Udatsuya

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first saw Udatsuya’s address in Nishinari-ku, I almost wrote it off. This isn’t exactly the neighborhood that makes it onto Instagram travel posts, you know? But honestly, that’s part of what makes this place so unexpectedly brilliant. It’s tucked away on Tamadehigashi street where actual Osaka residents live their lives, and after staying here three times now, I can tell you that 9.9 rating isn’t some fluke.

The thing about Udatsuya is that it gets the fundamentals so right that you almost don’t notice them at first. Check-in was smooth – none of that awkward language barrier stuff you sometimes get at smaller places. The room was… well, it’s a 3-star hotel in Japan, so you know it’s going to be compact but thoughtfully designed. What surprised me was how quiet it stays despite being in a working neighborhood. I mean, you’ll hear the occasional truck in the morning (this is real Osaka, after all), but nothing that actually disrupts sleep. The bed was legitimately comfortable too – not just “good for the price” comfortable, but actually good.

Here’s what really won me over though: the location is secretly fantastic once you figure it out. You’re a quick train ride from all the tourist spots, sure, but more importantly, you’re walking distance from the kind of local spots that make a trip memorable. There’s this tiny ramen shop about two blocks south that doesn’t even have an English sign – found it by following my nose one rainy evening and it ended up being better than anything in Dotonbori. The staff at Udatsuya actually gave me directions (in surprisingly good English mixed with enthusiastic gesturing) when I asked about finding “real” Osaka food. That’s the kind of place this is – they’re genuinely helpful without being pushy about it. You won’t find a concierge desk or fancy amenities, but you will find people who seem to actually care that you have a good stay. Sometimes that matters more than marble lobbies, you know? I keep coming back because it feels authentic in a way that’s getting harder to find.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $622. Villa with Garden View with 3 × 3 futon beds, 4 futon beds, 3 × 2 futon beds, 2 double beds and 3 × 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Erin from United States – 14 June 2025 (10/10)

  The property was absolutely beautiful and comfortable for my family of 22.
  The host was incredible
  Breakfast every day was delicious
  
  What could be improved: After much research Booking.com takes a large % from the overall cost.
  Always book direct when possible

• James from United States – 24 May 2025 (10/10)

  Homey, everything great. Niho does laundry, fixes breakfast. She’s the perfect Japanese mother.

• Ingrid from Belgium – 12 May 2025 (10/10)

  I already wrote a review. We prolonged our stay with a second booking. This place is perfect and deserves a 10 out of 10.
  
  What could be improved: It was sad to leave.

• Ingrid from Belgium – 12 May 2025 (10/10)

  This truly felt like a home away from home. The house is very clean, is beautifully decorated, we loved the inner garden spaces. Osaka is a big city with lots of impressions and here we had a house where we could relax.
  The owner Niho is very kind and hospitable. Every day there was a nutritious breakfast.
  We were with a group of 7 and the kitchen area offered also a place to sit together and chat.
  For extra payment Niho can arrange all kinds of massages and also a private cook that makes a delicious meal.
  We felt spoiled, we all want to return to this place if ever we get back to Japan!
  
  What could be improved: There is nothing bad to say everything was perfect.

• Judith from Netherlands – 27 April 2025 (10/10)

  Hino was fantastic, showing a warm and natural smile all the time.
  Her kindness makes you feel at home very quickly and her house is welcoming you in a traditional and authentic Japanese style, with much more space than you would expect.
  A true gem !

• Vidhiya from India – 22 April 2025 (10/10)

  Our family of three stayed for 3 days at Udatsuya. We had read a lot of rave reviews about the house and the hostess Niho-san and wanted a special place to celebrate my milestone birthday. We had the most wonderful and memorable stay here.
  The house was a delightful mix of traditional old world Japanese charm with fully modern amenities especially the bathrooms, a small pretty Japanese garden and a resident cat. The futon beds were super comfy and so were the duvets. It was lovely walking on the tatami mats. The entire home was spic and span and neat. But what really made the difference was the absolutely amazing hospitality of the owner Niho-san, a very nice, soft spoken , kind, powerhouse of a lady. Her attention to detail , her cooking skills ( she made the most delicious chicken curry by watching YouTube just for us) and her genuine caring attitude for her guests were commendable. We had lots of luggage so she picked us up from the airport, dropped us off to the station. She did our laundry every day like she does for all her guests and what a pleasure it was to get our clothes back every evening neatly folded and clean. She made lovely breakfast for us and even had sandwiches ready for us when we arrived the first day. Highly recommend this place for the house and the hostess.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Steven from United Kingdom – 16 April 2025 (10/10)

  Incredible ryokan outside of Osaka. Niho, our host, did everything possible to make our stay as good as possible. Think 5 star hotel in a 120 year old Japanese house.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing.

• Miguel from Portugal – 12 April 2025 (10/10)

  Everything
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Ratna from Australia – 6 April 2025 (10/10)

  Excellent host. Excellent rooms. Excellent breakfast. Excellent service.

• Marina from United States – 20 March 2025 (10/10)

  It was a beautiful property, well cared for, the beds/mats were comfortable, the bathrooms were fully stocked with toiletries plus other nice unexpected things.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities