Nishimuraya Honkan

“Yes--the Experience is Worth It”

This was my choice for my daughter's traditional ryokan lodging on our trip to Japan. We stayed in the Asuka room and reserved the Matsuba crab dinner served in the room. I have stayed at other well known ryokans and this stay was everything I had hoped my daughter would experience. From the profes… more

This was my choice for my daughter's traditional ryokan lodging on our trip to Japan. We stayed in the Asuka room and reserved the Matsuba crab dinner served in the room. I have stayed at other well known ryokans and this stay was everything I had hoped my daughter would experience. From the professionalism of the staff and the sheer beauty of the gardens, to the subtle colors of the cold weather garments worn over the yukata-- all contributed to a wonderful stay. FYI The crab dinner is delicious but a massive amount of food The Japanese breakfast served here was, by far, the best of our trip (and we had them each day in Japan) The public onsen were fun to visit, but a bit disappointing compared to others I have visited before. We actually enjoyed the quiet onsen at the ryokan more.

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“Welcoming and very comfortable”

Our stay here was outstandingly enjoyable from beginning to end. We were warmly welcomed like old friends on arrival at this beautiful property. We have stayed at some of Japans great ryokans on our frequent visits to Japan and Nishimuraya ranks with the best on every measure. Our garden view room … more

Our stay here was outstandingly enjoyable from beginning to end. We were warmly welcomed like old friends on arrival at this beautiful property. We have stayed at some of Japans great ryokans on our frequent visits to Japan and Nishimuraya ranks with the best on every measure. Our garden view room was especially comfortable with yukatas, great toiletries, refrigerator with complimentary drinks, tea, plenty of power plugs, and excellent wifi. Service here is remarkably good and staff are friendly, obliging and anticipate every need. We had an excellent kaiseki dinner with lots of delicious crab dishes. Our server was very capable and friendly, making sure we enjoyed our dining from start to finish. Breakfast is Japanese style and is served in the breakfast room on the second floor. Our futons were comfortable and made for great sleep. The property has two excellent baths to enjoy and there were lots of towels in each one. Guests also have access to nearby onsens. There’s a nice lounge area with coffee and tea. The gift shop has lots of unique items so it’s worth a visit. Location is perfect for exploring the town and area. We wished we could stay longer so most likely we will return soon.

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“Luxurious and Authentic”

Not sure where to start. This stay was like a dream. We booked a Traditional Superior Room with Garden View. The garden is so beautiful you sit by the view inside your room all day without getting bored of it. The koi fish was also very relaxing to watch. The room was HUGE it could easily fit 6 p… more

Not sure where to start. This stay was like a dream. We booked a Traditional Superior Room with Garden View. The garden is so beautiful you sit by the view inside your room all day without getting bored of it. The koi fish was also very relaxing to watch. The room was HUGE it could easily fit 6 people in it. The shared onsens in the hotel were very nice, even better than the ones around town. The food was amazing. You typically get very traditional food in Kinosaki ryokans, the type that you dont know what it is, or how its made. In another ryokan, we probably ate 60% of the food and were not able to eat the rest as its too foreign for us. However in Nishimuraya, everything tasted 1000 times better. The food is really well made, and we enjoyed the traditional Japanese cuisine. Breakfast hall also had a very nice vibe too. For dinner, they served us a feast in our room, it was such a unique and luxurious experience The lobby also has a view of the garden and has a very relaxing atmosphere. 5 stars all the way.

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“A beautiful hotel that presents many problems for English speakers”

This is an architecturally beautiful hotel, combining a classic Japanese ryokan with a Frank Lloyd Wright feel. The wooden screens, tatami mats and other features are beautiful, and there is a wonderful view of a garden with a waterfall from the main lounge. The onsen baths are great and there are … more

This is an architecturally beautiful hotel, combining a classic Japanese ryokan with a Frank Lloyd Wright feel. The wooden screens, tatami mats and other features are beautiful, and there is a wonderful view of a garden with a waterfall from the main lounge. The onsen baths are great and there are amazing massage chairs for when you finish your soak. However, our stay was not very pleasant. Virtually no one spoke any English and I had to constantly speak into my phone and show the staff the translation and then many of them just stared at me and turned away. If you went the wrong way or sat in the wrong spot, the staff would scold you in Japanese without giving you a clue as to what they expected. Our first night our room was very warm so I turned on the button marked “air conditioning” and heated air came out of the vents. When the temperature got up to 26C (80 degrees) we turned it off and sweated through the night. When I complained about the room being 26C at the front desk, the staff just shrugged. A British traveler overheard my complaint and gave me an information sheet (not provided to us at check-in) which stated that the hotel has only heat OR air conditioning and that the A/C would not be turned on until May. Thus, when you push the A/C button you get heated air. The next night we slept with the windows open. Our Kaseki dinners were elaborate affairs with more than 10 courses. However, once again, the staff could not understand our requests. We ordered a bottle of an Italian red wine by pointing to the menu and ordering wine “C”, which was third on the list. They brought us both the red we ordered and a glass of Chablis because when I pointed to the red bottle and asked for wine “C” they concluded I wanted a bottle of red and a glass of Chablis

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