Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

Our stay here was truly exceptional. The service went far beyond expectations—every staff member was polite, attentive, and genuinely warm. The room was spotless and well-kept, creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere that made it perfect for a peaceful getaway. The food was delicious, fresh, and clean, with most ingredients thoughtfully sourced from the local area. Both the bedroom and bathroom were impeccably clean, adding to the overall comfort of the stay. One of the highlights was the hot spring area. The water felt incredibly soothing, and the variety of pools—both indoor and outdoor—made the experience even more special. This place is absolutely worth visiting at least once. It’s an unforgettable experience, and I feel truly grateful to have had the chance to stay here. Highly recommended.

Wow, what a place. Stayed two nights and Onsen’d our time away in the 6 different baths and one sauna that are available. We enjoyed two fantastic multi course (10+) dinners and breakfasts, you will not leave either hungry. The staff and their service was brilliant and the day exploring the area was albeit brief but really interesting, relaxing and at times haunting, so bring a car for your stay to give you the freedom to wander. It felt like our most authentic Japanese part of our stay in Japan, we recommend this Onsen and gourmet experience.

I had an amazing stay at Nishiyama Onsen with my wife. The staff were very kind and deserve appreciation for their warm hospitality. Our room was beautifully designed in traditional Japanese style it’s my first time experiencing this type of room, and it felt peaceful and authentic. The dinner and breakfast course meals were delicious, and the outdoor onsen was a memorable and relaxing experience. Highly recommended.

The World Oldest Hotel ; Hot Springs Hotel as Guinness ‘ World Records , Opened since 705 A.D . It’s not only the beautiful natural location but also the magnificent architecture of harmonious buildings . It’s surprising how they maintain 1300 years of hotel services , so it can be Japan only . The superb clean and cosy Japanese style rooms There are facilities that will make you feel comfortable and relax ; banquets onsen shopping you’re fulfilled Above of all the service minded of every staff will touch you right ✅

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continually operating hotel in the world, and second longest running business, losing out (just barely) to a Japanese construction company. How old, you ask? 1,320 years. No, that's not a typo. For 1320 years, this traditional ryokan has been operating since its founding in the year 705. During those thirteen centuries(!), Keiunkan has hosted the likes of emperors, shoguns, daimyos, and all manner of Japanese noblepersons; from the highest to the lowest, the divine to the mundane, all the way down to a lowly ashigaru, such as myself, and my family, who had the privilege of staying here this week. Situated in the stunning Hayakawa valley, this storied, four-storey hot spring retreat boasts multiple public and private, indoor and outdoor baths, on the first and fourth floors; the full ryokan experience (tatami mats, traditional futon for sleeping on the floor); traditional kaiseki dining with a la carte options; and an unrivaled aesthetic - misty mountains, lush forests, and a rushing river, all viewable from your large private suite which, in our case, included three rooms, in addition to the private restroom and ofuro. The baths themselves are gorgeous and well-maintained. Some baths are public and gender-segregated, and flip their schedules for which gender is allowed to use them at which time, in twelve hour increments (i.e. one bath will allow men from 8am-8pm, and women from 8pm-8am; another bath will have the reverse schedule). There are also private baths that you can reserve at the front desk, for couples and families who want to enjoy the experience together. And as mentioned above, some baths are indoor, and others are open-air. Staying here has a few caveats: first, it is very remote: if you happen to rent a car as myself and my family did, it situated a 3 1/2 away from Tokyo, which presents its own challenges since the japanese drive on the left side of the road, drive on the right side of the car, and navigating roads can be daunting and stressful (although it gets much easier, the further away you get from Tokyo). Your other option is a series of trains, and a shuttle bus (which you must reserve in advance), all clearly explained on their website, but can still be difficult to follow for the inexperienced traveler in Japan. Be prepared and informed, though, and you'll be fine. Secondly, the interior of the building itself could use some renovation. I'm not sure how long the current structure has been standing here, but it is definitely starting to show its age. Obviously, it's not the original thirteenth century old building that stands here, although it IS the very same hot spring. There is obvious water-staining of some of the carpets throughout the building, and some of the furniture and decor have seen better days. Also, there's no way in Jigoku that this place isn't haunted. The service, however, is phenomenal. From the very beginning, we were waved into the parking lot and greeted personally, as we were obviously expected. English is spoken by some of the staff, for those anxious about the language barrier. Our car was taken by the valet, our luggage delivered to our room, and we were given a comprehensive explanation of the baths and their schedules, dinner and breakfast times, a tour of the room, shown a map of the hotel's layout. I know there are people out there that are going to take some of the critiques I mentioned above, and try to claim that this isn't a five-star experience. Respectfully, I disagree. While there may be a handful of detractions, the simple fact that this place has LITERALLY stood the test of time for more than a MILLENNIUM is all the counter-argument I need. Whatever your opinion may be, this is absolutely a once in a lifetime experience, and something you will remember, and talk about, for the rest of your life. And if you don't...well, then I suspect you're the kind of person I wouldn't want to be naked with in an outdoor bath, anyway.

