We absolutely loved this Ryokan and stayed here for multiple nights. The reasons why we loved this place and plan to come back are: (1) LOCATION! Easy to find, its just a straight 15min walk from the station on the main road and tucked in a quiet alley way by the river. Its across the river (1min walk) from the Morning Market and close to all the main sights + restaurants. Cannot get any better than this. Side note: after breakfast walk to the morning market and buy some warm pudding from the street vendor - its home made. My only regret is not eating more of it. (2) ROOM! The beds are comfortable and rooms are big. The views from the rooms are amazing. (3) FOOD! Food is delicious - we highly recommend getting the breakfast and dinner sets if possible. They change the menu each day. Its a very traditional setting with lots of great food - you will not be hungry afterwards. (4) ONSEN! The onsen in this Ryokan is the best. Very clean and comfortable. (5) STAFF! Service is 10 out of 10. The owners and staff are so kind, they will set your room each night and leave some tea + snacks in your room to unwind when you get back from walking around town. They greeted us with a green tea ceremony. They are wonderful.

We spent 5 days staying at Sumiyoshi Ryokan. What an amazing experience! If you are looking for an authentic Japanese experience this is it. The entire family run the Ryokan, and they’re the most kind, respectful, gracious people you could ever hope to meet. They were constantly doing small things for us to make us feel special. Their home is so authentic and you’ll get to experience the real Japan. The Japanese breakfasts were different every day (you can have continental as well), and you are hosted in a private room. When you get back, the tatami mat beds will have been folded away and your room will be transformed with comfortable Japanese seats. The setting is perfect just across the river from the morning markets, and walking distance to lots of restaurants. Don’t miss out…..stay at this delightful Ryokan with hosts who will wrap you in a warm blanket!

Nothing! It was perfect and a very special experience.

We loved our stay here! Our favorite part were the owners and staff, all of whom were incredibly friendly, considerate, and generous. Our welcome included matcha tea and a cookie, and then we were shown around the lovely home. Our room was comfortable, coach, and had a beautiful view. The antiques throughout the building and rooms added so much character and interest. The onsen was a great addition, and could be locked for private use. The meals were absolutely outstanding- best of our trip! My husband and I are vegetarian and they were so kind to accommodate the meals for us. The location is perfect for exploring the morning markets or visiting the old town. We had the best time and sincerely can’t wait to return again.

The traditional Japanese bedding was a bit of an adjustment for us since we weren’t used to it, but we went in knowing that.

Sumiyoshi is a lovely retro ryokan, in a quiet location, close to the morning market, cafes, and shops and the Takayama sights. Being beside the river, you can enjoy the sound of the water with a lovely outlook. The proprietors were so kind and helpful, as were their daily staff who attended to cooking and cleaning. I felt that we experienced a snapshot of traditional Japanese life and enjoyed the onsite onsen. We booked the room with a private bathroom, which was perfect for our needs, and our futons were made up each evening. The cleanliness was excellent. The Kaiseki breakfast was delicious each day and enjoyed with a wonderful garden view.I recommend this property if you enjoy a neighbourhood vibe and a rustic traditional environment, where you are valued as a guest.

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Fantastic ryokan in a great part of town. It was our first time in Takayama, so we truly appreciated all the time they took to answer our questions prior to our stay. It was about a 15 minute easy walk from the train and bus stations to the ryokan. The location is very central, and within walking distance of the morning markets, museums, and other sites we wanted to visit. The staff was AMAZING, beyond kind, and so incredibly patient with us despite our limited Japanese. They truly went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and at home. The inn itself was magnificent, a historic gem that was filled with beautiful antiquities and so much character. The view of the river from our room was breathtakingly beautiful. The food was phenomenal. We had dinner and breakfast in a private room. Everything was delicious, filled with regional specialties, and made with so much thought and care. We would definitely come back to stay next time we are in Takayama! Thank you Sumiyoshi for your generous hospitality and for taking such great care of us during our stay!

