Hodakaso Yamano Hotel — Hotel in Takayama

We were a little nervous about coming here because we have never been to a Japanese Onsen before, and it seemed really complicated to get out here, but this was an incredible experience. We took the Nohi bus from Takayama, which leaves from the train station every hour (There is a hotel shuttle from Takayama which is less expensive, but we couldn’t figure out how to take that one). The bus drops you off right at the hotel. The hotel is a little dated, but not in a bad way. It actually kind of adds to the charm of the place. We were in a traditional Japanese room with an incredible view of the river and mountains. |The hot springs were amazing. There is a little funicular that takes you down to the river where the hot springs are (I think there were also some in the main hotel building too, but we didn’t use those). We had to learn by trial and error what to do ... you wear the robe and room slippers down to the basement level, then switch into a different pair of shoes that are sitting on the shelf. Men need to take the little white washcloth looking towel from the hotel room with them, and women can rent a brown wearable towel from the front desk for 300 yen (you wear the brown towel in the water). We went in the co-gender pool, which had incredible views of the river. We also rented the private pool for 1000 yen, which I would highly recommend. We were traveling with our 5 month old baby, and everyone was very welcoming and kind to her. |Dinner was also incredible (you wear your robe and the blue jacket thingy in your room to dinner). There were a few items that were a little outside our comfort zone, but we really enjoyed 95% of what they served for dinner (food just KEPT coming), especially the fresh sashimi. It was a very cool experience.||I highly recommend...

We were a little nervous about coming here because we have never been to a Japanese Onsen before, and it seemed really complicated to get out here, but this was an incredible experience. We took the Nohi bus from Takayama, which leaves from the train station every hour (There is a hotel shuttle from Takayama which is less expensive, but we couldn’t figure out how to take that one). The bus drops you off right at the hotel. The hotel is a little dated, but not in a bad way. It actually kind of adds to the charm of the place. We were in a traditional Japanese room with an incredible view of the river and mountains. |The hot springs were amazing. There is a little funicular that takes you down to the river where the hot springs are (I think there were also some in the main hotel building too, but we didn’t use those). We had to learn by trial and error what to do ... you wear the robe and room slippers down to the basement level, then switch into a different pair of shoes that are sitting on the shelf. Men need to take the little white washcloth looking towel from the hotel room with them, and women can rent a brown wearable towel from the front desk for 300 yen (you wear the brown towel in the water). We went in the co-gender pool, which had incredible views of the river. We also rented the private pool for 1000 yen, which I would highly recommend. We were traveling with our 5 month old baby, and everyone was very welcoming and kind to her. |Dinner was also incredible (you wear your robe and the blue jacket thingy in your room to dinner). There were a few items that were a little outside our comfort zone, but we really enjoyed 95% of what they served for dinner (food just KEPT coming), especially the fresh sashimi. It was a very cool experience.||I highly recommend...

I booked this hotel after seeing photos of its outdoor onsen baths. The outdoor hot springs, although slightly less impressive looking in real life (aren’t most things these days?), are definitely the main draw card for this hotel. Nestled in the Japanese alps, the hotel is isolated in that there isn’t really anything else nearby to do or explore on foot. Rather, the hotel itself is the destination for guests who come to enjoy the views, nature, hot springs, and traditional Japanese cuisine (it’s pricey but if you’re coming all this way to stay here, you might as well try kaiseki, the multi-course Japanese dinner). ||The hotel has shuttle service to and from Takayama station. (It takes about 90 minutes, pick up is from the west gate of the station; prices are 1,500 yen for a one way trip or 2,000 for a return trip. You can email the hotel directly to book the shuttle service; they may take a few days to respond.) There is also a shuttle service from the hotel to the nearby Shinhotaka Ropeway. ||English is limited and it always helps to know some Japanese (even knowing a few words can be very helpful!) ||While I would recommend this hotel for those who love or want to experience natural hot springs, the location is pretty remote and not the most convenient, especially if you’re only staying in Takayama for a couple of days. There are probably other onsen hotels that also offer amazing onsen baths and are more...