[1 Night] Live the Hida Way Staying in a Traditional Home and Discovering Local Cuisine

Experience the Original Japanese Landscape in the Satoyama of Hida Takayama

Just 15 minutes by car from the old town of Hida Takayama, JINEN sits in the Nyukawa area, the gateway to Chubu Sangaku National Park. This region, designated as a rural landscape conservation zone, is known for its harmony between natural surroundings and human activity. Idyllic countryside views stretch in every direction.

Japanese pepper trees grow just in front of the inn

JINEN faces south and is surrounded by mountains—an uncommon setting even within Hida Takayama. Spring brings rice planting, summer is lush with green paddies, autumn sees golden fields swaying in the breeze, and winter blankets everything in snow. The landscape is a quiet expression of life lived close to nature.

Peony flowers line the road from northern Nyukawa to Horiki

Here, daily life is shaped by the rhythm of the land. You will witness local agricultural work and experience a slower pace of life, one that offers space to breathe, reflect, and reconnect.

Living with Nature in a Century-Old House

JINEN is a renovated traditional home, more than 100 years old, now available as a private rental. While the dining kitchen has been updated for comfort, the Japanese-style rooms, exposed beams, and frosted glass preserve the home’s original character.

A modern dining kitchen that retains traces of the past

The floor in the dining area features uzdukuri, a traditional woodworking technique that brings out the grain’s texture. Walking barefoot, you will feel the warmth of the natural wood underfoot. This craft, passed down by the Hida no Takumi artisans for over 1,300 years, is part of the region’s legacy. The dining chairs are handmade by a local furniture studio in Nyukawa. Natural materials and skilled craftsmanship give character to the space throughout.

Painted rural landscape

Beyond the windows, rice fields and mountains stretch into view, changing with the seasons—fresh green in spring, golden in autumn, snow-covered in winter. Not just a backdrop, the scenery is a part of the house itself, like a painting that lives and breathes.

Winter scenery wrapped in a world of silver

Large windows draw nature inside, allowing you to feel its presence even when you’re at rest. The view reflects the daily lives of those who tend the fields and move with the seasons. You’re invited to share, for a time, in the quiet beauty of a life carefully lived.

A Way of Living Rooted in Care

JINEN offers three Japanese-style rooms, each with tatami flooring. Shoji screens filter in soft light, and the natural textures of wood create a sense of calm. Every element reflects thoughtful consideration, from herbal tea grown nearby to home-roasted coffee sourced from a local shop in Takayama.

An interior that brings together the old and the new

Breakfast, exclusive to Wabunka, is simple yet grounded in the strength of the ingredients. Expect bread from a Nyukawa bakery, seasonal salads with local vegetables, and fresh fruit. You can take your time and eat when it suits you—self-serve, unhurried, and personal. Eating by the window with a view of the rice fields and morning light will be a moment that stays with you.

A breakfast made with local ingredients while enjoying the view outside

From Market to Kitchen, A Taste of Everyday Life in Hida

The heart of this stay lies in the time spent with a local, from gathering ingredients to preparing the meal together. Your guide, Sugiyama, is a Nyukawa resident with a deep knowledge of the region and its food culture. Warm and energetic, she brings the market to life.

Conversations with Sugiyama will make your shopping experience even more fulfilling

At the market, you will find an ever-changing selection: wild herbs in spring, tomatoes and other summer crops, mushrooms and root vegetables in autumn. Each visit brings something different. Sugiyama offers thoughtful insights into how to prepare and enjoy each item, opening a window into local life through this outing.

Have fun cooking with local ingredients while receiving a careful lecture

Together, you will choose what to cook based on the season’s harvest. Whether it’s hand-rolled sushi, Hida beef burgers, or a dish that mixes Japanese and Western elements, the experience is tailored to you. Even beginners are guided with care. The stories behind the ingredients bring an added richness to the meal you create.

Let the Satoyama Set the Pace

Take this opportunity to spend two days away from the pace of everyday life, in a place where time flows differently. You may find yourself forgetting to check your phone or glance at the clock. Sit on the veranda and listen to the insects, breathe in the clear air, or look up at the stars. Doing nothing becomes its own kind of richness.

A small guidepost to JINEN

Even in Hida Takayama, few places preserve the traditional landscape as deeply as Nyukawa. This rare setting offers a kind of restoration that city life rarely allows, a way of living in step with the land, led by seasonal shifts and local traditions. A stay at JINEN is a brief return to a way of life grounded in the satoyama spirit, one that stays with you long after you leave.