tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post8654739781162172386..comments2024-03-26T18:37:17.297-07:00Comments on Paul's Travel Pics: Hida Takayama - Restaurant and Hotel ReviewsPaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-4747910295680266092014-09-27T23:36:05.986-07:002014-09-27T23:36:05.986-07:00Hi Eliseu,
From Kanazawa we took the train to Tak...Hi Eliseu,<br /><br />From Kanazawa we took the train to Takaoka then transferred to another train to Johana, then a Kaestunou Bus to Ainokura. It's not straight forward, and you need to judge whether you're willing spend the time and money. We absolutely loved our experience at Ainokura though, and 8800Y per person for room, dinner and breakfast is a fair price.<br /><br />Narai is a cool and authentic town, perhaps even more authentic than Magome and Tsumago in the sense that Narai is less developed in terms of shops and services for tourists. If you can't get to Tsumago and Magome, then Narai is not a bad place to spend a couple hours.<br /><br />Paul<br /><br />Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-39306044020467086582014-09-27T18:58:45.646-07:002014-09-27T18:58:45.646-07:00Thanks Paul for your help.To avoid these kind of p...Thanks Paul for your help.To avoid these kind of problems w'll be travelling to japan with 2 light cabin cases.<br />I've just got a mail from japaneseguesthouses informing that they had found me a shinjuko (Yomosiro) at Ainokura for 17.600 jpy. I was not thinking going there but as this is the sole possibility of staying in a gassho house I'm facing this possability, althoug a bit expensive. Now: how did you get there from Kanazawa? I'm afraid that I have to go via Takaoka which is a waste of time and money.<br />Another question please: do you think that a day visit to Narai from Matsumoto can give us a good idea of what the other Nakasendo post towns are? We'd love to hike between Magome and Tsumago but the time is always short.<br />Thanks again<br /><br />eliseunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-22275269989551125842014-09-25T23:08:48.469-07:002014-09-25T23:08:48.469-07:00Hi Eliseu,
From memory there should be a luggage ...Hi Eliseu,<br /><br />From memory there should be a luggage deposit place at the Tourist Info in Shirakawago. In Kamikochi it's in the form of lockers at the bus station. The domestic tourists are highly dependent on these lockers so finding them is generally not an issue. You're more likely to run into the situation of the larger lockers being all occupied, in which case you'll have to ask the Tourist Info to help.<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-71606694800676967662014-09-25T12:33:09.396-07:002014-09-25T12:33:09.396-07:00Dear Paul
Congratulations for your so interesting ...Dear Paul<br />Congratulations for your so interesting blog. It seems we have the same interests and similar philosophy of life.The difference is that I'm much older...<br />I'll start my first trip to japan next 9 Oct and after Tokyo I'm thinking to take a bus to Matsumoto, then kamikochi, Takayama, Shirakawago, kanazawa, Kyoto...<br />I coudn´t find accomodation either near kamikochi or in Shirakawago. So I have to visit these places as a short stopover. As from what you can remember of these 2 places do you think is there at the bus stations any luggage deposit where we can leave our case while waiting the next bus?<br />Thank you very much for your helpEliseunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-66290243031766642142013-09-30T21:18:28.168-07:002013-09-30T21:18:28.168-07:00Raine,
Sorry for the late reply ... we've bee...Raine,<br /><br />Sorry for the late reply ... we've been traveling the past few weeks.<br /><br />The Matsuri does present a big problem in terms of booking. You could try booking the nearby towns such as Hida Furukawa or even as far as Gero. Gero, which is a popular hotspring town about an hour away by train, should have tons of hotel rooms. Hida Furukawa would be my choice but it's a smaller town and I'm guessing a lot of the hotels will be full by now.<br /><br />Good luck,<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-11851839203672764772013-09-24T09:53:37.196-07:002013-09-24T09:53:37.196-07:00Hi Paul,
Great blog and I love what you've i...Hi Paul, <br /><br />Great blog and I love what you've introduced of Central Japan. My friend and I are heading up in a couple of weeks and we're doing a trail pretty close to what you've done with a few exceptions (starting from Tokyo - Hakone (1 night) - Kanazawa (1 night) - Shirakawago (1 night) - Takayama (2 nights) - Matsumoto (2 nights with a day trip to Kamikochi cos I couldn't find any accommodation below USD100 per pax and everything seemed out of my budget) - back to Tokyo). <br /><br />Based on our itinerary we realised we will arrive in Takayama on 10 Oct - just missing the matsuri night. Clearly we are having problems with accommodation booking (as you can just imagine). If we still want to experience the matsuri, are there any alternatives e.g. staying at a neighbouring town and taking a bus back? I've been trying to Google the information but it was getting too confusing for me to wade through all the information and I have no sense of distance sigh. Clearly my Japanese needs some work! <br /><br />Appreciate your advice! Pity Hanaoka closed down - we would have loved to stay there thanks to your rave reviews. <br /><br />Cheers <br />RaineRainerusthttp://rainerust.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-50466444011459762882013-05-05T00:02:25.766-07:002013-05-05T00:02:25.766-07:00Lils,
