A guest room at Sumiyoshi Ryokan in Takayama. Photo: Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
- Without a car, stay in central Takayama within walking distance of the station: the long-distance buses leave from the Nohi Bus Center there, and the old town is about 15 minutes on foot.
- Some ryokan in the center have hot-spring baths filled from Takayama's own onsen; Okuhida's onsen inns are about an hour away by bus.
- Takayama charges an accommodation tax of ¥100–300 per person per night, based on the room price without meals. Children are exempt until the March 31 after they turn 12.
This guide contains affiliate links, marked "(affiliate)." I hope it helps your trip.
Stay near Takayama Station, in a ryokan with its own hot-spring bath.
The old town and the bus center are both within walking distance, even with bags.
Ryokan in the center can still give you an onsen soak: some pipe in Takayama's hot spring.
- 1Near the stationBuses, lockers and trains on foot
- 2Old town edgeEvenings in the old streets, a longer walk with bags
- 3Okuhida OnsenOpen-air baths, about 1 hr by bus
A ryokan night is one of the reasons to come to Takayama, and you do not need a car for it. This guide is about where to sleep if you arrive by train or bus: which part of town, what a ryokan gives you, three onsen ryokan near the station that publish their bath and access details, and the local tax. For what to see in town, see my Takayama guide.
Where to stay in Takayama: areas compared
| Area | Good for | Without a car |
|---|---|---|
| Around JR Takayama Station | Early buses, short trips | Everything on foot |
| Edge of the old town | Evenings in the old streets | About 15 min from the station with bags |
| Okuhida Onsen | Open-air baths, mountains | About 1 hr by Nohi Bus; last bus from Hirayu to Takayama 17:30 |
The Hida Takayama tourism association's search sorts places to stay into ryokan and hotels, onsen inns, minshuku, pensions and guesthouses, and campsites, cottages and lodges, and splits the city center from outlying districts such as Okuhida. For a trip without a car, filter for the city center.
Why stay near the station
- The buses: the Nohi Bus Center is just outside JR Takayama Station. The buses to Shirakawa-go, Okuhida, Kamikochi and Tokyo leave from there; see my Shirakawa-go guide for the day trip.
- The walk: the old town is about 15 minutes from the station on foot, and Takayama Jinya about 10.
- The bags: coin lockers at the station (i-CAFE) and the Nohi Bus Center cost ¥400, ¥600 or ¥700 by size, take cash only and hold bags for up to 3 days.
- Inns outside the center: the tourism office warns that if your inn is far from a bus stop, a taxi may be the only way to reach it.
Rooms near the station: see places to stay near Takayama Station (affiliate)
What a ryokan stay includes
JNTO, Japan's national tourism organization, describes the usual ryokan stay like this:
- A tatami room, with futon bedding laid out for the night.
- A yukata robe to wear inside the inn.
- Dinner and breakfast: typically a multi-course kaiseki dinner and a Japanese breakfast the next morning.
- Shoes off indoors; slippers or geta sandals instead.
- Many ryokan have hot-spring baths, and some rooms have their own bath.
Read your booking carefully: whether dinner is included, and what it is, depends on the plan you choose.
Onsen ryokan near Takayama Station: three examples
These three publish their bath and access details on their own websites. This page uses what each inn publishes; the list is not a ranking, it shows what to look for.
Honjin Hiranoya
- Where: Hommachi 1-34, about 10 minutes on foot from the station.
- Pickup: the inn says it will meet you at JR Takayama Station (the Nohi Bus Center) at your arrival time if you ask.
- Baths: Takayama hot spring water. Indoor baths, separate large baths for men and women, an open-air bath for men and a women-only bath in an old storehouse.
- Times: check-in 15:00, check-out 11:00.
Machiyado Ichiryu
- Where: a 7-minute walk from the station.
- Size: 11 rooms, each with its own semi-open-air bath.
- Baths: three private onsen baths.
- Food: kaiseki dinners built around Hida beef.
Oyado Koto no Yume
- Baths: the large bath uses Hida Takayama Onsen water.
- Private bath: "Hoshi no Yu" is not hot-spring water. It is for staying guests, booked at the front desk, between 16:00 and 22:00, 40 minutes for 1–3 people, ¥3,300 a session.
