Hostel Fish in a River would have to be the nicest hostel I have ever stayed in. Everything from the booking to checkout process went so smoothly, and the people who work there were really kind and helpful, and spoke great English.
The room (private room 2 beds) was clean, comfortable, bright, and spacious, and looked out onto the green courtyard. The common area was exceptionally clean and well organised. The bathroom space was also really clean, both the toilets and the showers.
The location is perfect, it’s in a quieter street less than 10 minutes on foot from Takayama station, and the host directed us to the nearest (and best) place to hire bicycles - something I definitely recommend doing! We were also given tips on the best sights and restaurants to visit.
Upon check out we were given a little gift of origami and a sweet, which was a really nice touch.
I can’t recommend this hostel enough to anyone staying in Takayama. We only stayed one night but would have been very comfortable here for longer.