Daibutsukan

Location: Takabatake-cho 250 , Nara, jp

Star Rating: 3 Stars

Property Type: Ryokans

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Parking
• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• Lift / Elevator
• Luggage storage
• Safety deposit box
• Non-smoking throughout
• Public Bath
• Fire extinguishers
• Smoke alarms
• Key access
• Security alarm
• Free wired internet
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Internet access

Rooms Available

• Traditional Room, Japanese Futon, Non Smoking

  1 Twin Futon

  Overlooking the city

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Food & Drink - Refrigerator and minibar (fees may apply)

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, bathrobes, and slippers

  Practical - Safe, laptop workspace, and phone

  Comfort - Climate-controlled air conditioning

  Need to Know - No housekeeping

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Private bathroom
  • Slippers
  • Free WiFi
  • No housekeeping
  • Laptop-friendly workspace

• Japanese-Style Twin Room

  Japanese-style guest rooms feature tatami (woven-straw) flooring and traditional futon bedding. Each is equipped with a fridge, an electric kettle and a flat-screen TV. The private bathroom comes with a bath, towels and free amenities including toothbrushes and soap.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Seating Area
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Electric kettle
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Yukata
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

Guest Reviews

• Bianca (10/5): Be sure to stay here in Nara! - Location was fantastic and from the moment we pulled up in our car the staff were so attentive! Our room was a traditional tatami mat room with balcony overlooking the deer park. Everything was easily within walking distance and although we didn’t this stay, they do meals etc as well. There was an onsen onsite too! All round amazing two night stay in Nara. N/a
• Sheetal (10/5): -
• lucilla (9/5): - La struttura è vicinissima al parco monumentale di Nara, e questo è senz'altro il pregio più altro e il motivo per cui scegliere di pernottare qui. E' anche in posizione centrale rispetto a ristoranti e negozi. Lo staff non parla quasi per niente l'inglese, ma sono stati tutti così gentili ed accoglienti che è stato facile comprendere tutto. Una struttura un po' old stile ma proprio per questo con un suo fascino specifico.
• Vladimir (9/5): -
• Liliane (9/5): - Nous avons passé 2 nuits à Nara dans ce Ryokan qui peut paraître un peu désuet mais tout y est charmant : l'accueil des propriétaires, le personnel, le onsen, le yukata en coton et la veste épaisse pour aller au bain,de bons futons, le petit déjeuner traditionnel qui change chaque matin. En prime, nous avions la vue sur le parc et les cerfs et les biches venaient jusqu'à la porte du ryokan le matin vers 7h.
• Jennifer (7/5): Classic aging onsen hotel in a central location with Japanese breakfast and futons. Great value. - Great central location near Sarawasa Pond (steep walk though), Kofuku-ji and the Nara Kintetsu Station. Walking distance to all three. Very nice hospitality, attentive staff and nice Japanese breakfast. Small onsen. Great value. Room had a large patio with views of the 5 story pagoda at Kofuku-ji. Unfortunately in November 2025, the pagoda is under restoration and was completely obscured by scaffolding. The bathroom in our room had a bad odor. The hotel is aging and could use some upkeep (stains on tatami, etc). It can be hard for elderly travelers to get up and down from the floor (futons).
• Ann (9/5): Excellent, comfortable, central inn with friendly staff - The location of the Inn was excellent- close to transport, shops and across road from deer park. Room was very comfortable with an alcove overlooking the park and street. Staff were extremely helpful and friendly. Breakfast was very good 🙂 As mentioned by others…the bathrooms needing renovating. Shower is fine with plenty of hot water but bath needs retiling. Onsen room again needs renovating. Onsen Bath is small but adequate and clean.
• LEAH (10/5): - קבלת פנים חמה ונעימה. צוות מקסים ואדיב. קיבלנו עזרה מעובדת מקסימה שדוברת אנגלית רהוטה. מקום מקסים שנותן תחושה יפנית אותנטית. קיבלנו ארוחת בוקר יפנית מקסימה שהותאמה לצרכים שלנו (צמחונים). יש אונסן מעולה, הייתי בו לבד. באמת שהכל היה מושלם.
• Edita (9/5): Daibusukan was a very nice dot for our japanese travels. We wnjoyed the japanese style of accommodation. The breakfast w - Absolutely fabulous breakfast, very polite staff, clean, spacious room. The bathroom is quite tiny, but still clean and efficient.
• ruud (9/5): Uitstekend verblijf met vriendelijk personeel wat ook engels kan en goed geslapen op de Japanse matten - Locatie, tegenover het park. Het ontbijt was heerlijk, geserveerd in aparte kamer voor ons 2 en Ook nog een onsen in het hotel
• Soulaïman (9/5): -
