Guesthouse Ittan

It’s only a 10-minute walk to the temple, and the location made a peaceful base for seeing it or heading to Nara to visit the deer. Nara gets crowded, but here you’re close to things while still far enough away to sleep and rest well. I stay in hostels to keep travel affordable, and this place offers so much more than I usually expect: private, clean rooms, comfy beds, home-cooked food, and a great atmosphere. The couple who run it are incredibly welcoming and have put care into every detail. Their own travels show in the lovely decorations and things they’ve collected along the way. I can’t recommend it enough, and I hope I can come back someday.

Shingo was a legend and took us to the local temple for morning prayer, which is a must. We had an unbelievable stay and will definitely return. If you're anywhere around Kyoto or Osaka, or even just visiting Japan, you should come here.

The place was sparkling clean, truly, possibly the cleanest guesthouse in all of Japan. The rooms, showers, and bathrooms were comfortable, and there’s a relaxing common room with plenty of books, especially about the Shingon Sect of Japanese Buddhism. The hosts are serious practitioners and know a lot about Buddhism, so they’re a reliable source of detailed information. They also speak excellent English. They were exceptionally kind and helpful when I needed to ship some heavy items, and really went out of their way. I enjoyed their Chiang Rai coffee and toast every day, while chatting with them about their fascinating travels in India. I stayed three nights at Guesthouse Ittan, about a 15-minute walk from Hasedera, which made it easy to go to morning worship. I could return for breakfast, then go back to Hasedera or visit other excellent temples and shrines nearby, some just a few train stops away on the local line. Other meals can be prepared if you let the hosts know a little in advance, and there’s also a kitchen for simple meals. Thank you so much, I hope to be back soon!

Hasedera town is a quiet, nostalgic little place, a welcome break from the city rush. Guesthouse Ittan is very clean and comfortable, right in the center and just a 10-minute walk from famous Hasedera Temple.