Hirayu Onsen village: baths, ryokan prices and buses

Hirayu sits at the foot of Mount Norikura⁴. Don’t expect a town: come for the baths and the mountains.

• It is one of five small hot-spring villages only a few kilometres apart⁵ in Okuhida Onsengo.
• It is the western gateway to Kamikochi⁶.
• Hirayu and Shin-Hotaka are inside the national park⁵.
• The other villages are Fukuji, Tochio and Shin-Hirayu⁵, covered in the guide to the Okuhida Onsen villages.
• Okuhida has the third-largest volume of hot spring water in Japan, and Hirayu’s discovery story is a legend of the white monkey⁴.

Most small ryokan in Hirayu include dinner and breakfast made from local food, served in your room³. Most accommodation in the Okuhida villages is high-end², though you can also find pensions and Western-style hotels⁵. Many rooms have views of the Northern Alps peaks⁵.

Prices are as each inn lists them, so check with the inn before you book.

Guesthouse Tsuyukusa is the budget pick next to the buses. It has many stairs and self-service facilities, so it is not suitable for elderly guests¹⁷.

For more inns, see compared Takayama ryokan stays, youth hostel stays in Takayama, or where to base yourself in Takayama.

From Takayama, the bus to Kamikochi takes about 90 minutes via the village¹⁹. Shuttle buses from the terminal reach Kamikochi in 30 minutes¹⁹.

• Kamikochi shuttle season: 17 April to 15 November 2026¹⁹.
• Round trip Hirayu Onsen–Kamikochi: ¥2,800¹⁹ (about US$18).
• Takayama–Hirayu–Kamikochi ticket, valid 7 days: ¥5,800 (about US$37) per adult and ¥2,900 (about US$18) for children aged 12 and under¹⁹.
• Early bus: the 6:00 bus from Takayama runs only from 19 July to 24 August²⁰.
• Children: ages 6 to 12 pay half fare²⁰ on the Shinhotaka line.

If you’d rather not sort out buses, do the ropeway and Kamikochi as a day trip from Takayama. Book the ropeway and Kamikochi tour.