Thanks for the info and suggestion. I'...Lils, <br /><br />Thanks for the info and suggestion. I've added a blurb at the top with some alternate choices for readers visiting Takayama. You may want to take a quick look at these as well.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-10184698230771871872013-05-04T17:22:47.546-07:002013-05-04T17:22:47.546-07:00Hi Paul, I enjoy your photos and writing on your (...Hi Paul, I enjoy your photos and writing on your (Japan) travels a lot.<br /><br />I emailed Ryokan Hanaoka and also the Hida Takayama Tourist Information Office as a "back up" right after reading your blog but so sad that the Info Office wrote back that Hanaoka has closed down. <br /><br />Then I read the comments from people on your blog.<br /><br />Maybe they were not making money from the sumptuous dinner and breakfast you all had or maybe he's gone to be a Michelin Chef :)<br /><br />Anyway, just want to say thank you for your tips - great stuff! and maybe you want to update your blog to say that they have closed because I don't know if more people like me write to the Tourist Info, will they get mad HAHA!<br /><br />Cheers,<br />LilsLilshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190058139160098323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-84813187095258570472013-02-08T17:39:50.405-08:002013-02-08T17:39:50.405-08:00Amanda,
Shimotaya is located about a 12 minute ...Amanda,<br /> <br />Shimotaya is located about a 12 minute walk from the Hida Ichinomiya station, which is one station away from Takayama. While the distance is short and the train fare should cheap (200 yen or so), train are infrequent in this region and you need to plan your trip according to the train schedule. Also the bathroom and toilets are shared. But if you don't mind these drawbacks, 7300 for a Minshuku with 2 meals is a good deal, especially when the reviews are all praising the food. <br /> <br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-14835987405051713312013-02-07T23:22:37.432-08:002013-02-07T23:22:37.432-08:00Hi Paul,
I'm planning my next Japan based on ...Hi Paul,<br /><br />I'm planning my next Japan based on a condensed version of your trip :) I'll be travelling down from Kanazawa (1 night), Shirakawa-go (1 night), and 2 nights in Takayama. For Takayama, I've shortlisted 4 places:<br />1)Spa Hotel Alpina Hida Takayama;<br />2) Sumiyoshi;<br />3) Asunaro Japanese Traditional Inn; & <br />4) 民宿しもたや Shimotaya Minshu<br />The reviews of the last one on Jalan seemed really good. However, I can't understand Japanese well (I use google translate) and I'm wondering if Shimotaya might be too inconveniently located. Would like to seek your help and opinion on this please. Appreciate much, thanks!<br /><br />AmandaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-37936597030858198702013-01-12T10:07:07.672-08:002013-01-12T10:07:07.672-08:00Hanaoka's closed. Tried making a reservation t...Hanaoka's closed. Tried making a reservation through Hida-Takayama Hotel Association and received this reply:<br />残念ですが、料理旅館花岡は、閉館しました。<br /> 旅館は、やっていません。<br /><br />It's such a pity. Stayed there for 2 nights in 2009. The food's really great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-67023529888079803622013-01-09T22:29:20.018-08:002013-01-09T22:29:20.018-08:00CV,
Thank you so much for the update. Other reade...CV,<br /><br />Thank you so much for the update. Other readers had previously reported that Hanaoka had shut down, but since you stayed there in Nov 2012 they must have re-opened. This is great news.<br /><br />Did you book through the Tourism Association?<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-3204866574118456022013-01-09T21:37:58.841-08:002013-01-09T21:37:58.841-08:00Hi Everyone,
My husband and I went to the Ryokan i...Hi Everyone,<br />My husband and I went to the Ryokan in November, 2012 and I can recognize some of the bowls and plates in the pictures. The food at dinner and breakfast was stunning. I even took a picture with the owner/chef.<br />When we arrived no one was in but we just left our luggage on the second floor and went sightseeing. When we arrived back, everything was in our room.<br />What a wonderful place to have been.<br />CV,California Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-69947014895375258822012-06-10T22:17:03.151-07:002012-06-10T22:17:03.151-07:00If you want anything under US$100 per night with h...If you want anything under US$100 per night with half board, it's probably Hodakaso Yamano Iori. You can check it out on my blog <a href="http://pigouttravels.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/takayama-ryokan-stay-hodakaso-yamano-iori/" rel="nofollow"></a><br /><br />It certainly not as good as the food that Paul posted in here though but the service is great!Piggyeatalothttp://www.pigouttravels.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-52992481850498847412012-05-19T00:07:34.597-07:002012-05-19T00:07:34.597-07:00Kimberly,
