Shinzanso — Hotel in Takayama

This was my absolute highlight of Japan and providing you have appropriate expectations I would reccomend it to all. ||-Getting there: not having a car made this trip seem daunting. But as with everything in Japan it needn't have been. We took a bus (prebooked online with keio dentetsu) from Shinjuku in Tokyo to Hirayu spa. Shinjuku is huge and it took as a little while to find the bus station which, so leave a little time for this. Once out of Tokyo it is a breath taking journey. When you arrive at Hirayu spa you can buy a ticket for your next trip to Shinzansou mae. They will know which stop and bus and help you if you need it, but it is all fairly straight forward and non intimidating.||-The accommodation : this place is traditional I the sense that they have: tatami floors, no shoe policy, sleeping on futons. We loved it, it was cosy and felt it was fairly representational of a traditional Ryokan. Please note, however, while clean and well maintained, the place is basic and a bit outdated. We thought that added to the charm but if the thougt of taxidermy owls and shared bathrooms does not appeal to you this place is not right for you. The room was spacious. It was set up with a small table with facilities for making green tea and your the very comfortable futon was made for you during dinner and packed away for breakfast. The owners also offered a free ride down to the Shin Hotaka ropeway but the short walk is well worth it.||-The setting: set in a secluded valley over a rope bridge the location was ideal. It felt exclusive and special. I'm sure it would be fabulous year round but being there in October we got to experience the autumnal leaves and first snow of the year which was awesome.||-The onsen: two indoor (one male and one female), six outdoor (one mixed, one female, two male and two private onsen) all (unsure about the female ones of course) were phenomenal. The outside onsen were set next to a fast flowing river in the middle of snow capped mountains, they were incredibly relaxing. For those that are unaware onsen protocol in brief: wear your yukata to the shower leave it with your towel in a basket and proceed to the shower area with little stools. Shower as normal then either use the adjacent indoor onsen or dry off, redress and head outside where there are another set of baskets for clothes/towels. Get nude again and enjoy the amazing warm water in tranquil surrounds. For females they offered a rap around modesty towel of sorts. No modesty for males...||-The food: we got served a plentiful and traditional breakfast and dinner. A real highlight for me with reportedly local produce.||-Getting out: the bus comes by fairly frequently just stand road side and wave it down. You can pay when you get on, no need to prebook and from Hiruya onsen you can get to many places. We went on to Kamikochi before traveling through to Takayama.||-Summary: real highlight and as such highly...

Not exactly a ryokan. More like an inn. The informality suited us very well. We found our previous experience in a more traditional setup in Kyoto rather rigid and stifling. We decided to stay here two nights after learning about their amazing natural outdoor hot spring baths and its proximity to the Shinhotaka Ropeway. ||||Our family of four stayed in two adjacent tatami style rooms. The room conditions were impeccable and clean. They were also extremely spacious and comfortable. There are no attached bathrooms (the communal ones are in the lower ground) and toilets (the communal ones are down the hallway not far from our rooms). That didn't take long for us to get used to although we wished there were also toilets in the baths as well. ||||We checked in late on our first night, arriving only after dinner in Takayama (close to an hour away). With the fairy lights strung on the access bridge over the beautiful river running in front of the inn, the sense of arrival was lovely. It looked like low season so we managed to secure the use of one of the private outdoor onsens later that night. While it was freezing, soaking in the naturally heated sulphurous waters beneath the stars was simply magical and utterly relaxing. That ensured a very restful sleep thereafter. ||||Breakfast was laid out early by 7:30am. It is multiple courses and extremely generous (read: heavy). Request to adjust some dishes to cater to a child's (fussy) eating habits were well accommodated. Dinner was even more sumptuous with the exquisite Hida beef as one of the courses. Service was discrete and un-intrusive but always close at hand whenever we needed help.||||We really maximised the use of the onsens during our short stay - both the outdoor as well as the indoor ones. Given the freezing wintry conditions and the relatively long walk to the outdoor onsens, it was always worth the effort. It's can be that addictive. Our two nights stay went by too quickly. We would love to return...

We had such a great experience at this ryoken. The weather was chilly and then very snowy which was a great way to see the setting and the onsen (hot springs). ||The ryoken itself is very well kept, everywhere is very clean and obviously cared for. The room was very spacious with comfortable futons, TV, table and cushions to sit at, sink, small fridge, safe, kettle and good aircon/heating. ||The onsen are great, the added bonus of being able to reserve two of them for private use for 50 minutes made it extra special. As well as the two that can be reserved there is also a male only, female only and mixed onsen. Etiquette is fully explained on arrival but it's nothing to worry about, embrace the experience! ||It was very easy to find. We took the Nohi bus service from Takayama bus station (just next to the train station and well sign-posted) to shinzansou-mae. The journey took about 1.5 hours and was 2120yen per person. The ryoken is about 4 minutes walk from stop H063. Buses in both directions seem to run once an hour and all stops are well advertised both on the bus and on the side of the road.||Something to keep in mind. There is very little around, including ATMs. Make sure you take enough cash with you as the ryoken does not accept card, neither does the small gift shop and ramen restaurant at the base of the Shinhokata cable car - a 5 minute walk away. This isn't a problem in itself, but you could easily get caught out! ||The only downside was that even though reception was well staffed and there was always someone around, the staff themselves were not overly friendly towards us. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad nor rude, but it was certainly care from a distance. This may appeal to some, but we maybe wanted a hello when returning back...