Onsens in Kyoto
 

I will be in Kyoto next week and was wondering whether anyone could recommend a good onsen to experience in or near Kyoto, is winter time a good time to seek out a hot spring soak ??

Try Kurama onsen in the hills to the North of Kyoto.
Winter is a good time to sit in a hot bath. Having said that, Spring, Summer, Autumn and the bits in between are also good times to enjoy a hot bath.

Yes, Kurama has a very aesthetic, if not romantic setting for a winter bath interlude. And it's also used a lot by locals so nothing touristy about the whole place.

I didn't make it up there, but Kurama is very well reviewed everywhere. Adding to the pleasure is the cute little train you take up there, and I understand that they meet you at the station with a free shuttle service.

Kurama Onsen sends a van to the station at each train arrival, yes.

Btw, part of the Kurama "thing" is to hike to the mountaitop temple first for serenity and views. Then return to the village and take a "rotenburo" outside bath. Quite an experience especially in Winter.

The Daytrip experience at Kurama looks appealing and reasonable at 4800 yen per person. But, the overnight stay starts at 17850 yen per person! That's nearly $200!!

Are there any other recommendations for onsen? I like the look of Kurama, but I can't afford the overnight stay price.

Thanks!

One thing to remember about Onsen Ryokan is that meals (dinner and breakfast) are mostly included in the price as well as bathing and lodging.

If you want a nice, but cheap onsen ryokan, Kyoto is not the place to look.

If you check out some prices in different areas of Japan, you'll see a higher class of inn for the same price (or less) in some regions:
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com

From the site above, I found one cheaper onsen that looks like it has nice outdoor baths - about an hour from Kyoto. However, I've never been so I don't know if I'd recommend it.
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/d...haranosato.htm

My suggestion for people who don't want to spend so much is to stay at a regular hotel in Kyoto and experience an onsen ryokan in some part of rural Japan.