• Sgherza (5/5): Old property, very dusty, not worthy the price, however the staff was nice, - The property is quite old. The property cleanliness levels were low. very dusty and furniture old. Not a good quality price ratio.
• Koen (10/5): -
• Guest (10/5): Wonderful location and kind employees. - Wonderful location and very friendly helpful staff. Nothing. I wish we would've spent more time in Nara.
• Martin (9/5): -
• Sandra (5/5): - The location Felt a bit like there was only three rooms filled in total. The hotel is very old would need a bit of a new paint and an update of facilities.
• Kerry (9/5): -
• Learners and Makers (10/5): Memorable family experience - Our family of 4 had a wonderful stay in Nara. The location of this hotel is so great. Right next to the park, temples and deer. We booked 2 rooms and enjoyed the delicious traditional Japanese breakfast. The staff were so helpful and the service was wonderful. Some of the areas are a little dated. Did not bother our stay. Everything was very clean even if it was a little older.
• Lorenza (10/5): Poesia giapponese e vista sul parco - Personalmente ho trovato questa struttura perfetta da ogni punto di vista: l’accoglienza, la bella camera, il the servito in camera appena arrivati, l’ottima colazione, le scarpe pronte all’ingresso con tanto di calzascarpe inserito. Il personale gentilissimo e la vista sul parco di Nara con tanto di cervi al mattino a darmi il buongiorno sono poi un plus. Non c’è stato nulla che non mi andasse bene
• Andrea (5/5): -
• Chiara (10/5): Perfect location, traditional ryokan - It’s an old style ryokan with fantastic location, sweet staff and beautiful rooms . We loved the breakfast (it was prepared catering for our dietary needs - thank you so much) and also we enjoyed the onsen.
• Joanna (9/5): - Super lokalizacja. Blisko na dworzec i do najważniejszych atrakcji. To skromy ryokan, dość stary, ale można poczuć klimat starej Japonii. W recepcji witają dwaj starsi panowie, a obsługa gości zajmują się przemiłe panie. Fajne tradycyjne śniadanie. W łazience w pokoju trochę śmierdziało, ale za to można korzystać z łaźni.
• alexandros (9/5): - Ryokan style, the people that run the hotel are extremely nice and polite. Very good location.
• Colin (8/5): Very good -
• Scortaru (10/5): Exceptional -
• Men (7/5): Good -
• Jon (9/5): We loved hanging out in Nara and would definitely recommend as a location. - We liked the location and the friendliness of the staff. There was also a great French restaurant just down the hill. It could do with a bit of an update...a little more retro than we anticipated.
• Sergei (8/5): Very good - It's OK Better to stay in normal hotels, not ryokans..
• Karina (9/5): Very good experience - Perfect location, staff are extremely friendly and helpful.
• David (10/5): Exceptional - Friendly staff traditional inn . Rooms full of wood with a small part for table and chairs overlooking park
• Jan (9/5): Superb -
• Sharon (7/5): Decent quality at 3 start level, friendly staff, good traditional breakfast, great location. - The location was perfect right near Nara Park (some road noise at night). The room was a nice, traditional Japanese style room of good size. The staff were all extremely friendly and we appreciated this. It was decent quality for the 3-star level. We decided to have the Japanese breakfast and enjoyed it very much. The food and service were great. The front desk was helpful and despite some lacking of English tried really hard. The bathroom could use an update and be a bit cleaner. We would have enjoyed our stay more if the top bed cover was not stained. They do put on a white cover partially over the quilt but when you can see a big stain, it makes it difficult to feel comfortable.
• Matt (5/5): Wouldn’t stay here again. Would rather stay at a nicer place and walk ten minutes to the park - Meals were good. Staff was friendly and helpful but awkward. Location is on a main road but close to Nara park and lots of tourist spots. Least clean place I’ve stayed in Japan. Had someone’s toothpaste tube in my trash. Rooms have almost no outlets and aren’t very nice. Very run down for the price. Public bath was small and felt not clean.
• Sharon (8/5): True Japanese experience - Wonderful service. Friendly and helpful. Clean We chose Japanese style room. It wasn't for us. Hard to get off floor at night but that's not their fault. Breakfast was not our thing either. Again not their fault.
