Rickshaw Inn

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the room was clean and spacious for Japan. It’s well placed for the station and morning markets. A few things to know: Google Maps took us to the back door by the car park, not the main entrance. If you end up near the car park, walk through it to the next street to find the entrance. I added some short videos to the review to make that clearer. Before going up the stairs inside the inn, you need to take off your shoes and wear the slippers provided. Other guests have worn them, though they’re sun-cleaned. The inn has souvenirs for sale and free hot water for tea in the hall by the room doors. You can leave luggage after checkout at your own risk. Staff will keep an eye on it if they’re there, but they aren’t always around. They may suggest restaurants, but I’d also recommend walking around the area to discover places yourself. There are many good restaurants a few kilometers from the inn, and it’s a nice walk. Many close before 9 pm and may need advance bookings, though we found some exceptions.

Things started out well, but when we asked for an extra 30 minutes to check out because of health reasons, they refused in a rude, unfriendly, and disrespectful way. I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

The rooms felt spacious and cozy, and the futons were comfortable. After a long day of walking, I slept really well. The place is close to the morning markets and all the restaurants Takayama has to offer, and the staff were incredibly friendly. They gave us suggestions and even helped take a photo when we left. There’s a cute shared lounge with stamps and information to swap. You can leave notes about hidden gems, your adventures, or yourself. There’s a kitchen, too, handy if you’re staying longer and want to make breakfast, or if you buy Hida beef from a local butcher or grocer and cook it yourself, in case you can’t take meat back overseas.

I still think about this place as one of the highlights of my last trip to Japan. The room was spacious, comfortable, and beautifully styled, and I could go on about how good it was. What I’m especially grateful for is how Suzuki San, the owner of Rickshaw Inn, helped when we accidentally left two bags on the Shinkansen Toyama Station on our way to the inn. The JR staff at the station weren’t much help, and the bags ended up at Tsuruga Station, a three-hour drive from Takayama. Suzuki San made several calls to JR customer service and managed to get JR Tsuruga Station to mail them to our next hotel in Osaka. I can’t thank you enough, Suzuki San. Anyone reading this should give the inn a try.