Hirayu no Mori (hotel & hot spring)

Beautiful onsen! One of the most lovely outdoor areas with multiple pools! It feels like a tranquil forest outside when you can completely relax. Inside includes many showers, cold pool and sauna. Highly recommend for your visit.

We took the one hour drive out of Takayama for a walk-in afternoon visit to the onsen. The hot spring centre was simple but fine enough. We didn't encounter many other tourists, despite it being peak summer, although it was a rainy afternoon. The staff and other bathers were welcoming and helpful. Unfortunately we didn't love the actual hot spring pools, they definitely didn't feel as clean as most others we've been too. Particularly the inside pool water didn't feel clean. The drive was nice, but we'll stick to the hotel onsen or try others next time.

The baths are the highlight here for sure. It's like an onsen theme park. We spent one night here and a second night at a different ryokan in Hirayu. The room was lacking, though one of the cheapest options in town. Heat was amazing only via an unvented gas burner that left a visible fog along the ceiling, so we ran it as little as possible. Plastic tatami mats. The bathroom in the room had been pretty nicely redone, but the main room needed attention. Worn mats, stains on the walls, etc.||We had dinner & breakfast at the restaurant. Decent traditional food with nothing wrong with it, but not as good as the other place we stayed.||No indoor slippers provided and the super long walk from the front door to the overnight rooms is hard on your feet.

We decided to go for a soak here after an early morning excursion to kamikochi, to rest our weary legs. We had read good reviews from others about the public bath here, hence we thought to give this place a try. Location was a 3min walk away from the Hirayu onsen bus stop so it was convenient. We decided to try out the private onsen room, which sadly turned out to be rather disappointing. The advertised outdoor view was quite lacklustre as it faced a barren wall with some sparse plants. The bath itself did not feel as relaxing as the floor of the tub was very rough and scratched our feet. It hurt to stand for too long and we definitely could not sit down as one usually does in onsen. Hence, we were only able to soak for a short while and not the full 45mins we paid for. Overall, would not recommend the private bath for the price of 3000yen.

We used the onsen on a day trip to kamikochi. The baths segregated by gender, indoor and outdoor hot Sulfur water, fresh from the springs. There were several different sized pools, varying in temperature as well as a sauna and ice bath. The snow capped mountains in the background completed the atmospheric backdrop. Less than 5min walk to the bus station and only cost us 700 yen plus 500 for a towel.

Came twice in Oct/Nov 2024 just for the onsen. Once at night after a day's hike in Kamikochi, another driving by during heavy rain. There is more than ample free parking; During the second time I came the staff also opened up a gigantic adjacent gravel parking field for use. I spent all my time in the outdoor onsens both times. There are about 4-5 outdoor pools of slightly varying temperatures lined by rocks. There was also a rest area in between soaks to lay and cool down. Watching the rain splat down and autumn leaves fall as you lay inside was really amazing. There is also a restaurant attached to the building that I tried once, which was perfect to top off the post-soak chill with some simple warm dishes. It is a little difficult to find in the building, but the staff were eager to help with directions. Its about 700 yen per visit if i recall, but I had my own towels. I would like to visit again if in the area, especially in winter.

A truly underwhelming experience. The food was not good, and the service was off-putting. The onsen water was hot the first night we were there, but the public and our private hot waters were significantly colder by the second night we stayed. We tried getting food elsewhere, but there are basically no other restaurants or shops to visit. Besides the Mustache Cafe, which was great, everything felt very cold and unwelcoming and touristy. We went to nearby Kamikōchi for a day trip and there was heavy construction that was not advertised, which negatively impacted the experience. I would not recommend this place. Go straight to Hida Takayama, as you will not miss much by passing this spot

Solid onsen offering several outdoor and indoor pools with a varying temperature. The thermal water is very sulfuric. Outdoors you can watch forest covered mountains while soaking. There is also a decent restaurant and several spacious tatami relaxation areas with massage chairs. Due to the combination of hotel and onsen it is a big operation losing some charm of smaller local onsens. Worth s visit after hiking in the area