While there are many Ryokan in Takayama...Kimberly,<br /><br />While there are many Ryokan in Takayama, there aren't many that specifically call themselves Ryori Ryokan. Here's one that is barely walkable (15 minutes) from the train station. The price is around 15,000 yen, but judging from the photos they do serve more expensive ingredients (wild Ayu in summer, Matsutake in autumn). No English website, so if you're interested you're better off booking through the tourist association.<br /><br />http://hida-komakusa.com/<br /><br />Good luck!<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-1982789770168681802012-05-18T21:27:42.107-07:002012-05-18T21:27:42.107-07:00Esp. Ryori Ryokans.Esp. Ryori Ryokans.Kimberly Xie-aka-Kinnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08808338335399230172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-8878531155029038562012-05-18T21:24:51.860-07:002012-05-18T21:24:51.860-07:00Oh dear! I was getting all ready to book hanaoka a...Oh dear! I was getting all ready to book hanaoka after your glowing reviews, but to hear that it's closed....T_T Do you happen to know of/have any other Ryokans to recommend?Kimberly Xie-aka-Kinnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08808338335399230172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-56403673123345574032012-03-27T19:40:15.449-07:002012-03-27T19:40:15.449-07:00Paiyan,
Thanks for the confirmation :(
PaulPaiyan,<br /><br />Thanks for the confirmation :(<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-71678918054663721452012-03-27T17:29:52.446-07:002012-03-27T17:29:52.446-07:00Have just been back from Takayama and paid a visit...Have just been back from Takayama and paid a visit to Hanaoka. They are definitely shut. :(paiyannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-88300035118545344162012-03-14T20:13:22.953-07:002012-03-14T20:13:22.953-07:00Steffy,
The hotel's booking page on Jalan.net...Steffy,<br /><br />The hotel's booking page on Jalan.net has been taken down, so this is probably for real. Yes this is quite a disappointment ... Hanaoka was a great Ryori Ryokan.<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-16310458771672972032012-03-14T13:44:52.060-07:002012-03-14T13:44:52.060-07:00Is it confirmed that the Ryokan is closed? This is...Is it confirmed that the Ryokan is closed? This is unfortunate :(Estefahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02118057154082191290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-83948557856993051272012-03-06T20:16:54.069-08:002012-03-06T20:16:54.069-08:00Thanks Paiyan. I've never been to Gujo Hachima...Thanks Paiyan. I've never been to Gujo Hachiman so your advise should be very useful to Janet. <br /><br />Janet:<br /><br />If you see this, please read the above comment regarding the distance between the Gujo Hachiman's highway bus stop and the town centre.<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-19441831234173292712012-03-06T04:43:30.450-08:002012-03-06T04:43:30.450-08:00Definitely. If you don't mind me piggy backing...Definitely. If you don't mind me piggy backing onto your previous post regarding a question from Jenny - the Nouhibus from Takayama does not stop anywhere near the town centre. From memory it was at least a good 20min walk into the town centre from the "Inter" bus stop where the Nouhibus drops you off at! Gujo Hachiman was a beautiful, serene little town but I'd say a day trip may be pushing it a little time-wise unless you're stopping by on the way to Nagoya..paiyanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09897845295128343231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-27598213950080615362012-03-05T20:36:25.755-08:002012-03-05T20:36:25.755-08:00Thanks for the news Paiyan. It's sad news inde...Thanks for the news Paiyan. It's sad news indeed.<br /><br />PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00043097281088399947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29836589.post-78378954208669939402012-03-05T19:25:07.337-08:002012-03-05T19:25:07.337-08:00Hey there Paul,
Sad news, but I think it's be...Hey there Paul,<br /><br />Sad news, but I think it's been pretty much confirmed. Post on the Hida Takayama facebook page this morning said it all - they closed down two weeks ago. :(<br /><br />No wonder why they turned me down to stay this weekend when I'm there. Thought they were fully booked but turns out different..paiyannoreply@blogger.com