This place was insanely beautiful. Onsens were magical, the views were absolutely insane, the food was top tier. The ride out to the middle of the mountains to get here was beautiful as well. 10/10 experience. Worth every penny tbh. Words cannot describe this experience and it will stay with me forever.

I had a great time here! The staff were awesome and incredible, the food was great too! As well as the onsen. The room we stayed at was huge with a very nice view! Would 100% come back again!

Magical place. Hidden in the ‘Japanese Alps’ region, beautiful traditional onsen. Several baths available to enjoy, with a private half hour session offered to each couple to use one of two private baths. Service was exceptional, with dinner and breakfast both filling as well as delicious. Several more local dishes on the menu, so be prepared to try something different / new if you have a Western palate! Hotel itself needs some small renovation in areas, but ultimately a very relaxing and ‘authentic’ experience. Worth going to just experience the place at least once!

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continually operating hotel in the world, and second longest running business, losing out (just barely, and this is contested) to a Japanese construction company. How old, you ask? 1,320 years. No, that is not a typo. For one thousand, three hundred and twenty years, this traditional ryokan has been operating since its founding in the year 705. During those thirteen centuries(!), Keiunkan has hosted the likes of emperors, shoguns, daimyos, and all manner of Japanese noblepersons; from the highest to the lowest, the divine to the mundane, all the way down to a lowly ashigaru, such as myself, and my family, who had the honor and privilege of staying here this week. Situated in the stunning Hayakawa valley, this storied, four-storey hot spring retreat boasts multiple public and private, indoor and outdoor baths, on the first and fourth floors; the full ryokan experience (tatami mats, traditional futon for sleeping on the floor); kaiseki dining (set, seasonal menus) with a la carte options; and an unrivaled aesthetic - misty mountains, lush forests, and a rushing river, all viewable from your large private suite which, in our case, included three rooms, in addition to the private restroom and ofuro (bath). The baths themselves are gorgeous and well-maintained. Some baths are public and gender-segregated, and flip their schedules for which gender is allowed to use them at which time, in twelve hour increments (i.e. one bath will allow men from 8am-8pm, and women from 8pm-8am; another bath will have the reverse schedule). There are also private baths that you can reserve at the front desk, for couples and families who want to enjoy the experience together. And as mentioned above, some baths are indoor (sento) and others are open-air (onsen). Keiunkan's unparalleled history, pedigree, and reputation COULD be considered a bit of a double-edged sword, as it may set an unreasonable level of expectation in a person's mind, but fortunately, katana have only a single blade! But seriously, all quips aside, there are a few caveats of which you should be aware, if you are planning on staying here. First off, it is very remote: if you happen to rent a car as myself and my family did, it situated a 3 1/2 away from Tokyo, which presents its own challenges since the japanese drive on the left side of the road, drive on the right side of the car, and navigating roads can be daunting and stressful (although it gets much easier, the further away you get from Tokyo). Your other option is a series of trains, and a shuttle bus (which you must reserve in advance), all clearly explained on their website, but can still be difficult to follow for the inexperienced traveler in Japan. Be prepared and informed, though, and you'll be fine. Secondly, the interior of the building itself could use some renovation. I'm not sure how long the current structure has been standing here, but it is definitely starting to show its age. Obviously, it's not the original thirteenth century old building that stands here, although it IS the very same hot spring. There is obvious water-staining of some of the carpets throughout the building, and some of the furniture and decor have seen better days. Also, there is no chance in Jigoku that this place isn't haunted (although, just so we are clear, I count this as a perk)! The service, however, is phenomenal. From the very beginning, we were waved into the parking lot and greeted personally, as we were obviously expected. English is spoken by some of the staff, for those anxious about the language barrier. Our car was taken by the valet, our luggage delivered to our room, and we were given a comprehensive explanation of the baths and their schedules, dinner and breakfast times, a tour of the room, shown a map of the hotel's layout, and assured even our rambunctious toddler wouldn't be an issue. Thankfully, the walls between each individual suite are thick, and the door to each room is solid steel, in the case of an emotional breakdown. I know there are people out there that are going to take some of the critiques I mentioned above, and try to claim that this isn't a five-star experience. Respectfully, I disagree. While there may be a handful of detractions, the simple fact that this place has LITERALLY stood the test of time for more than a MILLENNIUM is all the counter-argument I need. Whatever your opinion may be, this is absolutely a once in a lifetime experience, and something you will remember, and talk about, for the rest of your life. And if you don't...well, then I suspect you're the kind of person I wouldn't want to be naked with in an outdoor bath, anyway.