• Maria (10/5): Great location, clean and great service in a rustic authentic ryokan. - The location of the property could not be better. Within walking distance of many temples and the lively narrow old streets of Nara, at the bottom of the road by the pond. The staff of this very traditional (rather rustic) hotel went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. Free parking right in front of the hotel. The traditional Japanese breakfast served at this hotel was absolutely amazing. Delicious and beautifully presented. We had a big tatami room with a view of the park and, in about 7 years time, the old 5 story pagoda. Unfortunately the pagoda is now completely covered undergoing a major restoration. However the deer wandering across the road made our view also interesting. Although this hotel might benefit from a renovation, the incredibly friendly and service minded staff made us feel as if we were staying at the Four Seasons😉. A very authentic positive experience. Great value for money.
• Andrey (9/5): Interesting - Good ryokan hotel for those who wants to get some cultural experience. the breakfast was enjoyable and the closeness to attractions
• Maxime (10/5): Exceptional - People are nice !
• Caroline (9/5): Lovely kind staff, they found us a wheelchair to use for our stay as I had just fractured my ankle. -
• Richard (5/5): Passable - The Nepalese women who work here are so sweet. The Japanese owners were more distant. Breakfast was amazing. The room (and the rest of the ryokan) was a bit dated, but is in traditional Japanese style, which is a great experience, as is the onsen. Two unfortunates: first, the pagoda was covered in scaffolding (not the fault of the hotel), and second, there was a coach group staying that consisted of a group of very loud young men who ran around the corridors shouting and screaming and banging on each others’ doors well into the early hours. That was quite annoying.
• Ruiyi (9/5): Highly recommend - Really lovely place, warm staff, central location.
• Sergei (4/5): Not worth it - The only good thing was the location. It's right behind Kofuku-ji. Good staff. Old and smelly. Marks on walls, bathroom was old, no electrical outlets close to beds, overall impression of dirty old guesthouse. Breakfast was ok but it didn't help overall feeling of meh.
• Tadashi (7/5): Lost opportunity for a charming old-school ryokan in a great location - A bit rundown, especially halls. Front lobby could be more inviting.
• Tobias (9/5): Wonderful :) - We had a wonderful big room and enjoyed a wonderful bath in the evening. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Very authentic and comfy. Wonderful. None.
• Richard (9/5): Attractive room with balcony in very good location. - Very good location with a balcony to the bedroom. Wonderful Japanese breakfast Not the most modern ambiance but very satisfactory. Good sento bath.
• Michelle (9/5): Amazing location with friendly staff - Amazing location in a traditional hotel. The staff were warm and friendly and bent over backwards to help us. The hotel is right across the road from Nara Park. You can hear the deer in the middle of the night. It’s a great place to locate yourself for exploring the park. They even had parking out the front. Nothing
• Suvi (7/5): Good -
• Christopher (9/5): Superb -
• Michelle (10/5): Exceptional - Our stay here was incredible! This was our last stay of our large family trip to Japan, and the staff were very welcoming! We stayed for 2 nights, 6 people in 3 rooms. The staff received our many forwarded suitcases before our arrival, spoke English, and were very helpful throughout the stay. In the mornings, we had a private room for traditional Japanese breakfast. The hotel building is historic with an impressive location across the street from Kofuku-ji. The rooms were a good size, with charming features and small patio overlooking Nara Park. Modern shopping and historical districts are a 5-10 minute walk, and the major temple sites of Nara are within 15 minutes. The hotel does have limited evening access, with reception closed 10pm-7am, and a side door for earlier or later access.
• Epstein (7/5): Good -
• Myron (10/5): Exceptional -
• Miikka (8/5): Very good - Very good breakfast, old fashioned charm and very welcoming staff
• Leonie (8/5): Very good - Wonderful people, great location, bit outdated faclitations
• Diane (10/5): Excellent location in a beautiful town! - Incredible staff, lovely balcony views of deer and people below on the street, perfect proximity to places we wanted to visit, and fantastic breakfast served each morning. Nothing
• Alberto (10/5): Amazing stay and hospitality - We were amazed by this place, the hospitality of the staff, the position and the room, everything perfect! Our baby was sick, and the manager and one caring member of the staff came with us for a pediatric visit, they took us with the car and stayed with us the hole morning, amazing people, strongly recommended ! Nothing
• Georges (8/5): Nice ryokan - Nice ryokan, very weel placed in Nara. The owner and the staff were really nice and helpful. The onsen was a nice plus after a long day. The rooms are rather big and they have balconies. The cleaning could have been a bit better, we found some dead insects in the room. Apart from the dead insects, it was pretty clean. Also the big shrine in front of the ryokan was under renovation this summer, so we couldn't see it from our balcony :(