- Koto no Yume's walking time from the station and its check-in times
- Ichiryu's check-in and check-out times
- Whether Hida beef is standard at Hiranoya and Koto no Yume or depends on the plan
Ryokan in Okuhida Onsen
Okuhida Onsen-go is a group of five hot-spring villages in the mountains of Takayama city: Hirayu, Fukuji, Shin-Hirayu, Tochio and Shinhotaka. Hida Takayama Tourism says the area has the largest number of open-air baths in Japan.
Nohi Bus runs from the Takayama Nohi Bus Center to Hirayu Onsen in 53–58 minutes. A night here makes sense if the baths are the point of the trip; for Shirakawa-go or Tokyo you will be back in Takayama anyway. Before you book, check how far the inn is from the bus stop.
Rooms in Okuhida: see places to stay in Hirayu Onsen (affiliate)
Takayama accommodation tax
Takayama has charged an accommodation tax since October 1, 2025.
| Room price per person per night | Tax per person per night |
|---|---|
| Under ¥10,000 | ¥100 |
| ¥10,000 to under ¥30,000 | ¥200 |
| ¥30,000 and over | ¥300 |
- Which price: the room charge and its service fee, not meals or consumption tax. A ryokan plan with dinner is taxed on the room part.
- Who is exempt: children until the first March 31 after their 12th birthday, and students on school trips with their teachers.
- How you pay: with the room charge when you prepay, or at the inn, depending on the inn.
When to book early: the Takayama Festival
The Takayama Festival is held twice a year on fixed dates: April 14–15 in spring and October 9–10 in autumn. If your trip overlaps, book your room before anything else.
How I checked this
- Took the areas and types from the Hida Takayama tourism association's accommodation search, and walking times from its spot pages.
- Read each ryokan's own website for access, baths and times (October 22, 2026); left out room prices, which change by plan and date.
- Took the tax from the City of Takayama and Hida Takayama Tourism, and the ryokan basics from JNTO.
Getting to Takayama from Tokyo or Osaka
Highway bus from Shinjuku to Takayama: about 5 hours 45 minutes, seats reserved.
Shinkansen to Nagoya, then the Hida limited express: about 2 hours 20 to 30 minutes from Nagoya.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay in Takayama without a car?
In the city center, within walking distance of JR Takayama Station. The Nohi Bus Center is right by the station, the old town is about 15 minutes away on foot and Takayama Jinya about 10.
Are there onsen ryokan in central Takayama?
Yes. Honjin Hiranoya says its baths use Takayama's hot spring, Oyado Koto no Yume says its large bath uses Hida Takayama Onsen water, and Machiyado Ichiryu lists three private onsen baths.
How much is the accommodation tax in Takayama?
Since October 1, 2025, Takayama charges ¥100 per person per night for rooms under ¥10,000, ¥200 from ¥10,000 to under ¥30,000 and ¥300 from ¥30,000. The price is the room charge without meals or consumption tax. Children are exempt until the first March 31 after their 12th birthday.
Is it better to stay in Takayama or in Okuhida Onsen?
Without a car, stay in Takayama for most trips: it is where the buses to Shirakawa-go, Kamikochi and Tokyo start. Add a night in Okuhida if open-air baths are the point of the trip; it is about an hour by Nohi Bus.
What is included in a ryokan stay?
JNTO describes tatami rooms, futon bedding and yukata robes, with a multi-course kaiseki dinner and a Japanese breakfast typically included. You take your shoes off indoors.
Keep planning
Sources
- Accommodation search (archived copy) — Hida Takayama Tourist and Convention Association
- Takayama old town (archived copy) — Hida Takayama Tourist and Convention Association
- Takayama Jinya (archived copy) — Hida Takayama Tourist and Convention Association
- Getting around Takayama — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Coin lockers and luggage services in Takayama — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Accommodation tax — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Accommodation tax rates and exemptions — City of Takayama
- Japanese ryokan — JNTO
- Access — Honjin Hiranoya
- Hot spring baths — Honjin Hiranoya
- Machiyado Ichiryu — Machiyado Ichiryu
- Baths — Oyado Koto no Yume
- Spring Takayama Festival — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Autumn Takayama Festival — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Okuhida Onsen-go — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Takayama – Hirayu Onsen – Shinhotaka bus — Nohi Bus
- Kamikochi line — Nohi Bus
- Takayama – Shinjuku highway bus — Nohi Bus
- Hida Takayama (access) — JR Central
- Getting to Takayama — Hida Takayama Tourism