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Hosts are incredibly kind and gave us a warm welcome. The ryokan is very traditional. The japanese breakfast was amazing and we regret not to have booked the diner (it has to be 3 days in advance and when we saw how the breakfast was made we understood why, so make sure to book it). Location is very close to shops and restaurants. If you have a car, the host will guide you to parking spaces in the adjacent street. The ryokan has 2 onsen like baths shared among customers. Note: there are no private shower or toilet in the rooms.

Nothing!

Sumiyoshi Ryokan is a charming and authentic Japanese inn that offers a truly immersive experience. Situated in an excellent location, it's perfect for travelers who want to explore the surrounding area with ease. - Excellent location: The ryokan is conveniently located, making it easy to access local attractions. - Friendly and welcoming staff: The staff members are incredibly kind and attentive, making guests feel right at home. - Authentic Japanese style: Sumiyoshi Ryokan maintains the traditional Japanese aesthetic, offering guests a genuine cultural experience. - Japanese bath (onsen): The onsen is available to all guests, and it's both clean and beautifully maintained, providing a relaxing escape. - Japanese-style meals: The ryokan offers traditional Japanese dinners and breakfasts. For those who prefer a Western breakfast, the staff is happy to accommodate requests. - Early check-in: The manager was very gracious, allowing us to check in early at no extra cost, which was greatly appreciated. Overall, Sumiyoshi Ryokan is a wonderful place to experience traditional Japanese hospitality and culture, and we would highly recommend it to anyone seeking an authentic experience.

The staff speaks limited English, but this didn't affect our fantastic stay at all.

Our stay at Sumiyoshi Ryokan was truly exceptional. In all of my years travelling, this was perhaps the best experience at a hotel / B&B that I have ever had. The owners of the ryokan were very careful and thoughtful concerning all aspects of our stay. The care for the tiny details is really exceptional. The food is also very local and traditional. Especially the hoba miso included with the 'Japanese style' breakfast is phenomenal. And the dinners are elaborate and delicious. Even if you only eat breakfast and dinner, you will most likely not go hungry! On top of the essentially perfect execution of the actual details, everyone working at the ryokan is also incredibly friendly and welcoming. Even though it is a hotel, it really feels like you are a guest in someone's home. They have opinions concerning how things are to be done (the usual culturally Japanese expectations around cleanliness; but also the timings around breakfast, dinner; the arrangements of the rooms). This additional structure provides the experience of being transported into a different world, in a way which is entirely missing from many sterilized / universalized hotel experiences. And at every point, you feel that they are paying close attention to all aspects of your stay and they are quick to notice the moment something is slightly off. For example, when I accidentally wore the wrong-sized yukata, they immediately noticed and recommended that I swap to the correct one! And of course, Takayama itself is a wonderful town. The ryokan is centrally located and it is easy to walk around town to visit the many shops, temples, museums, and historical cites. If visiting Takayama fits into your itinerary and you have the opportunity to stay at this ryokan, I would suggest it without hesitation.

There was nothing that I did not enjoy about the stay.

Absolutely fantastic stay at Sumiyoshi Ryokan. We really wanted to stay at a ryokan during our trip to Japan. It is safe to say that we were very happy with our stay in this ryokan. The people there are very sweet and polite. When you arrive your are welcomed with matcha and tasty biscuits! The room is well configured and the futons are confortable. A Ryokan is not truly experienced without an onsen which Sumiyoshi Ryokan offers. On top of that, the dinner and the breakfast are delicious and offer a variety of food (meat, fish, rice, vegetables, soup,..). We highly recommend to stay here to experience a traditional Japanese hotel!

The best of our stay was the host family. They were so nice, so attentive and so helpful that they made our stay to become excelent. The ryokan fulfills the expectations of staying in a traditional japanese house: tatamis, futons for sleeping, the onsen, a beautiful small japanese garden... We enjoyed especially the private onsen. For some time the whole family could get the experience of a japanese onsen all together. The japanese dinner and breakfast were also wonderfull. Lots of different traditional dishes and the experience of getting the explanations and the help from the host family on how to eat them was quite amusing. Besides, we were provided with everything we needed, including the traditional yukatas and other ammenities.

There was nothing negative during our short stay. The toilets and bathroom are shared with the other hosts but this was clear in the description and could be expected from a traditional house.