Guesthouse Nara Backpackers

The Japanese-style private room was lovely, and the futon was very comfortable. The house is kept clean, and there’s a kitchen available if you want to cook. My friends and I had a wonderful stay. It’s a peaceful place to relax, just a few minutes’ walk from the main temples and the deers park. Restaurants and small supermarkets are plentiful nearby. The staff were amazing, welcoming, helpful, and always smiling. We highly recommend it!

The guesthouse was one of the highlights of Nara for us. Our lovely little ryokan-style room opened onto the central garden, and it had once been used for tea ceremonies. There’s still a fire-pit under one of the tatami mats. The rooms were clean, spacious, and separate enough that we could sit privately and drink tea, even with people chatting in the communal kitchen. Staff were lovely and helpful, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Prices were very reasonable. It’s ideally placed for a short walk to Nara Park and the various shrines, and I’d recommend it to anyone staying in Nara.

WiFi worked well throughout the house, and the location made getting around Nara easy. The place itself is a fantastic old house, over a hundred years old, with a simple feel that’s part of the experience. The staff were really friendly, especially Takeshi and Yoshiko, who were thoughtful and made sure I had plenty of tips for Nara.

The reception staff were very helpful and gave us good ideas for exploring Nara, even if their English varied from person to person. I had a private room looking out onto the garden, while the bathrooms were shared with the rest of the hostel and perfectly serviceable. There’s a full kitchen for guests, plus free tea and coffee.