20 Lodgings in Kansai

The popular open-air bath looks out across the beach

A historical ryokan designated as a tangible cultural property where every room offers a view of the garden

The Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, a five-star accommodation, is situated in the vicinity of Namba Station, a prime tourist hotspot in Osaka. It is guaranteed to charm our LIVE JAPAN readers! On the top floor, there's a rooftop eatery where you can savor delectable dishes while admiring the impressive panorama. The combination of gourmet food and mesmerizing views is bound to turn your stay into an extraordinary experience. It is an ideal destination for those looking to indulge in a lavish getaway with family or friends. By choosing to stay here, you're on track to creating remarkable memories.

Just a 7-minute walk from Higashiyama Subway Station and Heian Shrine, the completely non-smoking Kyoto Travellers Inn offers bicycle rental, a restaurant and rooms with a flat-screen TV and free internet. The cosy rooms at Travellers Inn Kyoto include a refrigerator and private bathroom. Guests can choose a classical Western room with sofa or traditional Japanese room with futon bedding and tatami floor. Kyoto Municipal Zoo is just a 3-minute walk from the hotel, and Nanzen-ji Temple is only a 10-minute walk. Yasaka Shrine and the Gion area are about a 15-minute walk away. Guests can unwind with a massage or soak in the hot public bath. The friendly English-speaking staff offer luggage storage and laundry services. Free WiFi is available in public areas. A designated smoking area is also available for smokers. The hotel’s restaurant is open for all meals and serves Japanese and Western dishes.

Boasting sea views, Kurhouse Shirahama provides accommodation with a spa and wellness centre, a fitness centre and an open-air bath, around 1.7 km from Saki-no-Yu Onsen Spa. Offering free private parking, the 2-star ryokan is 600 metres from Shirarahama Beach. The accommodation offers a sauna, hot spring bath, family-friendly restaurant and free WiFi. There is a private bathroom with hot tub in some units, along with slippers, a hair dryer and free toiletries. Guests at the ryokan can enjoy an Asian breakfast. There is a coffee shop, and a minimarket is also available. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. Kurhouse Shirahama also features an indoor pool and a hot tub for guests to relax in. A car rental service is available at the accommodation. Kishu Museum of Art is 1.9 km from Kurhouse Shirahama, while Heisogen Park is 2.4 km from the property. Nanki–Shirahama Airport is 2 km away.

Located in the Nanki Katsuura hot-spring area, guests at Hotel Urashima can enjoy natural Bokido cave hot-spring baths. The hotel offers 4 other public hot-spring baths. The property offers free shuttle service by car or ferry for limited hours per day, both a 10-minute ride from JR Kii Katsuura Station. Free WiFi is available in the public areas. The air-conditioned rooms feature tatami (woven-straw) floors and Japanese futon bedding. A TV, fridge and an electric kettle with green tea bags are included in each. Rooms come with a private toilet but bathrooms are shared. An outdoor swimming pool is open during the summer and a coin launderette is provided for guests to use. Local gifts can be purchased at the souvenir shop and a karaoke room is available as well. A breakfast and dinner buffet are served at the hotel’s dining room. Urashima Hotel is a 15-minute walk from Katsuura Fishing Port and a 20-minute drive from Taiji Whale Museum.

Only a 15-minute ride on the free shuttle from JR Osaka Train Station, RIHGA Royal Hotel offers modern accommodations with free WiFi. It boasts a dazzling 20 dining options, ranging from French courses to traditional Japanese cuisine. Simply furnished rooms with a contemporary decor await guests at Hotel RIHGA Royal. All are air conditioned and include a fridge and an electric kettle with green tea bags. A power adapter and a flat-screen satellite TV are on offer in each room. The hotel features direct access to Osaka International Convention Centre and Keihan Nakanoshima Train Station, which offers direct train access to Kyoto in 1-hour. Universal Studios Japan is a 25-minute train ride away, while Namba and Shinsaibashi areas are within a 10-minute taxi ride away. Kansai International Airport is a 90-minute limousine bus ride from Herbis Osaka Bus Stop. The Herbis Bus Stop is a 5-minute walk away from the hotel's free shuttle bus stop. Access to a complimentary fitness center is provided free of charge, while the indoor pool with a whirlpool can be used for an additional fee. You can also relax with a massage, enjoy karaoke or shop at the adjacent mall. Royal Ryuho serves Chinese dishes, and Naniwa has Teppanyaki grills. A breakfast buffet is served at Remone restaurant and Japanese dishes are an offer at Nakanoshima. Several bars and cafes are also on site.

