You don’t have to go into the depths of the Japan Alps to find soothing countryside ryokans. In fact, there are several superb ryokan within two or three hours of Kyoto, and some only half an hour away. So if you want to add a rural break to your trip, look no further: These are our favorite ryokans near Kyoto.
Nishimuraya Honkan
Kyo Yunohana Resort Suisen (Kameoka, Kyoto Prefecture)
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
For pure relaxation, soothing hot spring baths and excellent food, this ryokan is hard to beat. It’s in Kameoka, which is just over the mountains on the west side of Kyoto. It’s 20 minutes by train from Kyoto Station and then a short shuttle bus ride. It’s so close you could actually explore Kyoto from here, but it feels like worlds away.
Kyo Yunohana Resort Suisen
Kigusuriya (Miyama, Kyoto Prefecture)
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For the rustic ryokan experience, Kigusuriya is a welcoming ryokan in Miyama, the thatched-roof area in the mountains north of Kyoto. If you’ve got a rental car and want to see the rural side of Japan, Kigusuriya would make a brilliant base for a night or two. It’s about 90 minutes north of Kyoto by car.
Kigusuriya
Nishimuraya Honkan (Kinosaki, Hyogo Prefecture)
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Just 2.5 hours north of Kyoto by direct express train, Kinosaki is our favorite onsen town near Kyoto. The grande dame of Kinosaki ryokan is Nishimuraya Honkan. Everything is perfect, from the meals that feature the seafood of the Japan Sea, to the spacious rooms, to the private onsen tubs overlooking gardens in some of the rooms. For a relaxing splurge, you cannot beat Nishimuraya.
Nishimuraya Honkan
Onishiya Suishoen (Kinosaki, Hyogo Prefecture)
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Suishoen is one of the best ryokan values in Kinosaki. It’s a semi-traditional building built around a beautiful garden. The meals are wonderful (particularly the crab in winter) and the baths are blissfully relaxing. It’s a short walk from the town center, but they’ll whisk you downtown any time you want in a mock London cab.
Onishiya Suishoen
Tsukihitei (Nara City, Nara Prefecture)
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Sure, Nara is an easy daytrip from Kyoto, but there’s something magical about staying in the city once the tourists have gone home. Hidden in the Kasuga Primeval Forest above Nara Park, this place feels like another world and time. Don’t be surprised if you spot a deer wandering by while you soak in the tubs.
Tsukihitei
Momijiya Bekkan Kawa No Iori (Takao, Kyoto Prefecture)
(View on Agoda.com)
A mere 45 minutes by bus from Kyoto Station in the Kitayama Mountains, the village of Takao is one of our favorite spots for hiking, foliage viewing and just escaping from the city. Nestled on a hillside above the clear waters of the Kiyotaki-gawa River, Momijiya Bekkan is a hidden sanctuary. There are nice Japanese-style rooms in the main building, but the real jewels here are the private detached cabins with private bath tubs on decks overlooking the river and the maple leaves. The ryokan offers dinners with geisha in the main dining area during some seasons.
Momijiya Bekkan Kawa No Iori
Kayoutei (Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture)
(View on ryokancollection.com)
Kayoutei is a sublime beauty with everything you want from a top-flight ryokan: delicious kaiseki meals and private onsen (hot spring) baths. Some rooms here have their own private tubs on decks looking out over a bubbling stream. It’s just two hours by direction train from Kyoto Station.
Kayoutei
More Information
- For more ryokan choices, see our Kyoto Ryokan page.
More Kyoto Ryokan info:
- Kyoto Ryokan overview
- Best Luxury Ryokan In Kyoto
- Best Mid Range Ryokan In Kyoto
- Best Budget Ryokan In Kyoto
- Best Ryokan Near Kyoto
- Kyoto’s Best Ryokan For Families
- Kyoto’s Best Ryokan For Couples
- Kyoto Machiya
Best High-End Ryokan In Kyoto
- Tawaraya (Read guest reviews of Tawaraya on TripAdvisor.com)
- Hiiragiya Ryokan (Read guest reviews of Hiiragiya on TripAdvisor.com)
- Ugenta (Read guest reviews of Ugenta on TripAdvisor.com)
- Hoshinoya (Read guest reviews of Hoshinoya on TripAdvisor.com)
- Seikoro (check availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com)
- Yoshida Sanso (check availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com)
- Garden Ryokan Yachiyo (check availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com)
Best Mid Price Ryokan In Kyoto
- Hirashin Ryokan (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Nishiyama Ryokan (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Ryokan Izuyasu (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
Best Budget Ryokan In Kyoto
- Kyoto Yoshimizu (Read guest reviews of Kyoto Yoshimizu on TripAdvisor.com)
- Ryokan Shimizu (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Uemera Ryokan (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Matsubaya Ryokan (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Hanakiya Ryokan (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
- Tanaka-ya (check availability on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
Kyoto Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Kyoto guide
- Check Kyoto accommodation availability on Booking.com – usually you can reserve a room with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out. Free cancellations too
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Kyoto
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Kansai International Airport (for Osaka and Kyoto) or Tokyo's Narita Airport. Or rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- Compare Japan flight prices and timings to find the best deals
- If you're visiting more than one city, save a ton of money with a Japan Rail Pass – here's my explanation of why it's worth it
- A prepaid Suica card makes travelling around Kyoto easy – here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
