The onsen town of Kinosaki is a delight to visit. This quaint and traditional town has 7 public bath houses here or onsens and it makes for the perfect stay. There are many places to stay in Kinosaki Onsen town, from regular hotels and hostels to the glorious traditional Japanese Inns, the ryokan. Kinosaki has 74 ryokans to choose from. So here are my top 5 picks of the Kinosaki Onsen best ryokans. I’ve covered those Kinosaki ryokans with private onsens, those with amazing dinner options, and across different budgets too. Here’s where to stay in Kinosaki Onsen town.
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These top 5 Kinosaki Onsen Ryokans have been selected for their combination of facilities, service, and experience. So if you’re looking for a ryokan with a private onsen, then we’ve got those. We’ve also curated the best ryokans for Kaiseki Ryori dinner service. Then there are also ryokans where the whole family can sleep in the same room. Many ryokans have shared toilets, so we’ve also included those that have private toilets. Here are my picks of the top 5 ryokans in Kinosaki
1. Stunning 150 year old Ryokan in Kinosaki – Nishimuraya Honkan
Nishimuraya Honkan is a 150-year-old elegant and beautiful place to stay in Kinosaki. It’s one of the Kinosaki ryokans with private onsens. Nishimuraya has been in the same family for 7 generations, has its own private onsen, and is built in the style of a Japanese tea house. There are 35 rooms here and 3 suites. The Nishimuraya Honkan is recognized as the best ryokan in Kinosaki. Many rooms open up onto the private Japanese garden. Rooms at this exceptional Kinosaki ryokan are traditional and minimalist with tatami mat flooring, and sliding shoji paper doors between areas of the room. – Check prices and book your stay at this top Kinosaki Ryokan with private onsen here.
- 35 rooms + 3 suites
- Japanese Traditional Style
- Minimalist, Tatami Mat Floors & Shoji Paper Doors in rooms
- Private Onsens Available
This Kinosaki ryokan is extremely popular with domestic visitors, so you’ll want to book early, especially if you are traveling at weekends or holiday periods. Check availability here.
2. Top Kinosaki Ryokan with Private Onsen – Hotel Shogetsutei
This gorgeous Kinosaki ryokan is located in the woods by Mount Kuruhi and is just 5 minutes from the Kinosaki Railway station – a free shuttle is provided. There are stunning outdoor hot spring onsens and spas and there’s free WiFi throughout the ryokan. All the rooms here are air-conditioned and have beautiful views and private bathrooms. Some of the rooms have traditional tatami floors and shoji paper screens – so check which one you’re booking here.
- Free use of bicycles
- Private Outdoor Onsens
- Hot Tub & Sauna
- Outdoor Pool (summer only)
- Wagyu Beef / Snow Crab dinners
Vegan and vegetarian visitors can be catered for with prebooking, and dinners here are exceptional. The private onsens are stunning and the views from the rooms are glorious. You’ll want to reserve a room early here.
3. Ryokan Tajimaya – Kinosaki
This lovely ryokan is just a few minutes walk from the Kinosaki Ropeway. The Tajimaya has free WiFi throughout and offers rental bicycles and a free shuttle from and from the JR station in Kinosaki. The traditional Japanese rooms here have tatami floors and low seating cushions along with futon bedding. Rooms have shared bathrooms and you’ll be provided with Yukata robes for exploring the onsens. The Tajimaya is recommended for its traditional multi-course dinner which features seasonal ingredients and regional specialties like Tajima beef and snow crab. You can read what others think of Tajimaya here.
- Traditional Rooms with Tatami flooring
- Rental Bicycles available
- Free shuttle to JR Station
- Excellent dining options
This is a beautiful old ryokan in Kinosaki with a kind staff who will help with translation issues! It’s in a great location and the dining options are superb too. You can check the different room types here.
4. Kobayashiya Ryokan – newly renovated in 2022
The Kobayashiya Ryokan first opened in 1925 and has been a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan since 2015. The 2022 renovations have brought back all the glories of this stunning ryokan and the Kobayashiya blends the history and tradition of Japan with a modern twist and luxury. This is the perfect combination of traditional and modern. This really is a stunning makeover and the combination of new and old is beautiful. You can check more reviews here.
- Glorious river views
- Newly renovated in 2022
- Stunning design
- A/C in all rooms
If you’re looking for a truly special visit to Kinosaki, then you won’t go far wrong with this glorious ryokan. The renovations have made it truly exceptional and this is a very popular ryokan, so book your dates early.
5. Ryokan Shinonomeso – great budget ryokan in Kinosaki
This is a great budget ryokan option in Kinosaki. This ryokan is easy to reach from the JR Kinosaki train station. There are traditional tatami mat floors and futon beds. Some rooms have private toilets (you’ll have to book early for these). All rooms at the Sinonomesou Ryokan have air conditioning and TVs along with a green tea maker and a minibar. You can check out the reviews here (we loved the place!)
- Private hot spring bath available for a free
- Free WiFi in the lobby
- Massages available
- Dining options include vegetables from the hotels own organic farm
If you want a ryokan experience in Kinosaki but are constrained by budget, then this is a great option. You’ll want to ensure you opt for the dining too – their snow crab meals are amazing here – check rates and availability here.
When you’re looking for the right ryokan to stay in Kinosaki Onsen town, you’ll want to check out several of my other pieces of content about Kinosaki.
- Here’s my guide to the public onsens of Kinosaki
- What to know about the etiquette of Ryokans
- The top 9 things to do in Kinosaki – besides onsens and ryokans
- Kinosaki ryokan review of our stay
Final Words on picks of the Top 5 ryokans in Kinosaki
I can think of no better place in Japan to stay in a ryokan. The onsen town is marvelous, with glorious views, traditional architecture, and a whole host of ryokans to choose from as well. It is simply delightful to dress in a yukata and getos and head off to the onsens, but it’s equally lovely coming back to a fabulous ryokan for dinner and to spend the night. Choose a fabulous ryokan here and make this a magical stay.
Stock images in this article are courtesy Deposit Photos.
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