Boasting a spacious garden overlooking the Kumano-Nada Sea and the gentle mountains along the coast, Yado Kayuu features hot-spring baths, a summertime outdoor pool, tennis courts and Japanese rooms with sea views. Traditional Kaiseki Japanese cuisine is available for dinner. Guests at Hana Irodori no Yado Kayuu sleep in futon bedding on a tatami (woven-straw) floor. Each air-conditioned room has an en suite bathroom and an electric kettle. Slippers are also provided. The hotel is a 15-minute drive from JR Kii-Katsuura Train Station on the Kisei Line, and a free shuttle is offered. It is a 10-minute walk to the Taijicho Whale Museum and Taiji Kujirahama Park.

Featuring a Japanese garden, hot-spring baths and a vase gallery, Mikuniya is 250 metres from JR Kinosaki-Onsen Train Station. The Japanese rooms have a DVD player and traditional futon beds. Air-conditioned rooms with tatami (woven-straw) floors and shoji paper screens await guests at Mikuniya Ryokan. Each room has an electric kettle and en suite toilet. Bathrooms are shared. Located in the Shirosaki Onsen area, Mikuniya is a 2-minute walk from Sato-no-yu Outdoor Public Hot Spring. The ryokan is 1 km from Kinosaki Ropeway. Kinosaki Marine World is 4.5 km away. Three private baths are available for use free of charge (No reservation required). Free Wi-Fi are offered. Japanese-style breakfasts and dinners are served.

Introducing Ekoin, a popular shukubo (temple lodging) at Mt. Koya (Koyasan) that has gained great popularity among LIVE JAPAN readers. Due to its high demand, it is recommended to make reservations about 4 months in advance. Staying here provides an opportunity to enjoy quiet time and traditional cultural experiences, and is sure to refresh both mind and body.

Located in Koyasan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 高野山 宿坊 常喜院 -Koyasan Shukubo Jokiin- offers free private parking. All rooms include a flat-screen TV. Certain rooms have a seating area where you can relax. Rooms have a shared bathroom. 高野山 宿坊 常喜院 -Koyasan Shukubo Jokiin- features free WiFi throughout the property. There is luggage storage space at the property. Guests can participate in the morning prayers upon request. The property is a minute's walk from Kongobu-ji Temple. The temple building is also situated nearby.

Directly connected to Shin-Kobe Shinkansen Station, ANA Crowne Plaza offers 8 dining options with views of Kobe City and Rokko Mountain. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the property. The air-conditioned rooms at ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe feature a crisp modern style with bright whites and dark contrasts. A fridge, a minibar and a flat-screen satellite TV come with the room. ANA Crowne also offers a gift shop and car rental services. ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe is just 1 subway stop from Sannomiya Railway Terminal, at the heart of Kobe's exciting downtown area. Kobe Airport is 8 km away. To Kyoto it takes 30 minutes by Shinkansen train, and to Osaka only 15 minutes.

Hotel Sanrakuso features Japanese-style rooms with beautiful ocean views. Guests can soak in the hot-spring baths or request for relaxing massages during their stay. A free shuttle runs between the hotel and JR Shirahama Train Station, which is a 30-minute drive. The air-conditioned rooms feature a flat-screen TV, a fridge, and an electric kettle with green tea. Each has tatami (woven-straw) flooring and Japanese futon bedding. The en suite bathroom comes with a hairdryer. Guests can enjoy singing at the hotel’s karaoke room or purchase local products at the gift shop. The lobby features beautiful views of Shirahama Beach and provides free WiFi access. A vending machine is available for drinks and ice cream. The on-site restaurant, Wakuwaku offers a breakfast buffet of Japanese dishes. Sanrakuso Hotel is about a 10-minute drive from Nanki Shirahama Airport. Senjojiki Plateau and Sandanbeki Cliff are both a 10-minute drive away.

