Ryokan Fujiya

The hot spring water is the standout here. It’s 100% natural, which surprisingly few places in Japan offer, and the quality is excellent. If you’re really into onsens, this is a must visit. The rooms are average and the views minimal, so don’t expect mountain vistas or luxury rooms and amenities. But the facilities are clean and well maintained, and the service was lovely. You get what you’d expect from a ryokan, just in a more casual style. The host explained everything, showed me to my room, offered to carry my luggage, asked about my plans for the next day, and gave me travel tips. The food was great and plentiful. I ate small lunches to save room, and still could barely finish dinner. The loose leaf green tea left in the guest rooms was amazing too. Booking on the website may be difficult if you can’t read Japanese, though Google Translate helps. The staff speak limited English, but they’re kind, patient, and accommodating. There were five groups while I was there and I was the only foreigner, but I got by fine with basic Japanese. There’s an old-fashioned feel in the right places, from the natural wood decay patterns in the baths to the rotary phone for calling the front desk, the architecture, and the iron tools in the dining area. At the same time, the place has modern toilets, lights, heating and cooling, air filters, and electric kettles. The main problem for me was the private bath temperature early in the morning. It seemed they stopped regulating it overnight, so the water was scalding, over 40C even in winter. A couple of guests tried to get in, then everyone gave up. My room was closest to the lobby, and the WiFi was a bit spotty but good enough for YouTube. Other rooms might have a harder time connecting, and there’s no WiFi in the dining area. It was very quiet when I was there, with just a handful of guests in rooms spread out around the place, though I don’t know if noise would be an issue when it’s fully booked. If you don’t have a car, the location isn’t ideal. The bus stop is just a stone’s throw away but has no seats or cover from the weather, and there’s nothing worth visiting within a short walk. The outdoor public onsen is a good option if you’re willing to walk 30 minutes each way.

The owners made us feel so welcome, and the meals with local river fish were delicious. Our room was roomy, with its own toilet, and the bedding was incredibly comfortable. The public onsen is small but pleasant; the private baths were much too hot for us. The bus stop for Takayama is only about a quarter mile away, and the stop in the other direction is just one house down.

The bath gets a surprisingly strong flow of hot spring water, and the water quality is excellent. There’s also a private outdoor bath. For food, you can pick from several hot pot options, and the dishes were great.

Such a lovely place, and the Onsen was a real relief.