The small town of Hida-Furukawa lies to the north of its better-known neighbor Takayama in a narrow valley along the Miyagawa River. Flanked by rice fields and lush forested mountains, the town is blessed with beautiful scenery in any season. After you arrive in Hida-Furukawa, you will find your accommodation at the place where the Arakigawa River flows into the Miyagawa River. Ryokan Busuitei was established in this picturesque spot in 1870 as a restaurant that became a ryokan inn renowned for its warm hospitality, delicious meals, and beautiful views of surrounding countryside.

Along with its legacy of over 150 years, staying at Ryokan Busuitei is an engaging personal experience. With just 3 guest rooms on the premises, there is the sense that you have this incredible place to yourself, your own little sanctuary in the Hida countryside. The proprietor of this family-owned ryokan is always happy to engage personally with guests, sharing stories about Hida as well as detailed knowledge of the many natural herbs that grow wild in the local area.

Your room at Ryokan Busuitei will be the premium suite Issui, which was added to the ryokan as a detached guest room in 1935. The suite is characterized by tatami mat flooring and sliding doors, making Issui a quintessentially traditional Japanese space that feels ancient yet timeless in the subtle elegance of its design. Outer sliding doors open up onto magnificent views of forests, rivers, and mountains.

The three main rooms of your suite are joined by an L-shaped hallway flanked by windows, each providing their own unique perspective on the charming natural scenery of their surroundings. Stylish furniture appropriate to the traditional Japanese decor including low tables and chairs provides you with the chance to relax and take in the room itself as well as the view through the windows.

Because your Issui suite can sleep up to 5 people, with two Western-style single beds as well as space for 3 futons on tatami mats, it is perfect for couples and families as well as solo travelers. There is also a sofa that converts into an extra single bed. A bath with a shower is located inside the suite, so you can bathe in privacy at your leisure.

After you check into Ryokan Busuitei and settle into your room, you will be invited to participate in an herbal tea brewing experience. Unlike the formal Japanese tea ceremony you might be familiar with, this is a more relaxed affair, where tea will be prepared using locally-collected natural herbs that are said to have health and wellness benefits. After receiving helpful explanations of the benefits of twelve different herbs, you will select four that you wish to include when brewing your herbal tea. Feel free to ask any questions at any point during the experience.

After you have finished your tea, you will have the chance to learn all about another application of these local herbs. With guidance, you will create a soothing herbal blend that you can use while soaking in the baths of the ryokan or in your own bath after you return home. Take your time to learn about the different herbs and their properties as you create just the right blend of herbs for a relaxing aromatic bath.

After this, as a Wabunka exclusive benefit, the in-house chef will explain the ingredients of your upcoming dinner, as well as their procuration and preparation.

Dinner at Ryokan Busuitei will arrive in the form of a delicious kaiseki meal consisting of multiple dishes meticulously crafted to achieve the right balance of aroma, texture, color, and flavor. Based on the household’s knowledge of local plants, these dishes will also be seasoned and flavored by herbs harvested from nearby forests and meadows that not only add to the taste but are said to confer health and wellness benefits.

Included in your meal will be a dish of premium Hida beef, which comes exclusively from Kuroge Wagyu cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture (Hida is the old name for this part of Gifu Prefecture). This beef is famous throughout Japan for its incredible flavor and texture. Cook the beef yourself by swirling it gently through a seasoned broth (a process known as shabu-shabu) then take your time to savor each precious bite. Desserts are delectable, changing to match the seasons as with the cheesecake infused with a hint of the local herb menamomi (Sigesbeckia orientalis).

Your morning meal at Ryokan Busuitei may resemble a conventional traditional Japanese breakfast — including rice, miso, soup, and grilled fish — but as with dinner the night before, it is seasoned with natural herbs. These herbs are carefully selected to add just the right infusions of flavor while contributing to the meal’s overall balance of nutrients such as minerals and vitamins.

As part of your breakfast, you will be served a Hida delicacy known as hoba miso. This special local dish is made by grilling mushrooms and seasonal vegetables with miso and green onions on a magnolia leaf. At Ryokan Busuitei, however, hoba miso is made in the traditional way developed by a previous proprietor of the establishment, mixing miso with Hida green onions and grilling it over charcoal on a magnolia leaf.. Hoba miso is best enjoyed with rice.

While it is not uncommon for a traditional Japanese ryokan to take great care with the meals that it prepares for its guests, Ryokan Busuitei is particularly devoted to achieving the delicate balance between flavor and nutrition. All ingredients are carefully selected for quality and freshness, with an emphasis on local seasonal ingredients including natural herbs picked in the forests around the town of Hida-Furukawa.

As for the Issui suite where you will spend your time at Ryokan Busuitei, be cautious. The longer you relax inside its beautiful traditional Japanese rooms and gaze out upon the picturesque scenery all around you, the harder it can be to say goodbye when you leave. This is a ryokan that soon starts to feel like home, even while it retains the timeless magic and mystery of traditional rural Japan.