Most people who search for Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan want two answers: whether its age reputation holds up, and what a stay actually includes. This article separates what sources agree on from what they contradict. Japan Voyage Travel reports that the inn reopened on March 5, 2026 after a refit, and we check that account against booking platforms and guest write-ups.
Last checked: 2026-11-11
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Founded: 705 AD, per organic result sources · Location: Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan · Bath options: 6 different onsen baths listed · Transfer: Shuttle pick-up listed in property promotion
Snapshot: what the sources confirm
- Hot spring dated to the Keiun 2 year, 705 AD (Ikyu)
- Listed in Hayakawa-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture (Tripadvisor)
- Free station pick-up and free self parking (Trip.com)
- Six hot springs listed (Expedia)
- Hot Spring Bath, Sauna, Open-air bath and Public Bath listed as activities (Booking.com)
- Check-in from 15:00, check-out before 10:00 (Skyscanner)
- Restaurant, room service and childcare listed; no swimming pool stated (Momondo)
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-11-11.
Sources reviewed: booking platform listings, travel aggregator pages, a travel publisher’s property guide, and independent travel blogs and guest reviews.
We did not visit the property, interview staff, check live rates or availability, or confirm ownership and operating status with an official operator site, because none was among our sources.
Key facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hot spring discovery | 705 AD (Keiun 2 year) |
| Location | Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan |
| Hot springs | Six |
| Public outdoor baths | Two, switching between men and women at 8:00 and 20:00 |
| Private outdoor baths | Two, must be reserved (at least 30 minutes ahead, per Ikyu) |
| Station transfer | Free station pick-up listed; Ikyu lists a free shuttle service |
| Check-in | From 15:00 |
| Check-out | 10:00 |
| Day visitors | Not accepted; overnight guests only |
| Pets | Not allowed |
| Refit reopening | March 5, 2026 |
Three numbers that frame the stay
- Years since the 705 AD discovery: 1,321 by 2026, counted from the spring’s dating rather than from any record ranking.
- Hot springs per property: six, split across public and private baths.
- Hours between check-in and check-out: 19, from 15:00 to 10:00 the next morning.
What is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan known for?
Expedia describes Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan as an upscale ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, with an indoor mineral hot spring, a terrace, a Japanese garden and two on-site restaurants. Ikyu ties the hot spring’s source to the Keiun 2 year, which it dates to 705 AD.
Japan Voyage reports that the inn was renovated throughout in 1997 and reopened on March 5, 2026, after a refit. The refit added a cave bath, a ganbanyoku hot-stone bed made with Amehata inkstone, and a small history room. The same source lists two water sources: a natural spring and a well drilled in 2005.
What is the oldest hotel in the world?
The phrase “oldest hotel in the world” is the claim this article tests, and the sources we reviewed do not confirm it. The dates disagree at the edges: Ikyu gives 705 AD, while a reviewer on Traveloka calls the inn a 4-star accommodation welcoming guests since 704.
A Tripadvisor reviewer also says the inn has been run by the same family for 53 generations. That is one reviewer’s statement, and we did not verify it. We also found no Guinness World Records listing among our sources, so the record-holding claim remains unverified here.
Who owns Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan?
The sources we reviewed do not state who owns the inn. The only ownership detail is the family-run claim above, which comes from a single reviewer. No official operator website appeared in the evidence, so confirm the operating company through the inn’s own booking channel before relying on any ownership detail.
Timeline
- 705 AD: the hot spring is said to have been discovered in the Keiun 2 year (Ikyu).
- 1997: the inn is renovated throughout (Japan Voyage).
- 2005: a well is drilled as the second water source (Japan Voyage).
- March 5, 2026: the inn reopens after the refit (Japan Voyage).
What this means: the 705 date has the strongest support in the record, and the superlative does not. Treat “oldest hotel in the world” as an unverified claim until a primary record confirms it.
Short version: Ikyu dates the spring to 705 AD, the age claims carry conflicts, and we found no Guinness listing among our sources.
Is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan worth it?
The value question depends on the baths, the room set-up and the dining, and the sources disagree on several details. We separate the items that appear consistently from the ones that remain contested.
It isn’t a luxury spa as much as an over all experience.
Anonymous guest review, Skyscanner
Specifications at a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property type | Upscale ryokan (Expedia) |
| Hot springs | Six: two outdoor public, two indoor, two private outdoor (Japan Voyage) |
| Source water | Natural spring plus a 2005 well, reported at 52°C and pH 9.36 (Japan Voyage) |
| Flow rate | Conflicting: 2,030 L/min (Japan Voyage) vs. over 1,630 L/min (Ikyu) |
| In-room bathing | Separate tubs or showers and electronic bidet toilets (Expedia); oaken tubs (GaijinPot) |
| Rooms | Conflicting: 27 (Ikyu), 35 (Trip.com, Traveloka), 37 (Tripadvisor, Boryssnorc) |
| Dining | Two restaurants (Expedia); mountain kaiseki dinner described in reviews |
| Breakfast | Conflicting: listed as an option (Booking.com); information unavailable (Ikyu) |
KAYAK lists 33 amenities, including free Wi-Fi, parking, a restaurant and room service. Boryssnorc reports arrival snacks, a Japanese tea-making set, yukata and tabi socks.
