Hotels in Takayama January 2026

My husband and I are in our mid-60s. We will be traveling with my 89 year old mom and 33 year old son and would like to stay 2-3 nights in the Japanese Alps, as part of a 2-week first time visit to Japan. The other cities we plan to stay in are Tokyo and either Kyoto or Osaka.

We are from the US and donft speak Japanese. Of course we will do our best to learn some phrases, etc., but languages donft come easily for any of us. Wefre pretty savvy with using translation apps on our phones.

We will only be using public transportation.

Any recommendations for hotels in Takayama that meet the following:
1. Near public transportation
2. Can accommodate English-only speakers
3. Accept US based credit cards
4. Have rooms with private baths and traditional western mattress beds

Or any other recommendations for cities in the alps that may be a better match for our needs?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can offer.

We are from the US and donft speak Japanese. Of course we will do our best to learn some phrases, etc., but languages donft come easily for any of us. Wefre pretty savvy with using translation apps on our phones.

Most Japanese learn English for at least 6 years so can understand basic English. You donft need to speak/hear Japanese. But if you start the conversation with a single Japanese word, it will be much smoother: gSumimasenh is the word which means gExcuse meh. After that you can continue in English. Please speak slowly, as simple as possible. For example, gSumimasen, Takayama stationh is enough if you want to go to Takayama station. Donft start with gDo you speak English?h Most Japanese will answer gNo.h

2. Can accommodate English-only speakers

I am a Japanese who stayed about 100 nights for recent 5 years. From my experience, there are foreign hotel staff in most of the hotels I stayed. Takayama is popular among foreign tourists so it is quite unlikely that the hotel does not welcome foreign tourists.

3. Accept US based credit cards

I donft know, but credit card companies are mostly based on the US, so you will be fine.

4. Have rooms with private baths and traditional western mattress beds

Most hotel rooms in Takayama should meet these conditions. Of course if you spend more, you will get better rooms.

I've stayed at Takayama Ouan Hotel this January 2025. It is a very busy hotel but it should fit your criteria.

They accepted our overseas credit card and there's showers in our rooms. I don't think they have private baths/onsen in the room but there are 3 private baths available for guests to use. Something to note is that you have to remove your shoes in the lobby and change to hotel slippers.

I have not stayed at the Takayama Ouan Hotel in Takayama, but I think it is a great choice. This hotel is part of the Dormy Inn group, and I believe they all have rooms with showers instead of a bathtub, which would be much safer for a 89yo.

Regarding the other cities you are visiting: they also have the same type of "resort" hotels in Kyoto, eg. Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho. But their mid-range properties (the "Onyado nono") are already very comfortable, in my opinion.

In other hotels, you can try to ask for an accessible/barrier-free room. I was accidentally given such a room in a Tokyu Stay hotel, and it had a very spacious bath+shower space, but the sliding door felt quite heavy.

Thanks so much for all the helpful information!

I should have clarified that by "private bath" I was not referring to actual bath tubs. I just meant that the toilet/washroom is in the hotel room, vs. a facility outside the room, shared with other hotel guests, as might be the situation in a hostel.

But comments about baths vs. showers and general accessibility are well taken! We would definitely prefer showers, but could make do if a bath tub were the only option.

My husband and I are in our mid-60s. We will be traveling with my 89 year old mom and 33 year old son and would like to stay 2-3 nights in the Japanese Alps, as part of a 2-week first time visit to Japan.

In midwinter in the Japan Alps?
With your elderly parent?
Whatfs your purpose?

Anyway,
it may be hard to find a room for four adults to stay together
(except Japanese style room with tatami mats).
Rooms designed for two adults are more easily found.

1. Near public transportation

Takayama City is wide.
Check whether a specific hotel is located near Takayama Station.

2. Can accommodate English-only speakers

Presumably in Kyoto City most hotels would meet this criterion.

Takayama seems to be getting more popular among foreign tourists.

On the following booking website,
some Takayama hotels are listed with the Stars and Stripes indicating (American) English.
(Set the conditions as you like.)
https://www.jalan.net/ui/uip1400/uiw1402.do?minPriceUsd=0&maxPriceUsd=...

You still have several months before you stay.
For some hotels,
reservation may start a few months before your check-in date.
Read carefully the cancellation policy for your case.

The other cities we plan to stay in are Tokyo and either Kyoto or Osaka.

At which airports can you fly into or fly out of Japan?

On the day just before your flying out,
donft plan to have a domestic flight or a long Shinkansen ride.
A winter weather may delay or suspend these public transportations.
I suggest you get close to the airport at least two days before.

Enjoy your trips!

In midwinter in the Japan Alps?
With your elderly parent?
Whatfs your purpose?

My elderly parent loves the snow and cold weather! She now lives in a very mild climate and loves to visit cold climates, when possible. But your point is well taken that weather may be difficult. Our purpose would be to take in the scenery and have a change of pace from the more metropolitan areas we will be visiting.

it may be hard to find a room for four adults to stay together
Agreed, two rooms would be fine. Sorry I didn't clarify that.

