Nagano in central Japan is a popular location for experiencing rural Japanese villages, going skiing, enjoying snowy mountain views, and relaxing in onsen hot springs. One of the most common sights associated with Nagano is Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, relaxing in steaming hot onsen waters. Nagano is the perfect place to book in a few days at a traditional Japanese ryokan and spend time in their private and public onsen. Be like the snow monkeys and book a Nagano ryokan with private onsen!
These Nagano ryokan with private onsen are located in two of the most famous onsen towns in Nagano: Yunadaka Onsen and Shibu Onsen. The two towns are located side-by-side in a place called Yamanouchi, and are just down the mountain from Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Countless hotels and ryokan here tap into the naturally occurring hot springs, and many offer public and private onsens for their guests in Nagano.
10 Nagano Ryokan with Private Onsen
The Nagano ryokan with private onsen listed below are ordered by price (USD) at the time of writing (lowest to highest) for rooms with breakfast and dinner included, if available.
Five of the ryokan have private onsen in-room, while five offer private onsen on-site that can be reserved by guests for free or for a small fee.
Make sure to check Booking.com to confirm the latest rates!
Nagano Ryokan with Private Onsen (In-Room)
1. Hotel Housei
Deluxe Japanese-Style Room with Hot Spring Bath – $186 USD per night for two people, $372 for four and $560 for six, buffet breakfast and kaiseki (multi-course) dinner included. Rooms can be booked with the buffet breakfast only for a cheaper price.
Hotel Housei is a budget-friendly Nagano ryokan with private onsen available in some rooms. The in-room private onsen are look like a mini indoor public onsen, with showers attached and a large hot-spring fed bath for soaking. The room is Japanese-style with a large tatami area for sleeping and lounging, and views of the surrounding mountains. Since the rooms (and onsen) here accommodate up to six people, Hotel Housei is a great Nagano ryokan with private onsen for large groups and families.
Hotel Housei also has a large public indoor onsen and an outdoor onsen that is surrounded by greenery. The ryokan also has a large lobby and lounge area. and a souvenir shop selling local handicrafts. Guests have access to a free shuttle to places like the train station, nearby onsen towns, and Jigokudani Monkey Park.
Check out the latest rates and availability here.
2. Wafu no Yado Masuya
Japanese-Style Twin Room with Open-Air Bath – $425 per night for two people, $725 for four, breakfast and dinner included in private dining rooms.
Wafu no Yado Masuya is a 140-year old Japanese ryokan with private onsen in Yamanouchi, Nagano, just 15 minutes from the Jigokudani Monkey Park. A private in-room onsen, semi-open air, made of Japanese cypress wood is available with some rooms. Here, rooms with Japanese-style futons as well as twin Western-style beds are available for guests.
Masuya ryokan also has large public outdoor and indoor baths, which are for use by men or women depending on the time of the day. All onsen are open 24 hours per day. A special private onsen room with a balcony is also bookable by guests for an extra fee between 3:00 pm and 11:00 pm for 50 minute sessions. It’s the perfect private onsen experience for large groups or families.
Other facilities here include a sauna room, powder room for women, and a selection of over 50 different colorful yukata robes for women. Guests can also take part in a flower-pressing cultural activity at Masuya, a speciality of the ryokan’s proprietress. Needless to say, this ryokan is popular with female visitors and girl groups for all its feminine touches!
Check the latest prices and availability here.
3. Shibu Onsen Kokuya
Standard Japanese-Style Room with Open-Air Bath – $510 per night for two people, $725 for three, Western or Japanese breakfast and kaiseki dinner included. Superior Japanese-Style Rooms can accommodate four people for $1,200 per night, meals included.
Kokuya is a classic Japanese ryokan that has been run by the same family for a whopping 16 generations! Kokuya has stayed in business so long for a number of reasons. For starters, guests are spoiled by local ingredient kaiseki meals and can also enjoy nine different onsen options on-site. It’s the perfect Nagano ryokan with private onsen for visitors who love tradition and are interested in soaking in all different types of onsen waters.
