13 best hotels in Japan with a garden view to achieve zen and inner happiness
Bonus: Some of these hotels or ryokans in Japan come with onsens!
When it comes to hospitality – known as omotenashi, an age-old reverence – you'll find that Japan's hotels and stays are top-notch, with a fine attention to detail and a deep-rooted sense of cultural nuances.
Hotel options in Japan come aplenty – from modern hotels, to ryokans (traditional inns) and skyscrapper hotel rooms, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to booking your stay for your next holiday.
If you've seen our list of ryokans in Japan, you'll be interested to check out this list of hotels with beautiful garden views to make your Japan stay a memorable one. Bookmark this page to plan your next trip to Japan!
READ:
10 best and unique hotels to stay in Tokyo, Japan
Japan travel: Japan Rail pass guide (updated April 2023)
Japan travel: 12 things to do in Saga prefecture, Kyushu
6 new hotels to stay in “Little Kyoto” Kanazawa, Japan
Japan travel: 11 things to do in Hiroshima
Japan travel: 15 things to do in Tokyo
Hotels in Japan with a garden view:
1. Fujiya Hotel, Hakone, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Opened in 1878, Fujiya Hotel features Meiji Era architecture set in Hakone’s natural beauty. Just 500 metres from Miyanoshita Station, it offers indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and a restaurant in a converted Imperial Villa called Kikka-so Inn. Rooms feature bathtubs with natural hot-spring water. When you wake up, be greeted by the sounds of nature and the sight of the misty forests and gardens before you.
2. Hotel New Otani Tokyo Garden Tower, Tokyo, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Conveniently located just a 5-minute walk from Akasaka Mitsuke Subway Station, The Hotel New Otani Tokyo Garden Tower features a 400-year-old Japanese garden. In summer, guests can take a dip in one of the largest outdoor hotel pools in the city. Free WiFi is available in all areas.
3. The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo & Takanawa Hanakohro, Tokyo, Japan
Book a stay at Marriott | Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Both hotel properties share the same Japanese Garden covering an area of 20,000 square metres with over 210 cherry blossom trees planted here. It's pretty breathtaking, if you ask me, and if you're interested to know more, you can read my review of the Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo here.
4. Kyoto Nanzenji Ryokan Yachiyo, Kyoto, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Located next to the historic Nanzen-ji Temple, the gorgeous Kyoto Garden Ryokan Yachiyo features chic Japanese-style rooms and large public baths. It is surrounded by beautiful Japanese gardens, which change their colours each season.
5. Yasaka Yutone Kyokoyado, Kyoto, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
A 10-minute walk to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyokoyado Yutone features rooms with a private Cypress-wood bath, amenities from Mikimoto, free Wi-Fi and touches of Japanese design. This completely non-smoking inn has a library and offers massages and traditional multi-course dinners. With a 9.3 rating of superb, travellers highly rated this ryokan for the location, food and stay.
6. Maana Kamo, Higashiyama, Kyoto
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
In the Higashiyama Ward district of Kyoto, close to Gion Shijo Station, the chic Maana Kamo has a garden and a stunning interior. The accommodation is less than 1 km from the Sanjusangen-do Temple and features free WiFi throughout the property. The air-conditioned holiday home consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a fully-equipped kitchen with an oven and a coffee machine, and two bathrooms with a bath and slippers.
7. Arima Onsen Taketoritei Maruyama, Kobe, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Taketoritei Maruyama is a non-smoking Japanese-style accommodation featuring natural hot spring baths for private use and free WiFi throughout the property. From its hilltop location a 15-minute walk from Kobe Electric Railway Arima Onsen Station, it offers sweeping views of Arima Onsen.
8. Akizuki Kuoritei, Asakura, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Featuring 3-star accommodation, Akizuki Kuoritei is located in Asakura, 21 km from Hiroshiki Oda Museum of Art and 25 km from Dazaifu Tenmangu. Featuring an open-air bath, the 3-star ryokan has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi each with a private bathroom. There is a restaurant serving Japanese cuisine, and free private parking is available.
9. Futsukaichi Hot Spring - Daimaru Besso, Chikushino, Fukuoka, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Located in Chikushino, 500 metres from Buso-ji Temple, Daimaru Besso has a number of amenities including a bar and free WiFi. Featuring luggage storage space, this property also provides guests with a restaurant. The rooms at the ryokan are equipped with a seating area and a flat-screen TV. All units will provide guests with a fridge. Daimaru Besso offers 5-star accommodation with a hot spring bath.
10. Nishimuraya Honkan, Kinosaki-cho Yushima 469, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Boasting a 150-year history and a beautiful garden, Nishimuraya Honkan offers hot-spring baths and Japanese rooms just 1 km from Kinosaki-Onsen Train Station. From Kyoto, take the Japan Railways Limited Express line and the journey will take you about 2 hours and 13 minutes to Toyooka.
11. Yamaha Resort Katsuragi Kitanomaru, Shizuoka, Fukuroi, Ugari, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
Located in Fukuroi, the Yamaha Resort Katsuragi Kitanomaru features accommodations with a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, an open-air bath and a garden. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and a lift, along with free WiFi. The property is situated 43 km from Rengejiike Park Fuji Festival. The recommended rooms the deluxe rooms with views of the garden in Fujidono Wing or Hagidono Wing.
12. Sanyo-so, Shizuoka, Izunokuni, Mamamoue, Japan
Book a stay at Booking.com | Trip.com
Situated inside vast Japanese gardens that change their colours each season, Sanyo-so offers traditional Japanese-style accommodation boasting a rich history, Japanese aesthetics and pure tranquillity. Guests can stroll around the gardens or soak in the natural hot spring baths. Izu Nagaoka Train Station is a 5-minute drive away.
13. Arai Ryokan, Shizuoka, Izu, Shuzenji, Japan
Book a stay with Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda
The ryokan is located in the centre of Shuzenji hot-spring district and is a 10-minute bus ride from Shuzenji Train Station. Niji-no-Sato Theme Park is 2 km away and a bamboo forest is within a 2-minute walk away. Arai Ryokan offers two public indoor hot-spring baths and one outdoor bath. There are also 2 private indoor hot-spring baths for reservations. All are available free-of-charge. Guests can also stroll through the garden or enjoy a game of ping-pong.
What is the most famous Japanese garden in the world?
Glad you asked! The answer is Ryoan-ji Temple, which is located in Kyoto, Japan. Originally the temple was an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, but it became a Zen temple in 1450 and is home to Japan's most famous rock garden. In 1994, UNESCO designated this temple as a World Heritage Site.
What is a ryokan with onsen?
A ryokan with onsen is an accommodation facility that practises the traditions of age-old Japanese culture. Onsens are typically natural hot springs, and ryokans are traditional lodging facilities in Japan.
Some ryokans with onsens have public bathhouses, while those with private baths tend to be more luxurious. Also, it is good to note that not all ryokans offer onsens, and some may be communal baths which may or may not be onsens.
