Although expensive, I would definitely recommend at least two nights in this fabulous place. Personally, my favourite part was having the food brought to you- very nice food in very large quantities. They have options for Japanese and continental breakfast, as well. Overall, it was an amazing stay and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Also the onsen is very nice and the staff are very funny.

We had the most fabulous time at this amazing ryokan. Our sons had a slightly smaller room downstairs whilst we had a rather spectacular one a floor above with a great view across the river. The lovely Japanese hostess (actually we encountered more than one and they were all great) was fabulous and gave the stay extra personality. The family bath is a great one too. I would highly recommend.

Most welcoming, gracious and wonderful hosts! We had the most beautiful stay - cannot thank the staff enough for making us feel special - from our breakfast (which was some of the best Japanese food we have eaten), to a very special dinner on our second night, to the room and onsen. We will highly recommend to all of our friends and family. Thank you!

The ojiichan and obaachan (staff) here are so warm, friendly, and welcoming 🥰 We loved our stay here! They speak English minimally but well enough to understand. If you want to practice japanese they'd be open to it too c: We came from Tsumago and arrived around 9pm so we missed our first dinner, but the staff were very accommodating and had our beds ready when we arrived! The location is about 15 mins away from the bus/train station and a 5 min walk to the morning market across the river. The bath here is amazing too--private bathroom with very hot running water. They open from 7am-11pm. The room is especially cozy and they provide yukata to wear inside the Ryokan. They also provide a hand towel and toothbrush + toothpaste! In addition, there's a homeless cat that comes by to lick the window in the morning but is also afraid of people o: (don't let it in!) The food portions are huge and varied! We don't eat that much usually so it's definitely a change from our normal diet, but even if you need more food, they always have extra rice :) The sake here is also very sweet and there's a variety of pickled veggies~ for dinner, we even got hida beef (something that Takayama is known for) While you eat breakfast or dinner, they come into the room to change out the bed. So when you come back into your room, there's a table and chairs waiting for you (it's so magical haha). When it's in the evening, they'll even bring in tea + sweets to enjoy. Inside the place, they also have a small bookshelf with books in English, German, French, and of course, Japanese (might be other languages too)

The owners and staff were all so very kind and were always laughing and smiling. The grandma has such a youthfulness about her personality it’s endearing. Breakfast was delicious. Plenty of heating to keep the cold out. Blankets were so light but so warm, slept like a log. Although the mattresses were a bit thin and uncomfortable. During breakfast they go to your room and pack away your bed. I actually wanted to sleep a bit more after breakfast but to my dismay my bed was gone. Only one shared shower facility which is also the onsen. Stay here if you can book the room with private bath - we would had it been available but i booked it thinking the experience would be worth it. I’ll be honest, for the price, you definitely shouldn’t be needing to share a bathroom. It would’ve been an all round great experience if I hadn’t had to physically queue outside the bathroom for 30 minutes because 3 female guests from one room were tag teaming the bathroom usage, occupying it one after the other, each going for 30+ minutes solo during peak bath hour. Such awkward and inconsiderate guests. All I wanted was to shower and go to sleep.

Lovely place and amazing staff. 300 year old hotel worth more than most of the museums in Japan: the rooms are like old days Japan, they have samurai armor, onsen (3 people max)... Rooms are very comfortable and you get a free kimono. Breakfast is served in a Japanese style and is quite an experience (plus you can eat as much as you want). Staff are lovely old people that are constantly doing things for you. Money well spent!

The hostes are really nice. They speak just a little bit of English but it's just enough that they can communicate with you. The breakfast and dinner were amazing. It's Japanese food so occidental people could find a little bit weird but at the end we really enjoyed it. The accommodation are tight but this is what makes it Japanese I guess. Private hot bath available and it was really enjoyable. I would stay there again.

Friendly staff, great food, absolutely stunning place! We really loved staying here in the last part of our Japan trip - it was so quiet and relaxing. It also has beautiful views and really excellent WiFi! I definitely would recommend this ryokan to anyone looking for the traditional Japanese hotel experience!

This has been my favourite and most memorable experience so far! The ryokan is incredible inside, and so peaceful since it looks out onto a little river. The onsen was also fantastic and relaxing. The meals was amazing! The food was perfect and I could not rate it higher. Most importantly, the staff were absolutely incredible. They were so kind and friendly, going above and beyond to make your experience perfect. I would definitely recommend this to anyone staying in Takayama!!!

A wonderful friendly place run by a lovely lady and what appear to be her parents, uncles and aunts! The traditional Japanese architecture and living arrangements (futons on the floor that are packed away by gymnastic geriatrics in a few minutes each morning) are worth the extra few yen. The staff will help you with anything and everything: you will really feel at home here. No wonder it wins awards.

Sumiyoshi Ryokan was the best place and best experience we had in Japan. As soon as you walk in you are taken back in time. The very traditional Japanese tatami house is covered with historical artefacts it feels more like a museum. The tour to your room is an experience in itself! We had a garden room with 2 rooms one for sleeping and one for eating with a little terrace around the perimeter overlooking the garden all separated by shoji screens. We had not booked the dinner for all the nights but wished we had! It was a spectacle! They brought out the most beautiful dishes that did not disappoint on taste. There were so many dishes and they catered to my vegetarian diet. It was the best food experience we had in Japan. Then there was the breakfast each morning which was similarly impressive. A never ending delight of perfectly curated plates! Then there was the onsen. They have 2 private onsens. One better than the other but both perfect for couples on holiday that otherwise experience the onsen separately. It gets you nice and warm to relax in your tatami room in your kimonos. And I can't leave this review without mentioning the owners. They were the most welcoming and happy people. The lady even taught us how to make little sushi with our chopsticks! It wouldn't have been the same experience if they were not there paying attention to every little detail to make our stay perfect!

Authentic ryokan experience with the best hospitality. Rooms were clean and wide, Japanese breakfast delicious and the staff’s service was excellent. Very recommended for a fully Japanese experience, it feels like living with them for a day.

Beautiful people and an amazing place to stay. Highly recommended! The kind owners of this delightful ryokan have set in a Meiji-era merchant’s house. They are amazing and have been welcoming guests from abroad for years. Some rooms have river views like ours which had 2 chairs and a sun roof overlooking the river as well as common areas. The place features the family’s collection of antique samurai armour. One room has a private bath. They offer full or half board with meals which are amazing traditional spreads of local Japanese cuisine. It is in a great location and value, like living at grandmas house ❤️

This is an incredibly cute and quaint ryokan, really nice atmosphere. The owners and staff are absolutely lovely! We got the room with a private toilet and shower which was nice to have. The room itself was really nice, they offered us tea when we first arrived and made us feel welcome. Dinner and breakfast were incredible! So much tasty food, a wide variety let us get a taste of lots of local ingredients. The bath was so relaxing, you can lock the door to have it all to yourself. It easily fit our party of 3 all at once. I highly recommend this lovely little inn if you're visiting Takayama.

Absolutely the best experience of our trip to Japan. In this Ryokan everything was perfect: the welcome from the very kind owners with matcha tea, the house adorned with antiques and a garden, the ancient Japanese style room overlooking the miyagawa river and a yukata available for guests yummy, authentic dinner and breakfast with typical local dishes like Hida beef. I strongly recommend coming to Takayama and sleeping here to have an authentic experience that you will remember, it's worth it.