Travel from Matsumoto Japan to Kazeya Hotel in Shin-Hotaka, Okuhida
It appears there are regular buses that run between Matsumoto and Takayama, but I'm staying at a hotel called Kazeya that is a bit off the route, supposedly in the Okuhida Hot Spring Villages. I'm traveling alone in mid March.
I'm trying to find a way to perhaps jump off the bus and connect through to the hotel. Is anyone aware of local bus networks in that area, or are there affordable taxi options?
Best Answer
Kazeya is in Shin-Hotaka, and Nohi Bus appears to have a direct service from Matsumoto to Shin-Hotaka; unfortunately it runs for only a few days around New Year's. The rest of the time, you'll need to change buses at Hirayu (????) to Shin-Hotaka Ropeway (?????????). (Schedule here: the connecting bus starts from Toyama, on the Japan Sea coast.)
Unfortunately, while it appears this bus runs past your hotel, it does not stop and the nearest stop, Shin-Hotaka Ropeway, is a few km down the road. You might be able to convince the driver to drop you off, but I wouldn't count on it, and flagging the bus on the return trip will be even harder.
The good news is that most Japanese onsen ryokan in remote locales offer a pickup/dropoff service from the nearest bus/train station, either for free or a small fee, so I would advise you to contact them directly.
That said, having visited the area myself, I would advise you to seriously consider renting a car. Public transport in this neck of the woods is very limited, making it tough to actually visit any nearby attractions, and the ¥5,760 return bus ticket will likely pay for a day's rental.
Updated following sage advice from fkraeim, whose Japanese bus schedule parsing skills clearly put mine to shame.
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