I had decided to stay in a ryokan in a relatively small town, and Takayama is a beautiful, quaint place in the Japanese Alps with much edo-style architecture. I had called 2 days before to confirm my reservation for ONE person since I was asked how many and what gender.
I took the very convenient shuttle just minutes after arrival of the 2:30 train. I presented my passport and a bellperson showed me to my room. The building itself is Japanese style though it appeared to be new construction. My room was, by far, the largest I had seen in Japan-much larger than the other two ryokans I stayed in Nara and Kyoto. An entry with a sink and separate “booths” for shower and toilet led to a large living area with low chairs and a table for four. Sliding screens led to the bedroom area with a small table and chairs and two queen sized futons about 2.5 feet in height from the tatami mats. Before leaving for town, I was shown the little room where I would take meals and told that I would eat at 6 PM. I was told that that was the only time available; although, I would have liked 7 PM better.
There is a shuttle with a regular, published schedule in the morning and id/late afternoon. Getting into town at other times by shuttle is dependent on factors unclear to me, so I took a taxi (1100 Yen) to explore. Bicycles can be rented in town and it’s a 20-minute walk .
I returned and showered for dinner. The shower, toiletries, A/C, noise, and light, and available outlets are more than adequate.