A number of different rooms are available with in-room private onsen options at this ryokan. All private onsen are open-air on the patio connected to the rooms, and fed by hot spring waters.
Kokyua also has two large outdoor onsen, three indoor onsen, as well as a line-up of semi-outdoor cedar wood onsen tubs. Two additional smaller onsen, one indoor and one outdoor, can be reserved by guests for private use (indoor reservations are free, outdoor is paid).
Check out the latest prices here.
4. Aburaya Tousen
Junior Suite with Open-Air Bath – $520 per night for two people, $915 for four, breakfast and dinner included.
Aburaya Tousen offers both Western-style (with beds) and Japanese-style rooms with outdoor private onsen attached, with views of the surrounding mountains and town. This updated ryokan has a sophisticated Japanese design that will provide comfort to travelers seeking modern amenities.
Aburaya Tousen also has a quaint rooftop with a bar on-site, where guests can admire the surrounding river and mountain views. Visitors can enjoy drinks and snacks inside a number of heated “igloos” that line the perimeter.
Other facilities here include a spa, a lounge area with a fireplace, and a reservable “bed rock bath” sauna.
Check out the latest prices here.
5. Sakaeya
Twin Room with Private External Bathroom – $615 per night for two people, kaiseki breakfast and dinner included.
This Nagano ryokan with private onsen is perfect for travelers looking for a modern ryokan with updated amenities. Rooms here all have Western-style beds and private toilets. Special rooms with private onsen were all remodeled in the last few years, have a modern Japanese design, and sleek patio exteriors.
For special events, the ryokan offers room decorations for proposals (for an extra charge), celebratory messages on dessert food plates, and sake pairings with the kaiseki dinner.
Other facilities at this property include indoor and outdoor onsen, a souvenir shop, sauna, a cold waterfall bath, and a lounge perfect for relaxing after a soak in the onsen.
Check the latest availability and rates here.
Nagano Ryokan with Private Onsen (to reserve or rent)
Just a reminder that from this point of the blog post on, I discuss Nagano ryokan with private onsen that you can rent or reserve as a guest, not those that are available in-room.
Often, reservable private onsen options means you can stay in a cheaper room. Some reservable private onsen can be accessed for free, and others can cost up to $40 USD extra. Reservable private onsen also often have time limits for use, from between 30 to 60 minutes.
6. Shimaya Ryokan
Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom – $102 USD per night for two people, $194 for four, no meals included. Both traditional kaiseki multi-course dinner and Western or Japanese breakfast can be arranged for an additional fee.
Shimaya is a budget-friendly ryokan in Nagano that is popular with backpackers and families. It’s the perfect place to experience a traditional, reservable private onsen, at a fraction of the price of booking an in-room onsen. Rooms are all Japanese-style, with futon beds on tatami mats.
Two large communal baths, both indoors, are available to guests that source water from the underground hot springs. An outdoor onsen 1 minute away ryokan overlooking the Nagano mountain ranges can be reserved for private use. At only 600 yen per person for 50 minutes, it’s the perfect private onsen option for budget travelers!
Shimaya offers free transfers to the Jigokudani Monkey Park for their guests, and have facilities on-site like a washing machine, bar area, juke box, movie screenings, a microwave for guests to cook outside food if preferred, and tourist information pamphlets.
Check out more photos and the latest prices here.
7. Yudanaka Tawaraya Ryokan
Japanese-Style Superior Room – $160 USD per night for two people, breakfast included. Kaiseki multi-course dinners are available upon request.
Yudanaka Tawaraya Ryokan is a quaint Nagano ryokan with a private outdoor onsen that can be reserved for guests’ use. The rooms here are all Japanese-style with futons on tatami mats, and have attached toilets. Yukata Japanese robes can be rented for an additional fee.
The ryokan has two indoor onsen for guests, one for each gender, and a picturesque outdoor onsen. The outdoor onsen is unique in that depending on the time of the day, it offers a mixed gender option where all genders can use it at the same time. Perfect for mixed-gender couples and families who want to spend time together in an onsen! Other times of the day it is men-only, women-only, or for private reservations. During the designated private reservation hours, guests can reserve the onsen for 30 minutes at a time, free of charge.
