Guesthouse Takayama Hanzansha

The house was so cold we could barely sleep. If you're travelling in winter, I'd avoid it. The room and facilities are very basic, and the hotel sits up a steep, slippery hill. No one is there after 8pm or before 10am, so we were asked to leave cash in the room. I can't comment on the owner.

We stayed in a traditional Japanese room and really enjoyed it. The host showed us the shared area and was helpful about storing our luggage before check-in and after we checked out. Takayama is small, so everything is close.

Having to climb the fairly steep hill whenever you go out gets annoying, and the room had an odd smell. It wasn’t unpleasant, and after two days I stopped noticing it. The owner was friendly and helpful, though not around all the time. The old town is right nearby, and you’re more or less staying in a house. There’s a lock on your room door, while the front door stays unlocked. Maybe because of the coronavirus epidemic, I got a three-person Japanese-style room with tatami and air conditioning to myself for 2,500 yen a night, which felt like a steal. It was quite comfortable. The place was very clean, and the shower and toilets were good. There’s a washer for 300 yen at the time of writing, but no dryer, so you can hang clothes outside. The kitchen didn’t look great, though I hadn’t planned to use it.

The guesthouse was clean and quiet, and we had a room upstairs. It’s tucked into the surrounding neighborhood, but the main attractions are just a five-minute walk down the hill. Anyone with accessibility issues should keep in mind that the walk back up to the guesthouse is all uphill. And first, I loved Takayama!