Nishimuraya Kinosaki Honkan Branch

Nishimuraya Honkan is Kinosaki Onsen's most prestigious and historic ryokan, first established in 1720 and now operating from its main honkan building alongside the riverside branch (Kinosaki Honkan Branch) — together forming the gold standard of Kinosaki's traditional hospitality and one of Japan's most celebrated ryokan experiences, where every aspect of the traditional thermal inn experience reaches its highest expression. The chloride-rich sodium mineral water of Kinosaki's single thermal spring source flows through Nishimuraya's exquisite private baths as well as the town's seven public bathhouses (sotoyu), maintaining the democratic thermal tradition of a town where all bathers — regardless of where they stay — share access to the same thermal waters. The Nishimuraya ryokan's extraordinary kaiseki cuisine, featuring the finest sea crab in winter and Tajima beef in summer, its Meiji-era pine garden, and its position on the stone-paved canal promenade flanked by weeping willows make it the complete expression of the Japanese thermal inn ideal.