Our History

Our History

Visited by historical figures and dignitaries, Nara Hotel still retains the dignified splendor of the age in which it was founded in a quiet corner of Nara Park over a century ago.

Photo: Nara Hotel in the late 1940s

Timeline

A timeline showing famous guests who have stayed at Nara Hotel.
YearGuests/Events
1909Hotel begins operations. Run by Japan Hotels Corporation on land then owned by the Japanese Government Railways.
1914Steam heating installed in all rooms
1916Kyoshi Takahama (Japan)
1918Sergei Prokofiev (Russia)
1921Bertrand Russel (Great Britain)
1922Edward VIII (Great Britain), Albert Einstein (Germany)
1929Duke of Gloucester (Great Britain)
1931Charles Lindbergh (USA)
1935Puyi (Manchukuo)
1936Charlie Chaplin (USA)
1937Helen Keller(USA)
1945José Laurel(the Philippines)
1945Hotel operations consigned to Japan Travel Bureau Foundation
1951Richard Nixon (USA)
1956Marlon Brando (USA), Nehru (India), Princess Alexandra (Great Britain)
1970Queen Beatrix (Holland), Princess Margaret (Great Britain), Pope Paul VI
1983Audrey Hepburn (Great Britain)
1983Nara Hotel Co., Ltd., established.
1984New building opened
1992Václav Havel (Czechoslovakia), Duke of Kent (Great Britain)
1997St Raphael Chapel completed
200314th Dalai Lama (Tibet)
2006Abbot of Asgiriya Temple (Sri Lanka)
2009Centennial celebrations
Photo: Under construction

Under construction

Photo: Hotel lobby (late 1910s)

Hotel lobby (late 1910s)

Photo: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

Photo: Wedding ceremony (late 1910s)

Wedding ceremony (late 1910s)

Photo: Hotel entrance (late 1920s)

Hotel entrance (late 1920s)

Photo: Late 1940s

Late 1940s

Photo: Hotel staff (late 1940s)

Hotel staff (late 1940s)

Photo: Main dining room

Main dining room

Photo: Christmas

Christmas

Reservations Inquiries

Telephone Inquiries

+81-742-26-3300

Mon to Fri: 09:00-22:00
Sat, Sun, and public holidays: 09:00-20:00

Current time in Japan: 20:05

*We are able to respond to inquiries in English and Japanese.

Weather & Climate

Annual Events in Nara