Where to Stay in Takayama: Temple Stays, Ryokans & Hotels
On my most recent trip to the Japanese Alps, we split our time between two absolutely one-of-a-kind stays—a Buddhist temple in the heart of Takayama town, and a 100-year-old inn overlooking the mountains in a tiny village just outside of Takayama.
Waking up to the temple gong ringing in Takayama, soaking in the cedar tub, and eating an entirely locally grown & foraged diet at the inn made these stays more of a cultural experience than simply a place to spend the night.
And in this article I’m sharing these exact places we stayed in Takayama, along with other exceptional ryokans and Takayama hotels we considered booking. These places to stay in Takayama include a modern hotel with unlimited sake, a ryokan with a rooftop baths, a Michelin-recognized traditional inn, and of course, budget-friendly options that still offer old-world Japanese charm!
Quick Guide – Top Boutique Hotels & Ryokans in Asakusa, Taito City:
- Most Unique Stay in Takayama: Buddhist Temple Stay at Zenkoji
- Best Budget-Friendly Ryokan in Takayama: Sumiyoshi Ryokan
- Most Luxurious Traditional Ryokan in Takayama: Machiyado ICHIRYU
- Best Budget Hotel in Takayama: Hotel Wood
- Best Mountain Getaway Near Takayama: Nakaodaira
The Best Hotels & Ryokans in Takayama, Japan
Despite its small-town-feel, Takayama is teeming with ryokans, hotels, machiyas, and even temple stays! In fact, there are 341 unique places you can book in Takayama!
In this article I’m sharing the Takayama hotels, ryokans, and other stays that really stand out for their convenient locations, traditional feel, unique amenities, and even, price!
Plus, I’m sharing some secluded stays in and around Takayama—including the 100-year-old traditional inn that stole our hearts in nearby Tanekura and some dreamy ryokans tucked away in the Japanese Alps’ onsen towns.
1. Buddhist Temple Stay at Zenkoji (Where I Stayed!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 9.2/10 on Booking.com | 9.2/10 on Expedia | $147+/night | Check current nightly rates
Turn your accommodations into a cultural experience by staying at Takayama Zenkoji, a beautiful Buddhist temple that has been welcoming visitors and pilgrims for hundreds of years. The temple is located conveniently between the train station and old part of Takayama.
We spent a night here in Zenkoji‘s largest guest room, surrounded by windows opening up into the “Two Rivers and the White Path” garden. The traditional Japanese style felt nostalgic for me, reminding me of scenes from my favorite childhood Ghibli movies like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
Zenkoji does a good job of allowing visitors to participate as little or as much as they’d like in the daily Buddhist rhythms, and they offer optional cultural experiences like a zen cooking class and meditation. We also loved having access to the private bath that’s reservable but shared amongst all guests!
If you’re curious, Zenkoji is a branch temple of Nagano’s Shinshu Zenkoji temple. It’s connected to the Jodo sect of Buddhism, and known for its open posture towards people of all nationalities, religions, and genders—even in a time when women were pushed out of many temples, Zenkoji remained welcoming to women.
Also See: 11 FUN Things to do in Takayama, Japan: Miso, Sake & More!
2. Sumiyoshi Ryokan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 9.5/10 on Booking.com | 9.6/10 on Expedia | $150+/night | Check current nightly rates
If you’re looking for a deeply traditional yet budget friendly stay, check out Sumiyoshi Ryokan! This 100-year-old ryokan located along the Miyagawa River offers affordable traditional rooms, each with a garden or river view.
The highlight of the ryokan is of course the onsen, a serene bathhouse that transports you back in time to the early 20th century when this ryokan first opened to travelers.
Photos via Sumiyoshi Ryokan
Sumiyoshi Ryokan also offers in-room dining with a multi-course kaiseki meal, plus Japanese breakfast and a variety of delicious drinks.
Keep in mind that since its a historic ryokan, most of the rooms at Sumiyoshi do not have a private bathroom, instead you share a toilet, baths, and showers in the onsen, This could be a disadvantage but could also be seen as a cultural experience!
3. Machiyado ICHIRYU
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 9.8/10 on Booking.com | $350+/night | Check current nightly rates
If your budget allows, stay at Michelin-recognized Machiyado ICHIRYU, Takayama’s highest rated ryokan, with a perfectly luxurious traditional feel and 11 one-of-a-kind guest rooms. It’s an adults-only ryokan and they offer complimentary sake, beer, and other drinks throughout your stay.
I love what the owners have to stay about the serene space they’ve created: “Machiyado Ichiryu offers a special space where you can relax and heal your body and mind, and feel safe to be yourself as you are. We sincerely hope that guests will feel as if they have traveled back in time, refreshing their minds and bodies and regaining fresh energy for tomorrow.”
Photos via Machiyado ICHIRYU
To achieve that kind of relaxation, every single room features a semi-open-air bath. Delicious food is served onsite, with local ingredients from throughout Hida.
Also See: A First Timer’s Guide to Hida Furukawa: Koi Canals, Sake & Yatai
4. Hotel Wood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 9.2/10 on Booking.com | 9.4/10 on Expedia | $100+/night | Check current nightly rates
If you’re on a strict budget but still want to stay in a beautiful hotel in the heart of Takayama’s old town with access to an onsen, Hotel Wood is an easy choice!
It’s a beautiful Zen-inspired hotel located just steps from Takayama’s most charming street, Sanmachi Suji. The hotel features a traditional Japanese tea room, a large bathhouse, and shared lounge areas with complimentary sake, beer, and snacks.
Photos via Hotel Wood
The rooms themselves are comfy, modern, yet distinctly Japanese with tatami mat floors. Overall, it seems comparable to the budget friendly ryokan I stayed at in Asakausa, Tokyo and loved!
5. Takayama Ouan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 8.7/10 on Booking.com | 8.8/10 on Expedia | $140+/night | Check current nightly rates
Takayama Ouan is an award-winning hotel with a serene rooftop onsen with views of Takayama and the surrounding mountains—plus more onsen baths with views on the lower floors, some are public and others are private (reservable).
Photos via Takayama Ouan
Since Takayama Ouan is one of Takayama’s larger hotels, most of the rooms feature views of the city from above. The rooms combine traditional tatami mat floors with western-style mattresses, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for some Japanese charm with a bed that reminds you of home.
Takayama Ouan is located a few blocks from the train station, and not too far from the historic part of Takayama.
Japanese Alps Stays Near Takayama
While I absolutely loved Takayama, I also loved staying in a small town in the Japanese Alps nearby. After our stay at Takayama Zenkoji, we took the Takayama line deeper into the mountains and spent a few nights in an adorable village of 15 people at Tanekura Inn.
Outdoor hot spring bath photos via Nakaodaira and Yamazato No Iori Soene
Here are a few options to extend your stay in Gifu prefecture with some mountain getaways:
- 🍁 Nakaodaira ($170+/night): Incredible ryokan surrounded by maple trees, with only 6 serene rooms and 6 gorgeous onsen baths (inside and outside), plus exceptional traditional Japanese meals served onsite. See more details here.
- 🌾 Tanekura Inn (Where I Stayed!): 100-year-old house in a traditional rice and soba farming village deep in the Japanese Alps, we got the entire home to ourselves with the innkeeper who made us traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner with local ingredients! Read about our stay in Tanekura here.
- 👘 Yamazato No Iori Soene ($300+/night): Serene property located along a stream in a nearby onsen town, with beautiful reservable baths and meals cooked over the irori (traditional sunken hearth). See more details here.