Check out more photos and the latest prices here.
8. Onyado Hishiya Torazo
Japanese-Style Room with Shared Bathroom and Private Toilet – $235 for two people, $470 for four people, Japanese kaiseki multi-course breakfast and dinner included (can be served in-room or at the restaurant).
Onyado Hishiya Torazo is a Nagano ryokan with traditional Japanese rooms, some with a private toilet and some without. This ryokan has been operating since the 1840’s and run by 13 generations of the same family in Shibu Onsen town. The 3-story ryokan feels straight from the Edo-era with its wooden interior and traditional decorations. It has been featured on a number of Japanese TV programs for its traditional look and feel, as featured on their website.
Two indoor onsen are available at the ryokan, and one picturesque stone outdoor onsen. The outdoor onsen can be reserved by guests for private use.
Guests can take part in a Japanese cultural activity, origami paper folder, at the Origami Gallery at the ryokan. On-site are also a souvenir shop and a lounge area with a tea station.
Check the latest rates and availability here.
9. Kamei no Yu
Japanese-Style Standard Room – $336 per night for two people, $615 for four, breakfast and dinner included. Dinners are served in a separate restaurant 3 minutes away from the ryokan (pick-up service available, both Japanese and French cuisine available).
Kamei no Yu is an updated Japanese ryokan in Nagano with private onsen for rent. The ryokan has only six rooms, meaning maximum care and personalized service for each guest. It offers both Western-style (with beds) and Japanese-style rooms that open up to a scenic Japanese garden. Each room has a private toilet and bathroom attached and has a small patio for enjoying the Japanese garden views. Rooms even include omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) treats like snacks and traditional candies.
Two public onsen baths, both half-indoor, half-outdoor, one made of cypress and one made of stone, are available to guests. They can be reserved for private use between 8pm-9:30pm every day, and alternate between men and women depending on the time of day.
Check availability and the latest prices here for this Nagano ryokan with private onsen.
10. Shibu Hotel
Japanese-Style Room – $365 per night for two people, $565 for three, breakfast and dinner included.
Shibu Hotel is a renovated, flower-themed Nagano ryokan with private onsen for hire. Both Western-style and Japanese-style rooms are available with modern amenities and attached bathrooms, each named after a different Japanese flower. The rooms are spacious with a lounge area or desk, coffee machine, and small refrigerator with free drinks included. Paper flower lanterns light up each room and the gardens with a warm glow.
The onsen available here for guests include a private “family” indoor onsen that can be used freely (no reservation system, just a door that can be locked), and a scenic open-air bath with garden views that can be reserved for 30 minutes at a time for an extra charge. Two public onsen, one indoor and one outdoor, are also available on-site.
Other facilities at this ryokan include a lounge area with traditional Japanese toys, artifacts, and musical instruments available for guests, plus a scenic Japanese garden.
Check availability and the latest prices here.
Are You Prepared For Your Trip To Japan?
Be sure to check out my Japan home page for Japan travel information, insider tips, reading list, and must-haves for traveling to Japan!
- Book Your Flights – To find the cheapest flights, flexibility is key. I use both Google Flights for their low fare calendar, and Skiplagged, which uses airfare loopholes to get the lowest prices. For a trip to Japan, check flights to both Tokyo airports (Haneda, Narita) and to Osaka (Kansai).
- Getting Around Japan: Prepare your JR Pass and Suica transit card before you depart.
- Book Your Accommodation – Check out Booking.com for the largest selection of accommodation in Japan. Consider having a bit of fun at one of these Weirdest Hotels in Japan too 🙂
- Book Local Excursions – Don’t miss out on world-class experiences, like Teamlab Borderless or Tokyo Disneyland, by booking tickets online now. Check GetYourGuide and Klook for fun experiences all around Japan.
- Stay Connected: Order a pocket WiFi for airport pickup if you’re traveling with family or with a large group. Solo traveling to Japan? Order a SIM card just for you.
- Pack Your Essentials – Check out my posts about Long Term Travel Gear, and Carry-On Luggage Packing Essentials.
- Read more on my Travel Resources page!