Two water figures conflict. Japan Voyage gives 2,030 liters per minute, and Ikyu gives over 1,630 liters per minute. Japan Voyage also reports that the inn states nothing is heated or diluted, so we do not state a flow rate as fact.
Are onsen always gender separated?
No, not at this inn. Japan Voyage describes two outdoor baths that switch between men and women at 8:00 and 20:00, and GaijinPot describes the indoor and outdoor observatory baths rotating in the same way.
Two private outdoor baths can be booked. GaijinPot says they can be reserved at check-in, and Ikyu asks for a reservation at least 30 minutes ahead.
Tip: Reserve the private bath slot at check-in, and allow for the 30-minute minimum Ikyu lists.
Is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan still open?
On the evidence we have, yes. Japan Voyage reports a reopening on March 5, 2026, and its October 2026 reading lists the inn as overnight-only. We did not check live availability, so the booking page is the live check.
Pros and cons
- Pro: six hot springs listed, including two private outdoor baths that can be booked (Expedia; Japan Voyage).
- Pro: free station pick-up and free self parking (Expedia; Trip.com).
- Pro: rooms with separate tubs or showers, electronic bidet toilets and daily housekeeping (Expedia).
- Con: overnight guests only; day bathers are not accepted (Japan Voyage).
- Con: room count, water flow and breakfast details conflict across sources.
- Con: individual reviews report a sulfur smell from in-room bathrooms and a water-damage complaint.
The bugs would come bobbing along in the bathwater and I did get bitten.
GaijinPot author, blog review
Note: Room counts differ: 27 (Ikyu), 35 (Trip.com and Traveloka), and 37 (Tripadvisor and Boryssnorc). Ask the operator for the current count if room numbers matter to your plans.
Alternatives within the stay
Within one booking, the main choices are shared baths or private baths, and the room type. Booking.com lists Quadruple and Family room options in one listing, and Boryssnorc says rooms with private open-air baths are limited.
The trade-off: the baths and station transfer are the best-documented strengths, while the room count, breakfast and water figures remain open.
Short version: Six baths, overnight-only access, and several room, breakfast and water details that sources report differently.
How do I get to Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan?
Listings place the inn in Hayakawa-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. None of the sources we reviewed gives a driving time or distance, so we do not state one here.
The transfer is the most concrete practical detail. Ikyu lists a free shuttle service, Expedia and Trip.com list free station pick-up, and no source gives a schedule from a primary operator. Ask which station and which times apply before you travel.
- Transfer: free, listed on several platforms (Ikyu, Expedia, Trip.com).
- Travel time: not given in any source reviewed.
What to watch: the transfer appears on several listings, but no source confirms the schedule, so confirm it with the operator before you book.
How much does it cost to stay at Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan?
No room rate appears in the sources we reviewed, so this article quotes no prices. Published rates depend on the operator’s current pricing, which we did not check.
Pricing and inclusions
Inclusions vary by listing. Expedia notes that meals are not included in the Half Board rate for children aged 3 and younger, and Klook charges children above age 6 as adults.
Breakfast is the sharpest conflict. Booking.com lists Asian-style breakfast options, Ikyu lists breakfast information as unavailable, and a Trip.com reviewer describes a fixed 8:00 AM breakfast time.
Note: Ask whether breakfast is included in your rate before you book, because the listings do not agree.
Dinner appears in two sources. Traveloka lists a kaiseki meal, and YouCouldTravel describes a mountain kaiseki dinner included with the stay its author booked.
Our pick
Our pick: Book it if the baths and the setting are the reason for the trip, and treat the record claim as an unverified story rather than a fact.
- Travelers who want a historic hot-spring inn: the 705 AD hot-spring date and the six listed baths form the core of the stay.
- Guests who prefer a shuttle transfer: free station pick-up appears on several listings, so confirm the pick-up point before you book.
- Visitors seeking several baths in one stay: the outdoor baths switch between men and women at 8:00 and 20:00, and private baths must be reserved, so plan the timing.
- Readers checking the record claim: Ikyu’s listing supports the 705 date, but the superlative is not verified in our sources.
The bottom line: the price question needs the operator’s live rate, and the inclusions need checking line by line, especially breakfast and children’s pricing.
Short version: No rates are verified here, so compare inclusions and confirm breakfast before you book.
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan located?
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is in Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The Tripadvisor listing places it in Hayakawa-cho, Minamikoma-gun.
Does Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan offer shuttle pick-up?
Yes. Ikyu lists a free shuttle service, and Expedia, Trip.com and Traveloka list free station pick-up. Confirm the pick-up station and times with the operator before you travel.
How many onsen baths can guests use?
Six hot springs. Japan Voyage describes two outdoor baths that switch between men and women at 8:00 and 20:00, two indoor baths on the top floor, and two private outdoor baths that must be booked.
Can day visitors use the baths?
No. Japan Voyage describes the inn as accepting overnight guests only and not day bathers.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 15:00, and Ikyu lists a window of 15:00 to 17:00. Check-out is 10:00.
Are pets allowed?
No. Ikyu, Skyscanner and Trip.com each list pets as not allowed.