//
Gifu (prefecture), Japan
Photo: (WT-en) Jpatokal at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Oku-Hida Onsen Villages (奥飛騨温泉郷 Oku-Hida Onsengō) are a group of 5 remote hot spring villages, nestled deep in the Japan Alps of Gifu Prefecture.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
平湯大滝 Hirayu ōtaki
A 64-meter-high waterfall, well marked and easily accessible along a short path. In winter the frozen waterfall is illuminated. Occasional buses, but check schedules carefully so you don't get stranded.
槍ケ岳
The 3,180m mountain name means "Spear Mountain" for a reason, is occasionally dubbed Japan's Matterhorn.
穂高岳 Hotaka-dake
At 3,190 m, this is the third-highest mountain in Japan. The mountain has several peaks, and the highest of these is Mount Okuhotaka (奥穂高岳 Okuhotakadake). It is on the border with Nagano.
西穂高岳
This 2,908 m peak is part of Mt. Hotakadake, and climbing it is relatively easy thanks to the cable car from Shin-Hotaka which takes you halfway up.
(新穂高ロープウェイ Shinhotaka Rōpuwei
The ropeway, from its lower terminal in Shin-Hotaka Onsen, the ropeway climbs 1,033 m, the greatest altitude change of any ropeway in Asia, in two stages to its upper terminal at Nishihihodaka-guchi. The trip takes 20 minutes, during which you’ll travel over 3 km before being deposited at the top. From here, stunning views of the Japanese Alps open in every direction, with hiking paths leading on into the mountains for the more adventurous.
平湯館
Established 1923 and thus one of the older operations around. Gasshozukuri-style building with outdoor rock baths and an indoor hinoki tub.
槍の郷
An outstanding little inn featuring no less than 2 indoor and 3 outdoor baths, with all outdoor baths reservable for private use for you and yours. Unlike most lodgings in the area, the rooms here are Western style (beds, not tatami) and the lodge is a Japanese fantasy of a Swiss chalet.
The easiest option is a direct bus from Shinjuku in Tokyo (4½ hr, ¥5700).
Read in the guideInfrequent bus services connect the villages, but to free yourself from limited bus schedules, this is one of those few places in Japan where renting a car may be a good option.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Matsumoto · Regional · MMJ
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Oku-Hida Onsen Villages and Japan.
Travel tipsCheck if you need a visa for Japan in 2026. Discover visa-exempt nationalities, eVisa eligibility, stay durations, and how to use Visit Japan Web QR codes.
7 min read
Travel tipsPlan for Japan's new travel costs in 2026. Learn about the ¥3,000 international departure tax, tiered hotel taxes in Kyoto, and Mt Fuji trail fees.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
ItinerariesPlan a trip to Japan with kids in 2026. Discover a family-tested 10-day itinerary with theme parks, bullet trains, and practical parenting tips.
8 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.