We stayed two nights at SOY and it was a highlight of our trip. The accommodation is so beautifully designed and the kindness of Tai and his family is above and beyond. The Japanese breakfast was superb and the coffee delicious. It was the perfect base to come back to after exploring the town and surrounds.

Stayed in April 2025

If you look at the map, you might notice that Soy is located very close to the freeway. I worried about it as well, and it's not ideal--if you're a very light sleeper, it might be a problem. However, my husband slept soundly and even I (a much lighter sleeper) could sleep fine simply by running some white noise on my device.

Soy was a beautiful experience! The Kogawa family was so friendly--for example, Kei drove us to our destinations and came to pick us up as well. He even brought our luggage to the station for us after we did some last-minute sightseeing, hours after we checked out. The breakfasts were delicious (we had a choice between Western and Japanese, both fantastic), and the rooms were full of comfort and charm. The Kura Room we stayed in had a beautiful wooden bathtub that was a wonderful hot soak, as well as a whole entertainment room on the second floor. I highly recommend it. And of course I have to mention Tara, the adorable and sweet Soy cat! Hanging out in front of the warm stove and drinking tea after a day of sightseeing while admiring Tara will always be a happy memory for me.

Stayed in March 2025

Upstairs has a kitchen which is a bit impractical to use when you’re a traveler. Distance from the old town - but Tai drops you off at the old town at any time you need so it didn’t bother me at all.

Great host, Tai and family were great to stay with. Tai would promptly pick you up and drop off anywhere you need to go in takayama. He would also give you suggestions for dinners and make reservations for you. They treat you like family and provide you with excellent breakfast. The beds were comfortable and I had a laundry machine in the unit. Bath tubs were really nice after long days of walking.

Stayed in March 2025

For us, everything was perfect!

Our stay here in Takayama was wonderful. We are so glad that we chose to stay with Tai and his family. Tai’s home is beautiful. It felt comfortable and homey, with common rooms to socialize with other guests if you choose, yet spacious enough to keep to yourself if desired. Our booking even included a private room upstairs with a projector screen where we watched a movie one night. We had the Japanese style breakfast twice and both agree that it was the best we had during our two weeks in Japan. Tai and his parents are so accommodating and helpful. They provided me with tools to fix my broken suitcase. Tai drove us to town every morning and back home every evening. He gave us hand warmers and umbrellas every time we left the house. He even came with us to the bus station to help us buy tickets on a local bus to go to our next stop in the onsen town. Beds are comfy, rooms were warm, shower was spacious. You will not regret staying at Soy!

Stayed in March 2025

Nothing!

The common areas were amazing, the hospitality was superb, the food was incredible, local recommendations and shuttle service was exemplary. Tai and his family are the best :)

Stayed in February 2025

If I could I would go on retreat at Tai and his mother’s place So beautiful, welcoming, inspiring, interesting, peaceful and comfortable. Two historic wood buildings with big beams and views looking out over fields to mountains in the distance. You can rest your eyes on a lovely rock garden as you eat breakfast. The breakfast prepared by Tai’s mother was exquisite. I had the Japanese breakfast of many varied delicate dishes, and my husband had the Western breakfast, also inspired. The main building has a wonderful large sitting room with fireplace. We stayed in a beautiful separate old building with our own kitchen and living room upstairs. This was a dreamy wooden building with wood craftmanship down to the details of bathroom lock and counters; there is a gorgeous live edge low dining table. There was comfortable seating both low and high. An open plan with living room dining area and full kitchen. The apartment was SPacious with its own entryway. Tai was more than hospitable- kind, helpful and attentive. He helped us find the right onsen and restaurants. Pamphlets he had helped us get to a great photography show in the area.

Stayed in January 2025

Tai and his family go above and beyond as hosts. They are so kind, attentive, warm, and great at what they do. The traditional Japanese breakfasts were, hands down, a food highlight from our entire Japan trip. The facilities are beautiful and clean, and they provide the sense of traditional architecture and decor that we were hoping to experience. I can’t recommend Soy enough. We hope to return.

Stayed in January 2025

Nothing

Gorgeous property in the outskirts of Takayama. Really thoughtful touches that make you feel at home! Tai was an amazing host. He provided us with awesome recommendations for dinner and things to do in the area. He made all the reservations for us which we really appreciated. Our stay was very comfortable and we loved sitting in front of the fire and playing with Tara - the house cat :)

Stayed in January 2025

My stay at SOY was incredible. Tai and his parents were so kind and such gracious hosts. Staying here was one of my highlights of my Japan trip so far. My room was comfortable, breakfast was traditional and delicious and Tai was so kind with picking me up and dropping me at the station. I would recommend anyone to come to Takayama just to stay at SOY! Thank you :)

Stayed in January 2025

We loved everything about it.

Staying at SOY Guesthouse was an unforgettable experience! My husband and I were blown away by how beautiful and thoughtfully designed the home was. From the moment we arrived, we felt so taken care of and completely at home. Tai-San and his Mom are some of the kindest, most welcoming people we’ve ever met, and their sweet cat, Tara, made it even more special. Every single detail of the guesthouse was perfect, and the breakfast they prepared for us was absolutely delicious. You can tell so much love and care go into everything they do. This was hands down one of the best experiences we’ve ever had away from home, and it’s something we’ll always remember.

