Summary: In just one day, we experienced so many incredible things, making our visit to Takayama a highlight of our trip. Situated in the Japanese Alps, Takayama is about five hours from Tokyo. We spent the morning in the central district, which reminded us of Kyoto but without the large crowds. A particularly fascinating spot was a private WW2 museum run by a WW2 veteran, which is a must-see. In the afternoon, we visited Shirakawa, a UNESCO world heritage site, located about 45 minutes by car from Takayama. There, we strolled through the traditional thatched Gasshō-zukuri houses. On our way back, we stopped at Hida no Sato, another delightful open-air museum. We concluded this amazing day with a meal at a Japanese barbecue restaurant, savoring the region's famous Hida beef.
[This blog is part of a 15-days in Japan series].
Why Takayama. We chose Takayama as the next stop on our Japan itinerary because we knew we wanted to see the Japanese Alps and had heard that it makes a good homebase for daytrips to see this area of Japan. What we didn't realize was how special the City itself is to visit, all on it's own. This unexpected surprise ended up being our favorite City in Japan. Central Takayama has the same classic historic district as other larger cities but much more of a "hidden gem," i.e. without being overrun by tourists. The entire area, known as Hida-Takayama actually encompasses a large greater-City area that is over 800 square miles. Our AirBnB was within walking distance of the central district, which was the start of our first full day in the area.
Morning Markets. The early morning started with the first of two markets we visited, called Jinya-Mae Market. The origins of this market date back 300 years with today's market consisting of mostly locally grown produce and a few arts and crafts.
Sanmachi Historic District. Our next stop was Tayakama's central district, which features a well-preserved collection of homes and shops from the Edo period (1603-1867). Today, the small stores in the district primarily serve tourists, but many offer local products such as jewelry and artwork made in the Hida-Takayama region. Arriving shortly after opening time, we found the area completely to ourselves, a stark contrast to Kyoto!
Miyagawa Market. On the outskirts of the Sanmachi District is the second morning market we visited. Our favorite vendor was the gentleman shown in the photo below. He personally crafted the handmade sweets. We bought several small bags of sesame candy to take home as souvenirs (they're lightweight for your travel bag and incredibly delicious).
Takayama Showa Kan Museum. Next, we visited the Takayama Showa Kan Museum, which features a diverse array of post-war pop culture items and memorabilia. This compact museum is filled from top to bottom with numerous items we haven't encountered since our childhood, providing us with a huge dose of nostalgia.
So much stuff in such a small space!
World War 2 Museum. We nearly passed by this museum—a private collection, in fact—without a second glance until something caught our attention. Housed in a converted garage, this modestly sized museum shouldn't be underestimated; it's filled with an array of intriguing artifacts. It's a must-see when visiting Takayama.
We are quite sure that the gentleman in the photo below owned the collection. He looks like the man in many of the pictures on the wall, and when we used our translator app, he grunted in agreement when I asked. We can't help but wonder if that might have been the last time we will have the pleasure of meeting a WWII veteran. After all, most are now in their early 100s.
Shirakawa. Approximately 45 minutes by car from Takayama, there is a well-preserved village featuring traditional mountain homes known as Gasshō-zukuri. This UNESCO World Heritage site has largely become an open-air museum with facilities for tourists. Nonetheless, the village is fascinating to explore, and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. Parking is located outside the main village area, and a walkway crosses a small river before leading into the village.
Once inside, stop at Wada House, Kanda House, and/or Nagase House to see the inside of one of these traditional homes.
Sweet treat. Don't forget to stop for some matcha ice cream.
Before leaving, we took a walk up above the Village to the lookout point.
Hida no Sato Open Air Museum. On our return to Takayama, we visited a Hika Folk Village, which features 30 traditional folk houses over 200 years old. This open-air museum is an excellent destination for children. There are live demonstrations, like the one shown in the photo below, where we learned about Japanese wood carving known as Horimono.
Try your hand at bell-ringing.
After an exciting day of exploring the sights, we indulged in the renowned Hida beef from the region. Dinner at this genuine local establishment was cooked on the grill right before our eyes. For those who don't consume beef (such as myself), there are typically numerous alternatives available, like the sashimi meal shown in the photo below.
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