History still lives and breathes in Takayama, making it the perfect place to stay in a ryokan like Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, which retains a sense of local authenticity and tradition. When you first arrive, take a moment to wander around the lobby, modeled on the gassho-style of architecture typical of the region and constructed using majestic giant zelkova trees. Jindai cedar, Yoshino cedar, and Jindai zelkova also add to the abundance of warm natural wood that gives this ryokan its charm and character.

As you are shown to your guest room, you will pass by the beautiful inner courtyard of Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama. Here, red and white Nishikigoi carp swim in a pond surrounded by ferns, shrubs, small trees, and moss-covered stones, with a graceful Japanese stone lantern overlooking this peaceful scene. Wooden chairs and tables are provided so that guests can sit and relax beside the pond.

Only guests ages 13 and over can stay at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama. The ryokan is particularly popular with couples due to its traditional decor and architecture with an air of luxurious sophistication. Every effort is made to ensure the comfort and privacy of guests. A dedicated room attendant will take care of you and your room throughout your stay, including welcoming you to the ryokan when you arrive and seeing you off personally when it is time to bid farewell.

Guest rooms at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama follow traditional Japanese design aesthetics with sliding doors, natural wood beams, and tatami mat floors. Your  room will have a low-set table typical of traditional Japanese ryokans, as well as graceful sliding doors that open out onto a balcony with an outdoor rotemburo onsen bath looking out on nearby trees. Rather than futons, this room contains twin Western-style beds . Take time to relax in your room and your outdoor bath while you marvel at the subtle yet superb craftsmanship on display, particularly in the detailed woodwork that Takayama is famous for.

* The room assigned may vary depending on availability. Facilities may differ from those listed, and in some cases, the room may not include an open-air bath.

Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama is blessed with its own private hot springs, from which it draws natural hot spring water from 1,200 meters underground to feed its onsen baths. While certain rooms at the ryokan include private outdoor rotemburo baths, there is also a private bath that guests can also reserve by contacting the front desk. All guests have access to the large public bath, which includes an indoor bathing area and outdoor rotemburo. Take some time to relax in the rich silky onsen waters of Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, said to be the secret to beautiful skin.

Dinner at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama is a private affair, held in a beautifully-appointed dining room reserved just for you. Meals are served kaiseki-style in courses of intricately prepared dishes that are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. The emphasis here is on locally-sourced seasonal ingredients such as wild vegetables and mushrooms as well as trout and ayu sweetfish from nearby streams. 

And of course there is the region’s famous Hida beef, famous throughout Japan for its exquisite flavor and texture. Hida beef comes exclusively from Kuroge Wagyu cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture (Hida is the old name for this part of Gifu Prefecture) and it is widely considered to be one of the finest varieties of beef available. Delicately marbled without any excess fat, sweet yet savory, and textured just right to melt in your mouth—you’ve never had anything like it.

After a restful night in your beautiful guest room, get the day started right with a full cooked breakfast at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama. Your meal will again be served in the privacy and comfort of your own dining room near the front of the building (where you had dinner the night before).　For your morning meal, you can choose either a Japanese-style or Western-style breakfast.

Both are made using local seasonal ingredients for a balanced and flavorful experience. The Japanese breakfast includes a special Takayama specialty known as Hoba Miso, made from grilling mushrooms and other delicacies with miso and green onions on a magnolia leaf. And of course, since you will be staying at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama for two nights, you can try both breakfasts if you wish.

The forests and mountains around Takayama have long inspired spiritual devotion. The nearby peak of Mt. Norikura was once revered as a place of pilgrimage, with Senkoji Temple established on its lower slopes as a place of rest for climbers to replenish their energy and clear their minds before continuing onward. When you arrive at the temple, a senior priest will lead you in a meditation designed to ease your mind and body to help you connect more deeply with this special place.

The head priest will then guide you through Senkoji’s Enku Buddha Treasure Hall, home to a remarkable collection of 64 wooden statues. These statues are said to have been carved by the monk Enku during the early years of the Edo period (1603–1868), who purportedly spent 30 years traveling around Japan carving as many as 120,000 Buddhist statues that he gave to the common people.

For lunch, you will be served a special vegetarian meal prepared with local seasonal ingredients. This is known as shojin ryori, a traditional style of cuisine developed over hundreds of years by Buddhist monks and priests. In keeping with Buddhist principles, shojin ryori meals are strictly vegetarian and emphasize health, balance, and flavor.

Feeling replenished mind, body and soul after your time at the temple, you will head out onto a 3 km trail through the surrounding forests. There are many shrines along the way where you can pause to pray or reflect on your surroundings as you breathe the clear mountain air. The trail leads to an extraordinary cedar tree that is over 1,200 years old known as Gohonsugi (“Five Cedars”) due to its unique growth into five split trunks.

In recent years, Takayama has become increasingly popular among travelers from around the world, many seeking a deeper and more authentic connection with Japan. Through visiting the mountain temple of Senkoji for a meaningful meditation, healthy shojin ryori lunch, forest walk, and tour of the temple’s ancient wooden carvings, you will gain unique insight into the inseparable connection between culture and nature in Japan.

Staying two nights at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama in Takayama is an unforgettably luxurious experience. From the gourmet meals in private dining rooms to the beautiful inner courtyard with its koi and mossy stones to the onsen baths and intricate woodwork adorning the guest rooms, this ryokan is a truly special place to stay. Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama embraces modernity and luxury while truly embodying the essence of traditional Japanese style and hospitality.