Stayed in January 2025

SOY impressed us on many levels. First of all our host Tai was very helpful long before we even flew to Japan. He spoke to us using the chat feature on Booking.com and helped coordinate some plans. When we arrived, he welcomed us warmly into his living room (with a nice fire going and a cute cat awaiting us). The room we stayed in was great (we got the one that had two floors). We stayed during the winter but our rooms was always warm and comfy. The food his family made was really nice and they even offer you two different styles of meal. I could go on and on about how much we enjoyed this stay. The location for us was great, but that could have been because we rented a car. Tai offers shuttle rides, but we never needed one, as we drove everywhere.

Stayed in December 2024

[no complaints whatsoever]

not many accommodations are rated so highly -- 9.8, as i write -- but this VERY exceptional ryokan certainly deserves at least that! it's beautifully & aesthetically maintained, with carefully selected artifacts throughout & comfort at a premium. tai is super sweet, truly cares about making your stay as pleasant as possible & is certainly worthy of all the praise reviewers have heaped upon him. our breakfast, wholeheartedly prepared by his very nice & caring mother, was abundant & absolutely delicious. we stayed in the spacious "maisonette" room, which is actually on 2 floors (connected by an internal staircase) & seems ideal for 3 people ... which, in our case, was a couple & their adult child. thanks to tai's kind cinematographer father, the top floor space had an excellent "old-school" audio-visual setup: with a good sound system & assortment of movie videos that u can project on to a large-sized screen .. which we enjoyed while kicking-back after an excellent dinner in "downtown" takayama. in short, we thoroughly enjoyed "soy" & highly recommend it!

Stayed in September 2024

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We had a wonderful stay, pity we didn't remain for longer! Tai-san and his family have been fantastic hosts, warm, kind and always willing to go the extra mile to help us out. From the moment we got off the bus, we felt treated like family members. The guesthouse is a beautiful, 100 years old traditional house. Every detail is extremely well taken care of, inside and outside, and its a perfect space to relax and enjoy the peace of the garden and the surroundings. It's a few kilometers from the city centre but that won't be a problem, Tai-san will take care of you. And I haven't even mentioned the delicious breakfast (both the Japanese and the Western-style) that Tai's mother prepared, another reason to come back!

Stayed in November 2024

Amazing experience, one of the best places we stayed on our trip to Japan. Everything was even better than we expected and we had high expectations after reading all the prior reviews. Thank you Tai and family 🥰

Stayed in November 2024

The hospitality from Tai and family was wonderful, as was breakfast, ambience and comfort. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome

Stayed in November 2024

We had a fantastic stay at SOY. Tai-san and his family are very welcoming hosts, and extremely focused on making your stay as enjoyable as possible. The rooms are impeccably curated, and the breakfasts are delicious. Tai-san is also always ready to drop/pick you up from the city if required, and provides great recommendations on things to do and where to eat - even makes reservations for you! Absolutely recommended stay in Takayama 😃 (the cute cat Tara-san is the added bonus 😁)

Stayed in November 2024

Where to start.. I highly recommend this place. Tai and his parents are lovely, friendly and helpful. Little Tara (the cat) was a joy to watch, playing around with her little ball as we were having breakfast. The food is amazing, the common area very laid back, a place to enjoy a cold beer next to the fireplace. Tai happily drove us to the city centre and gave us several useful recommendations for restaurants, places of interests, onsens,... The room was spacious and the futons comfortable. The showers and toilet rooms were very clean and well looked after. It's a quiet area, a place to truly relax and use as a base for exploring the surrounding area 😊

Stayed in November 2024

Our stay with Tai and his family was exceptional. Tai went out of his way to make our trip special: ferrying us back and forth into town, providing expert advice for our sightseeing, and even making reservations for us at several local restaurants. Tai’s mother prepares a delicious breakfast each morning with dishes that reflect the local character of Takayama (enjoyed with views of their garden and koi pond). And best of all, we got to watch their new kitten, Tara, bat a toy mouse around the lounge each morning. We will absolutely stay at SOY again during our next trip to Takayama.

Stayed in November 2024

Nothing! Only leaving!

Tai and his parents were fantastic hosts. We felt so at home and were so comfortable in the beautiful house and room. Tai went above and beyond to make our stay in Takayama memorable and special. We are so grateful for our time at SOY and are very much looking forward to our next visit. The Japanese breakfast was amazing, and Tai makes a great and beautiful flat white! We were picked up and dropped off in town very promptly, which made staying in the area so much easier. Although the house is located somewhat out of the centre of town, we did not feel that this was a problem at all as Tai and his parents were so accommodating and helpful. The house is so beautiful and everything is so well thought out, this is a phenomenal place to stay. Thank you for everything! This was such a memorable and fantastic trip for us!

Stayed in November 2024

I highly recommend staying at SOY during your trip to Takayama. SOY was our favorite lodging during our trip to Japan. Tai was so accommodating and went above and beyond to make sure we had the most enjoyable stay!

Stayed in November 2024

Superb personal service by Tai San and his mum. Lovely home, beautifully designed interior and garden ❤️ Although not centrally located Tai San’s complimentary transport service made it easy. Wish we could stay longer.

Stayed in November 2024

Our stay at Soy was amazing! Tai and his parents made us immediately feel at home. They are so nice and warm. The house is realy impressive. It is built in the old Ryokan style and renovated by the family itself which gives your stay an authentic feeling! Thank you so much for everything! Many greetings to Tara from us :)

Stayed in November 2024

Nothing

Everything. It is a fabulous place to stay. From the delicious breakfasts, both western and Japanese, to the wonderful warm hospitality from Tai, and his lovely alum and Dad.

Stayed in October 2024

Nothing

We had the most wonderful stay. Tai and his family are so lovely and welcoming, the house and garden is beautiful, and the breakfast is delicious. We also loved meeting Tara the cat!

Stayed in October 2024