• Katia (9/5): Fantastic - The location is nearby the park . And the staff were great , very helpful. The pillow . I’m not used to those pillows
• Rook (9/5): Exceptional - The staff at the hotel were exceptional and made you feel so special. The location was perfect with a lovely view from the balcony (even though the pagoda has scaffolding on it at present). The breakfast was exceptional - delicious food and excellent service. It would be helpful to have a hotel sign in English. We walked past the hotel at first and had to ask for directions because everything was written in Japanese.
• Hazel (8/5): I like the room is you wanna experience the modern type of a japanese house. The area is very accessible and near to the - Very accessible The bed is too thin
• Alyssa (9/5): It’s a place I will definitely come back too. - The breakfast was delicious. The free tea and crackers they gave when you got there was very nice. They also helped dry my shoes after they got soaked in the rain. Which was very generous of them. While the 10pm curfew was a surprise. It did not bother me that much since I did not stay out that late.
• Jack (8/5): Charming ryokan located right by Nara Park. I just wish there was no curfew. - There are two principal standouts of this place. The first is the staff, who radiate helpfulness and cheer. They let me stay longer in the lounge, working on my laptop, after checking out. Green tea was brought to me, which was nice. They were always very helpful and immensely friendly. The second virtue is location. It is incredibly well-located, and you can walk straight into Nara Park from the entrance. I walked the whole time I stayed in Nara and didn't have to bother with buses, trains or taxis. To me, the 10pm curfew was restrictive. I think it should have been more openly advertised, as I didn't know at the time of booking that this would be the case. Since I am a solo traveller, I didn't think it would matter too much. Not so, as it turned out. Both nights I stayed I went out and met friendly locals and got talking, but then had to hurry home and cut short some interesting experiences and conversations. The interior is also quite old, dilapidated even. This might add to the charm for some.
• Rebecca (10/5): Fantastic authentic stay with the most wonderful staff - The friendliest most helpful humans on earth greeted us on arrival at the hotel. They always went out their way to provide exceptional service. It was a truly authentic experience with the room, onsen and breakfast we had. Hotel was rustic and simple but very authentic and exactly what we wanted whilst in Japan. Great location to the park and short walk from the station. Wish we could have stayed longer. Nothing!
• Carl (10/5): Wonderful place to stay if you want to see deer without tourists - The staff was incredibly helpful and the breakfast was tasty and authentic. The location being so close to the deer park means it's great for walking around in the evening and hanging out with the deers without other tourists around The hotel was a little old fashioned, but that just added to the flair in our opinion
• Yvonne (7/5): Good - Very close to all the main attractions. The breakfast is superb! It's an older building, and it don't look very hospitable at the inside, but taking this into account it is a great place to explore Nara.
• D (10/5): Exceptional -
• Willemijn (8/5): Very good - Brilliant location. Lovely facilities. Very helpfull staff. It is a bit dated. Very early breakfast only :)
• Mike (10/5): Good introduction to Japanese style accommodation. - Perfect location. Attentive staff. Lots of green tea delivered to room. Nude bathing facilities downstairs. Gentle introduction to Japanese style room. Didn't inconvenience us, but doors were locked at 10.00 p.m.
• Manuel (9/5): Lovely folks & great location :) -
• Nathaniel (10/5): Phenomenal! - While the bath was small it was rejuvenating. The staff were beyond helpful and friendly. 10/10 would recommend! Travelling to the hotel w large suitcases is mildly troublesome, but by no means a deterrent from staying there.
• Brandon (10/5): Excellent choice for your visit to Nara - Wonderful staff amazing breakfast, excellent location. Just a bit dated, the property that is.
• Geraldine (9/5): Amazing value for money - The rooms are very spacious and nice, teas and toiletries all provided. Have also stayed at another ryokan in Nara for twice the price and the rooms were not as big and nice not with such character. Great view of the pagoda. Staff were really nice, friendly and helpful.
• Ortrun (9/5): Great location, reasonable prices - we would book it again - We did enjoy our stay at the Daibutsukan very much. We booked it due to its perfect location at the Nara park and its very reasonable prices … and since we are usually looking for the non-chain hotels with a local touch. The house has come a bit at age, and so have the installations. But this was very much offset by the super friendly staff, very clean rooms and beds … and a welcome tea on the balcony overlooking the pagoda across the street. Due to its proximity to the Nara park, we got off early (6am) and had a mesmerizing walk across the Nara temple complex. We would book it again. None
