Hotels in Odai

Odai: River Gorge Town in the Mie Mountains

Odai sits in Taki District, Mie Prefecture, roughly 60 km southwest of Tsu city along the Miyagawa River corridor. The town is best known as a trailhead for Odaigahara, a high plateau in Yoshino-Kumano National Park that rises to 1,695 m and receives among the highest annual rainfall in Japan — over 4,000 mm in some years. Forested ridgelines, cedar valleys, and clear river pools define the landscape rather than any urban skyline.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Accommodation in Odai leans toward small ryokan and mountain lodges that position guests close to trailheads and the Miyagawa valley. The Kintetsu Osaka Line reaches nearby Matsusaka, from which local buses serve the Odai area; travelers continuing to Odaigahara plateau should confirm seasonal bus schedules, as high-altitude routes close in winter.

Practical Tips

• Season: Late October brings autumn colour to the cedar slopes; summer hiking season runs June–September.
• Transport: Book the Odaigahara highland bus well ahead — it runs limited departures from Kintetsu Kashikojima and Yamato-Yagi routes.
• Gear: Pack waterproofs regardless of forecast; the plateau generates its own weather and rainfall is frequent.
• Base: Matsusaka city, 40 km northeast, offers broader hotel choice for those day-tripping into the mountains.