Ryokan Asunaro — Local services in Takayama

We loved this Ryokan. The service was excellent and they spoke English very well. They decorated the whole house with traditional items and it looked so lovely. At every corner, you could find something you didn't spot before. The team even recommend what we could do in Takayama during our stay. Our room was very clean and spacious. Every guest gets a traditional gown which can be worn around the Ryokan. You also get slippers that need to be taken off in certain rooms like your own room and the dining room. Talking about the rooms: You can book a room with a bathroom or a bathroom that is shared by several guests. The Ryokan also had an onsen (one for men, one for women) that can be used in the morning and in the evening - and tattooed guests are allowed to use it too. If you're planning to stay out late at night, you should be back at 11 pm because that's when the Ryokan closes its doors. We definitely recommend booking breakfast too. Those were one of the best meals we had during our stay in Japan. You can decide if you want a Japanese or a Western breakfast. We chose the Japanese breakfast and they served different food on both days. You can also book a special dinner. We did this one time and they served a 12 course dinner that was autumn themed. If you choose the dinner you have to pay a little more money (6000-8000 yen per person) and you can also book little extras like different sake. Save some space in your stomach though, because they will serve you a lot of tasty food. I still feel bad because I didn't feel so well that day and I couldn't eat all of it (so sorry!) - but it was definitely a great meal. Thank you so much, dear Asunaro team. It was a...

I stayed at the ryoken as a couple in room 207, which was a corner room with private bath. The location and atmosphere of the hotel were on par with the price paid. The room included an electric boiler for tea, a small fridge, and a safe. I was happy in most ways with the room. As other reviews have mentioned there is no view to speak of but that is to be expected when choosing a place to stay in the center of town. The staff was lovely and I had no interactions with them that were not plesent. From desk staff to servers all were wonderful. We ate a traditional dinner on site which was amazing. We also had both the Japanese and Western breakfasts and both of those were great as well. However, the fault of this ryoken comes in the sound proofing. On our first night, beginning at 230am our neighbors began talking loudly. This continued through 5am. As the front desk was closed and our knocks on the adjacent rooms door were unanswered we were forced to sleep with earphones in which did not completely block the noise. In the morning we noticed that they had checked out so we were hopeful the next night would better.

Around 8pm the noise and voices from above began. Apparently a large group had arrived. The loud talking and banging continued until around 10pm. After which, thankfully, it stopped.

I whole heartedly wish I could recommend Ryoken Asunro. As I mentioned the people and accommodations were very nice. However, if you are a light sleeper or do not find yourself next to respectful neighbors you may find, like us, your stay more stressful and exhausting than...

Ryokan Asunaro is a fantastic spot to stay in Takayama. The staff are beyond friendly and helpful, the food is excellent, and the bathing situation is nice despite it's smaller size. The staff also have exceptionally good English which makes it easy for people who haven't got the best Japanese.

The staff went above and beyond to help us not only with our stay but also our luggage forwarding to the next destination. Most importantly we got an incredible restaurant recommendation from them which lead us to one of our best meals of the trip.

On our first night our car rental fell through and so we had to take two buses and a train to get to the Ryokan, the staff were unflappable. They happily pushed our dinner booking back for us and were so welcoming when we made it.

The Ryokan isn't in the centre of old town so don't expect that but it's easy walking distance from the centre of Takayama and from the train station. You'll find yourself walking all over Takayama rather than taking any transport and it's in a good spot to facilitate that. Also many comments have mentioned how this is more like an Inn than a Ryokan. Stupidly Ryokan is a Japanese Inn so I'm not quite sure what they mean by those comments. It's definitely a polished operation though and isn't as rustic as some other ryokan you will find.

Also massive tip is to either get the Japanese breakfast or go to the markets. We did the Japanese breakfast and the tables around us who did the English one...