
  4. Christina says

    November 20, 2016

    There’s something special about spending time at a Japanese onsen. The traditional bathing rituals are timeless and the gardens are beautiful. I think it’s a chance to rebalance your soul.

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 20, 2016

      I completely agree with you Christina! We had been walking nearly 20-25 miles each day prior to our time in Kinosaki Onsen so it was incredibly nice to unwind here for a short while.

      Reply
  5. mags says

    November 20, 2016

    This looks like such a great traditional Japanese city. I love all of the koi ponds, they’re so peaceful.

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 21, 2016

      We enjoyed the koi ponds as well. This town was far from typical and had very little tourism except that of Japanese people coming from nearby cities. It was very nice to get away from the urban hustle and bustle for a short while.

      Reply
  6. Mr Mike says

    November 20, 2016

    I always thought those outfits were kimonos. But the name yukatas sounds so much cooler! The private onsen sounds wonderful! Great trip 🙂

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 21, 2016

      You’re actually right as well! Kimonos are typically make from silk, while Yukatas are made from cotton and are more typically worn in the summer months as the fabric is lighter. 🙂

      We LOVED having the onsen right in our room, it was very beautiful and the light rain we had that day was soothing as well.

      Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  7. Carmen says

    November 21, 2016

    What a lovely 24 hours! Those gardens look beautiful. Also, how cool to have a hot spring in your room! Lovely, thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 21, 2016

      It was quick but a much needed relaxing day. The gardens were so lush and green due to the light, drizzling rain which honestly, we didn’t mind so much! Thank you for reading! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Anne @TravelTheGlobe (@TTGLOBE4L) says

    November 22, 2016

    I loved Japan when we went skiing there. Disappointing however we did not have enough time to visit a onset and I would really love to return in order to do so. Looks fab

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 25, 2016

      Anne, I’m glad you enjoyed Japan as well! We were there during the summer so we didn’t get to ski but would love to go back and try it there! We’ll have to swap places. 🙂

      Reply
  9. vishalgmr1971 says

    November 22, 2016

    Lovely city, full of greenery and a lot of good people and not to forget talented visitors.

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 25, 2016

      It really is! I take it you’ve visited before? 🙂

      Reply
  10. Carla Abanes says

    November 22, 2016

    I can totally live there! Loved the koi pond and the gardens. I don’t know how you can stay for only 24hours. Should stay longer but I bet it was expensive?

    Reply
    • kallsypage says

      November 25, 2016

      Carla, I completely agree with you. A little over 24 hours wasn’t nearly enough. The onsens vary in price but yes they can be costly which is why we opted for a one night stay. 🙂

      Reply

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