• Grzegorz (10/5): Greta Ryokan just right by Nara Park - Overall Ryokan experience Friendly personel Super comfy futons Nara Park literally 10 meters away Five story pagoda view from window
• Sherri (9/5): Lovely place with lovely people in a lovely setting! - Beautiful location across from the park and the tall pagoda; a large balcony with glass sliding door so we could choose to sit outside or, when it was raining, sit and drink tea while watching the deer in the park. Traditional low futons and low table inside; modern table and chairs on balcony (made it easier to deer watch). Very comfortable sleeping, lots of room for baggage storage and us. My favorite stay on this trip. Wonderful, sweet and attentive staff. The cover set up on the futon made me — American — fearful there might be bedbugs (infestations are in some US cities). But that was my hang up. It was clean, wonderful. Walking up the short hill near the hotel with my wheelie bag was difficult, but again, that was more a me problem. The setting near park and city central made the hill worthwhile. I just needed to be in better shape — or spring for a cab.
• Keiko (7/5): The staff were nice. Front people ,cleaning ladies. - The best location in Nara! We didn’t realize there was not food service.
• Jose (10/5): Exceptional - Loved the room and the location is exceptional. Super recommend!
• Catalina (9/5): Superb -
• Jian (8/5): Very good -
• Carolyn (8/5): Perfect location and great value - The location of Daibutsukan could not be better. We had a view of the Kofukuji Pagoda from our balcony - ask to be on this side - and it is walking distance from Kintetsu Nara Station and all main sites in Nara Park and Naramachi. The staff were delightful and very attentive including bringing hot tea when we returned from sightseeing in the afternoons. Our room was clean and spacious with ensuite , seating area and balcony. The futon were the most comfortable we have had in a week of staying in ryokan! We did not eat in so cannot comment on the food. The hotel is old-fashioned and the common areas including the ofuro are shabby and in need of redecoration, but the value for money and perfect location more than made up for this.
• Yasuaki (7/5): MISIA - location せんめん
• Natalya (10/5): Exceptional - I liked everything: Japanese-style room, staff, delicious tea. Located close to the park. Kintentsu-Nara-Station 600 meters
• Nigel (8/5): Very good -
• Ruth (10/5): Exceptional - We loved this hotel. The location can't be beaten, with views across to the pagoda, and easy walking distance to everything. When we got tired of sightseeing, our balcony was perfect for sitting and watching everyone pass by below us (including deer). The room was big and comfortable and very private, and the baths simple and clean. The staff were very helpful and gave us maps and instructions on sightseeing, as well as free tickets to some sights. We also had breakfast at the hotel, which was fabulous. My husband is vegetarian and they did a vegie breakfast for him and a regular breakkie for me with no problem.
• Verified traveler (8/5): - Hospitality was great and really close to nara park
• Eliza (10/5): エリザ - ホテルは古いですがとっても良い場所でした。 みんな親切でした。
• Anna (8/5): Gullig familjeägd Ryokan - Underbar personal som vill göra allt för att men ska trivas. Stora rum om än lite omoderna så var det fantastiskt. Läget underbart precis vid parken. Rekommenderar starkt att bo här.
• denis (10/5): Super - Très bon accueil et emplacement avec un petit déjeuner extraordinaire
• yuwei (10/5): 值得住宿的日式房間 - 旅館外表很普通不顯眼，都是資深的員工，到日本值得體會的日式房間，大浴池洗澡，日式早餐一人一份。
• Liliana (6/5): Encantadora habitación! - Al principio nos pareció un hotel demasiado sencillo, hasta que llegamos a la habitación de este ryokan japonés!
• jason (8/5): personnel tres aimable - Très positif première expérience en ryokan
• Jenny (6/5): Clean hotel - Janpanese homeowned hotel, staff members are friendly, rooms are very clean, walking distance to tour sites. Interesting experience.
• Véronique (8/5): Riokan traditionnel à 2 pas des lieux touristiques - Riokan traditionnel propre et bien situé. Seul hic, pour les nocturnes, il y a un couvre feu de 23h....
• Amit (6/5): Relatively old hotel. Room was too noisy. - The room is very basic and pretty old. We had a street facing room, and every little noise was heard loudly in the room (street noise continued until late and started early). It was challenging to communicate with the hotel staff in English. The hotel location is pretty good - right in the center. On the other hand, it's a pretty small city so maybe location is not that critical in this case.
