Okuhida Onsen Villages
奥飛騨温泉郷
A cluster of five hot spring areas (Hirayu, Fukuchi, Shin-Hirayu, Tochio and Shinhotaka) with more open-air baths than almost anywhere else in Japan.
The Okuhida Onsen Villages lie in the eastern part of Takayama, at the foot of the Northern Alps. They consist of five hot spring areas: Hirayu Onsen, Fukuchi Onsen, Shin-Hirayu Onsen, Tochio Onsen and Shinhotaka Onsen. Known as the “Paradise of Open-Air Baths,” they have more open-air baths than most places in Japan. Highlights of each area: (1) Hirayu Onsen is the transport hub of Okuhida. It has a day-use bath next to the bus terminal, connections to Kamikochi and Shinhotaka, and the Hirayu Great Falls, which freeze in winter. (2) Fukuchi Onsen has many inns in old farmhouse style and holds a morning market. (3) Shinhotaka Onsen is closest to the Shinhotaka Ropeway. The Shinhotaka Yu by the river is a free mixed-gender open-air bath (swimwear or a bath towel is required under current rules), and inn baths look straight out at the Hotaka peaks. Most inns offer one-night, two-meal kaiseki dinners featuring mountain delicacies such as Hida beef grilled with miso on magnolia leaves and salt-grilled iwana char. Such stays cost about ¥15,000–40,000 depending on the inn. Access: take a bus of about 1 hour from the Takayama Norikomi Bus Center to Hirayu Onsen, then transfer to the other areas; buses also run from Kamikochi and Matsumoto. Staying one night and combining it with the Shinhotaka Ropeway and Kamikochi works well. Note that roads are snow-covered in winter, so self-drivers need snow tires. Convenience stores in the mountains are few, so plan ahead.
Opening hours
All day (hours vary by inn and day-trip onsen)
Nearby sights
- Hirayu Great Falls
- Shinhotaka Ropeway
- Hida Great Limestone Cave
- Senko-ji Temple
- Higashiyama Walking Course
- Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine & Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall
- Shiroyama Park (Takayama Castle Ruins)
- Takayama Museum of History and Art