The morning after my very first onsen experience, I felt how relieved my body was that I thought of going for a jog around the city. However, I chose to chill on our private balcony as I sipped my morning coffee using our own coffee machine in the room. I was captivated by the scenic countryside Japanese Alps while counting the number of trains that passed by. It was a beautiful morning in Mecure Hida Takayama, our home for four days in this mountainous region of Gifu Prefecture.
Christian and I have been to Japan several times but it was during this trip when our son, Akira, had a first look at one of our favorite countries. It was during my two-month school break in 2024 when we decided to go around Japan after going around the Philippines for a month—we went around Bohol, Siquijor, Dumaguete, Cebu, and Zambales.
Our annual backpacking trip continued as we took a flight from Manila to Nagoya and then headed straight to Hida Takayama. Those were also the last few weeks of Akira before he entered formal schooling thus calling this trip #PreKinderTrip2024.
Hida Takayama is a city in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan and is home to different festivals, wooden furniture-making traditions, and historic old towns. The city is also known for its local foods, including mountain vegetables, river fish, and the famous Hida wagyu beef. Hida Takayama is also a usual stop for travelers who are heading to Shirikawago or Furukawa.
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Getting There
After arriving at the Chubu Centrair International Airport, we went straight to the Meitetsu Tourist Information Center (10:00 to 19:00) and purchased the all-inclusive Takayama-Centrair Tickets for ¥4,100 (adults) and ¥2,100 (children).
We exchanged the vouchers for a physical train ticket from Chubu Centrair going to Takayama Station. We then transferred to a bus just below the station that went to Takayama Bus Terminal. It took us more than three hours to get to our destination and the countryside view was amazing.
Check-In Process
Mercure Hida Takayama is just 300 meters away from the bus terminal and it only took us two minutes on foot to reach it.
What I noticed first when we reached the hotel premises were the bamboo and Japanese maple trees that formed a natural foliage in front of the hotel. The elements of nature echoed throughout the lobby as we entered it.
The focal point of the hotel was the large fireplace located in the middle of the lobby where we rested for a bit before going to the front desk.
We were greeted warmly by a friendly staff when we reached the reception area. After handing out our passports, we were given the cute wooden keycards and they gifted Akira some cutesy kids’ amenities for our stay.
We then immediately went to our room where our bags were waiting for us.
Hotel Overview
Located in the heart of the city, Mercure Hida Takayama takes a fresh approach to reestablishing a connection between traditional and modern Japan as seen in the overall vibe of the hotel.
The trendy appliques and wooden accents in the lobby are my favorites as they show how they value the craftsmanship and artistry of traditional wooden furniture-making in the region.
The overall theme of traditional yet contemporary Japan can be observed in the 161 rooms. Each room was carefully designed to showcase the Takayama artisans with their fine and exquisite furniture pieces. The huge glass mirrors and sliding doors let you enjoy the relaxing mountainous landscape of the city.
Privilege Twin Room
Our 22-sq.m. room was located on the seventh floor and because we’re located on the corner side of the building, we got to have our private balcony.
The two single-sized beds were joined together to accommodate the three of us. The mattress was so firm and the mattress topper provided the perfect warmth as I usually like to cocoon myself inside the duvet.
The open-wardrobe style made the room spacious. Bedroom slippers, bathrobes, room freshener spray, and an in-room safety deposit box were all provided.
I like how they make use of the bathroom space where the lavatory was placed in the middle while the Japanese-style toilet and shower area were placed on both ends of the room. Bathroom amenities were all provided in paper wrappings and the Pola 5-step skincare night routine for the face was my favorite.
Huge bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hand wash were available and were always filled up each time they made up the room.
A smart TV with local and international channels was available and our son loved the Japanese kids’ shows.
A seating area with, of course, a beautifully crafted armchair and table rested on the far end of the room right across from a mini fridge and the coffee machine. One notable thing was the use of refillable glass bottles for a more sustainable choice in providing drinking water for the guests.
The sliding glass doors open up to the mountainous part of the city as well as the railway tracks. Our son usually stayed here to check out the trains passing by.
What I loved about the room was the art pieces that were scattered around which definitely added to the overall charm of the room.
Facilities and Amenities
Mercure Hida Takayama takes pride in their onsen experience for in-house hotel guests. Onsen or hot spring baths observe gender separation and bathers are usually fully naked to avoid contamination of the mineral-rich water. The water comes from deep underground and is believed to have beneficial effects on the skin.
The public onsen features indoor and outdoor baths (6:00 to 10:00 / 15:00 to 24:00). The open-air onsen provides a relaxing view of the city. I assume that during winter, it is more advisable to use the indoor onsen which has floor-to-ceiling glass windows to appreciate the view outside.
What I totally loved was our private onsen experience (15:00 to 23:00). We reserved our time slot in the morning and were given the keycard to the private onsen five minutes before our scheduled time.
The interiors were in unison with the overall theme of Mercure Hida Takayama with natural elements in the outdoor garden area and the wooden accents of the furnishings. We had a full 45 minutes of enjoying our first-ever onsen experience (¥4,000).
Hobar Restaurant and Bar
Hobar is the in-house restaurant and bar of Mercure Hida Takayama. Hobar Restaurant takes pride in serving locally-inspired dishes that show the traditions and stories of the people including the freshest ingredients from the Takayama Region.
As with the other parts of the hotel, Hobar Restaurant and Bar exhibit a playful but elegant display of unique furniture pieces and fixtures that will surely tickle the senses of architecture and interior design aficionados.
It is where we had our daily breakfast meals that were served buffet style. What I loved about our daily breakfast meals was that the majority of the food choices were local dishes.
There were the usual American and Continental breakfast fares that included freshly-made croissants, an assortment of jams, bacon, sausage, green salad, and some fresh fruits.
On the Japanese end of the spread, some local dishes featured tender fatty beef strips, Japanese rice and curry, egg noodles, mackerel, tamago, and more.
My favorites were the beef strips, sukiyaki, and the oh-so-good freshly made cheesecake and tiramisu.
We also got the chance to try out their “Takayama” signature dinner set menu where we feasted on locally inspired dishes with a twist.
We had Salmon Caviar, Sears Mackerel Tabouleh, Oven-baked Sea Bream, Grilled Hida Beef Rump in Truffle Sauce, and High Cocoa Terrine Chocolate.
My favorite was the Hida Beef which was incredibly tender and juicy which the locals would always attribute to the region’s clean air and clean water.
I’m so happy that we got to enjoy what the Hida Region offers by just experiencing the dishes offered at Hobar Restaurant and Bar.
Final Thoughts
We are truly blessed to have so much time for slow travel as we get to see and feel the essence of the local life in every place we visit. In the case of our visit to Japan's mountainous Gifu Prefecture, we loved our stay at Mercure Hida Takayama as we got to see, feel, experience, and taste the locals' way of life. I appreciate the dedication and passion they put into the overall theme of the hotel. We will surely come back here.
Mercure Hida Takayama
Gifu Ken, Takayama Shi, 4-311-1, Hanasatomachi
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