• wb (10/5): So close to Nara Park - I liked this hotel. Very nice staff, great breakfast and literally across the street from Nara Park. One thing to note is the 10pm curfew at this hotel. If you're not back in before then, you'll have to find somewhere else to stay. That wasn't an issue for me, but I can see how that could a problem for some. I wasn't sure about the Japanese futon bed, but it was very comfy! Would stay here again!!
• Carole (6/5): Chambre japonaise face à la Pagode de Nara - Chambre de type japonais: grande, avec salle de bain et toilettes à part. Chambre basique, très propre mais avec équipement sommaire. Vue sur la pagode de Nara depuis la chambre. Bonne réception wifi. Hotel situé à deux minutes à pied d'une entree du parc. Bains Onsen dans l'hôtel.
• Terence (8/5): Good Japanese Experience - Excellent location - we can see deers from our room. One female and one male public baths made the stay very relaxing. Love the seating beside windows - great for people watching during the day. Very quiet at night. Breakfast is in a private room. Love the Japanese experience.
• Amy (8/5): Nice traditional inn - We had a pleasant stay at Daibutsukan in mid October. The staff was friendly and accommodating, in particular the young woman who prepared our room and breakfast. The staff mostly speaks Japanese and we only had a limited vocabulary, but we were able to communicate well enough. The location was ideal for accessing Nara Park and was convenient for exploring the town. Nara Station is a little ways away, but we found it easy enough to walk with our rolling suitcases from the station to the ryokan. Others may not find that to be the case, however. We enjoyed the traditional accommodations and found the futons to be quite comfortable. The bathroom is small, but we did not find this to be a problem for us. Breakfast was filling and tasty. The spas (one for men and another for women) are basic, but clean and comfortable for a short soak. After we checked out of the room the staff was able to hold our luggage while we explored until 2pm. If you're looking for traditional accommodations in Nara I would recommend Diabutsukan.
• Pierre (2/5): Expensive, poor service, 10pm curfew. - A typical room, but it comes at a hefty price... Hotel is expensive, and has a lot of constraints: - CURFEW AT 10pm (see below) - check out at 10am - lots of stairs (hotel is not disability-friendly) - no option to eat, either in or around the hotel. Restaurants downtown are a rip-off - very few facilities around VERY IMPORTANT: the hotel has a CURFEW AT 10pm. That's right: 10pm... and it's strictly enforced. Even Cinderella had until midnight to enjoy the company of her Prince! If you had planned a romantic trip with your significant other, this is going to ruin your experience in so many ways: - "Oh sorry darling, I know this is a wonderful night but we must be back before 10pm..." - "Oh sorry darling, I know you wanted to see more of nearby Kyoto but we must go back already..." After 10pm you'll have to sleep with all the deer that populate Nara... Regarding the management: - the only person who barely speaks English may be called by the reception through loudspeaker... (not kidding!) - poor service. Should consider a different profession In short: - Expensive - Hotel not suitable for a romantic getaway ("sorry darling, but our 'hotel' has a stupid curfew") - Hotel not suitable for any other purpose Not worth it.
• travis (10/5): Old world (1960's) Japanese luxury sustained - Lay in bed (futon) and look directly across the quiet street onto deer grazing at the world heritage pagoda..... does it get better? This hotel was probably extremely upmarket in the 60's - and I'd say that absolutely nothing has changed since that time (other than the staff have probably aged in line with the hotel). Don't get me wrong - this hotel is amazing in a 1960's kitch way. The onsen is terrific and you pretty much have it to yourself. the service is very attentive, including Japanese tea on arrival. Wifi was good. From memory the only negative thing was the 10pm curfew....though by that time the town has closed and gone to sleep so it's really not to big a deal. (Last orders for food for many restaurants in Nara are very early - we got caught out by this a little). You simply won't find a better located cheap hotel. A must stay (if u have a little humour).
• K (8/5): LOCATION! - A family run ryokan, this makes up in kindness and character what it lacks in facilities. It's location is so close to Kofukuji that you are practically staying on temple grounds & it is literally a stone's throw from Nara koen. I would definitely stay again.
• Lawrence (6/5): O.K. for the price. - Rather typical low budget japanese ryokan. No food services, not even breakfast. Neighborhood was good, but road outside our room noisy with scooters and motorcycles.

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