Thanks for all your other comments and pointing me in the direction of the booking site. I realize it's still several months out and I am still deciding whether staying in the Japan Alps for a few nights is practical. Day trips into the area may be a better choice, although I haven't yet researched those options.

Takayama is a good base, but Kamikochi and the Alpine route will be closed in January. If you want to enjoy the mountains, maybe stay in one of the onsen towns in the Alps? Some traditional hotels/ryokan offer both Japanese and Western style rooms, so you and the rest of your family can get the "full" experience. Language should not be a major issue if you can use a translation app. An important point: if you stay at a ryokan 2 or 3 nights, I recommend getting dinner only on 1 night, as they can be quite heavy.

Or maybe go somewhere else, like Echigo Yuzawa or Karuizawa?

Tokyu Stay, Mercure, Takayama Green, Hida Plaza - all places I have used many times, although I tend not to visit the Plaza or Green very often. Most hotels in Takayama meet your criteria (English speaking front desk, separate toilet/bath in the room). It is a tourist town. Pick something in your budget.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I will definitely look into all of this.

That sounds like a very nice trip. I would pick Kyoto over Osaka if youfre already going to Tokyo as well, but it depends on your interests. I also wonder if your mother is able to walk easily or if all she needs a walker or something like that, that might be something to keep in mind if you want to visit temples which have lots and lots of stairs.

Japan is an easy enough country to visit without knowing much of the language when youfre in the bigger cities or more touristy areas (which the cities you name definitely fall under). And with eSumimasenf and eArigatof and a few smiles you can also get around in any other part as well.

You can just book your accommodation in advance and find the train and bus schedules on this website or even in Google maps, so you wonft have much to arrange once youfre there. The train stations and bus stops will generally have the names written in romanji (latin letters), so you wonft even be confronted with not knowing the name of your stop. I used Booking.com to arrange most of my accommodations in Japan, including a little house in Takayama, since itfs easy to use without having to go on foreign language websites, but therefs plenty of other booking websites. If you want a specific hotel or ryokan it might be a bit more tricky to find it in English but still doable most of the time. As long as you pick a hotel near the station, I think you will be just fine with your requirements.

Most booking websites will state whether the rooms have western or Japanese beds and whether they accept credit cards. Just keep in mind that Japanese hotel rooms are generally quite small so therefs not much room to turn around in there.

Takayama is a nice place to visit for two days, or maybe two and a half if you want to take it slow and visit Hida Folk Village as well. Itfs not to big, but it is pretty and has a nice atmosphere. I think itfs a good pick.

Personally I loved staying at a ryokan for a night to have the full experience with Japanese baths, dinner and the old-fashioned atmosphere so I would suggest finding one if possible. It doesnft have to be around Takayama if transport is difficult there in winter, you could also go somewhere scenic from Tokyo or Kyoto, stay one night and return to the city. Some hotels will even store your larger luggage for you if you want to travel lightly and only take backpacks and return to the same hotel after a night elsewhere.

One thing I do recommend is getting some cash, though, despite having credit cards. If you want to buy something in a shop or restaurant or at a market you will likely only be able to pay in cash. There are ATMs in lost of places, most stations and grocery stores will have one. But you could just wait until you arrive and see if you need it and withdraw it then.

Thank you Maria and everyone else for all your helpful replies!

My 89 year old mom walks very well without any assistive devices. She is a bit slower than the rest of us, but she's still very agile for her age and has great stamina.

I am thinking now that just one night in Takayama as a day trip out of Tokyo may be the best solution for us, taking just some overnight essentials. My thought is to keep the Tokyo hotel rooms for the night we are in Takayama, and pay for our accommodations in both cities for just the one night. It would be easier on all of us and worth the extra cost to not have to check out and then check back in, potentially needing to move to new rooms.

Any advice on how far in advance we would need to book a Takayama hotel? Is this something we can do once we're in Tokyo and have a better sense of the weather forecast, or do we need to book weeks/months in advance? We would be visiting Takayama mid-week the second week in January.

Thanks also for everyone's advice on navigating language barriers and access to cash. Very helpful and reassuring.

Any advice on how far in advance we would need to book a Takayama hotel? Is this something we can do once we're in Tokyo and have a better sense of the weather forecast, or do we need to book weeks/months in advance? We would be visiting Takayama mid-week the second week in January.

There is no public holiday at that time, and no major festival. As long as you avoid weekends, you should be able to find a hotel even at a short notice. Making reservations in advance usually gets you cheaper prices, though.

But Takayama is a long way from Tokyo, and since you are going to Kyoto/Osaka afterwards it does not make sense to backtrack. If you really want to do a one night-stay like this, doing it from Kyoto would make more sense : less traveling time, and chances are that your hotel in Kyoto will be less expensive than the one in Tokyo.

But Takayama is a long way from Tokyo, and since you are going to Kyoto/Osaka afterwards it does not make sense to backtrack. If you really want to do a one night-stay like this, doing it from Kyoto would make more sense : less traveling time, and chances are that your hotel in Kyoto will be less expensive than the one in Tokyo.
Thank you for the information and pointing out that Kyoto is closer. I'm getting mixed up in my geography.