Built in the Meiji era and registered as a cultural asset, Toshiharu Ryokan offers traditional accommodation just a 3-minute walk from Gojo Station and 1 subway stop from JR Kyoto Train Station. Massages are available. Guests at Ryokan Toshiharu sleep in Japanese futon bedding on a tatami (woven-straw) floor, and have air conditioning. Green tea and a Yukata robe are provided, and some rooms look out on a small garden. The ryokan is 1 km from Higashi Hongan-ji Temple and about a 15-minute walk from Gojo-Ohashi Bridge and the Kamogawa River. Daimaru Department Store is 900 metres away. Although shared, baths are reserved and then used privately in turns. For breakfast, guests can choose to savour a Japanese served at an additional charge.

Offering sea views, Plaza Awajishima in Minamiawaji features accommodation, a spa and wellness centre, a seasonal outdoor swimming pool and massage services. This ryokan provides free private parking and a 24-hour front desk. The accommodation offers a sauna, hot spring bath, family-friendly restaurant and free WiFi. The units in the ryokan are equipped with a kettle. Complete with a private bathroom fitted with a bath and slippers, all units at the ryokan have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and selected rooms also feature a terrace. The units are equipped with heating facilities. The ryokan offers a buffet or à la carte breakfast. Tokushima Awaodori Airport is 37 km from the property.

Featuring an open-air bath and views of quiet street, Ryokan Asukasou at the entrancne of Nara park is a recently renovated ryokan located in Nara, 1.8 km from Nara Station. It is set 20 km from Iwafune Shrine and provides a lift. There is a terrace and guests can make use of free WiFi, free private parking and an electric vehicle charging station. The ryokan will provide guests with air-conditioned units with a wardrobe, a kettle, a fridge, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. There is also a well-fitted kitchenette in some of the units equipped with a microwave. The units are equipped with heating facilities. An Asian breakfast is available at the ryokan. Guests can also relax in the shared lounge area. Higashiosaka Hanazono Rugby Stadium is 23 km from Ryokan Asukasou at the entrancne of Nara park, while Nippon Christ Kyodan Shijonawate Church is 24 km away. Itami Airport is 54 km from the property.

Ako Onsen Shokichi has sea views, free WiFi and free private parking, situated in Ako, 2.6 km from Karafuneyama Beach. It is set 37 km from Hachimangu Shrine and features a lift. Guests can use the spa and wellness centre with a hot spring bath, hot tub, and public bath, as well as pool with a view. At the ryokan, the units come with a tatami. At the ryokan, units have air conditioning and a flat-screen TV. A selection of options including local specialities and juice is available for the Asian breakfast. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. Bizen Fukuoka Folk Museum is 37 km from the ryokan, while Nakazaki Residence is 37 km from the property. Okayama Airport is 65 km away.

Situated in Sumoto, 2.7 km from Ohama Beach, Shimahana features accommodation with a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a fitness centre and a restaurant. Featuring a bar, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The accommodation provides free shuttle service, and luggage storage for guests. At the hotel, the rooms have a balcony. All rooms in Shimahana are fitted with a flat-screen TV and free toiletries. Guests at the accommodation can enjoy a buffet breakfast. The wellness area at Shimahana is comprised of a sauna, a hot tub and a hot spring bath. Guests at the hotel will be able to enjoy activities in and around Sumoto, like cycling. Tokushima Awaodori Airport is 52 km from the property.

Seikoro Ryokan is located in Kyoto, a 7-minute drive from JR Kyoto Station. Featuring traditional Japanese-style accommodation, it offers a public bath and massage services. Free Wi-Fi access is available at the entire property. All guestrooms come with ironing facilities and a flat-screen TV with cable channels. The en suite bathroom comes with toiletries and a bathtub. The public bath area features spa facilities and wooden bathtubs. The hotel also provides luggage storage and has a gift shop. Japanese or Western breakfast is served at Ryokan Seikoro. Authentic local dishes are served for dinner in a traditional Japanese setting. The Ryokan is a 5-minute drive from Sanjusangen-do Temple and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Kyoto National Museum and Shichijo Train Station are about a 10-minute walk away. Free parking is provided.

1.2 km from Ura Shrine in Toba, Ryouri no yado Ginrin features accommodation with access to a public bath and open-air bath. Featuring free private parking, the 3-star ryokan is 24 km from Ise Grand Shrine. The property is non-smoking and is situated 23 km from Oharai-machi. The ryokan features a flat-screen TV. Towels and bed linen are available in the ryokan. The accommodation offers an air conditioning, a heating and a private bathroom. Toba Sea-Folk Museum is 3.6 km from the ryokan, while Ijika Lighthouse is 5 km from the property. Nagoya Airport is 165 km away.