Travelers are familiar with the vibrant city of Tokyo and the historical capital of Kyoto, but Japan’s hidden gem lies in Gifu, Prefecture. The town of Takayama is a quaint but lively destination with a beautifully preserved old quarter, unique regional cuisine, and traditional accommodation options that provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A trip to Takayama is all it takes to fall deeply in love with Japan.
10 Shop At The Morning Markets
The first thing any traveler should do on a trip to Takayama is to start the day at the Miyagawa Morning Market. Strolling along the Miyagawa River, visitors can make their way through streets lined with stalls and vendors selling food, handmade crafts, teas, and local farm products. The market takes place daily from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm, so start the day early and take your time meandering through the charming charm while sampling the local goods.
9 Stroll Through The Old Town
Takayama is an old merchant town with a perfectly preserved historical center, also called Sanmachi Suji. The wooden buildings are reminiscent of the Edo Period, which occurred from 1603 to 1868. The avenues of the old town are lined with shops, sake breweries, and restaurants; all set up within these wooden historical homes. Along the sides of the streets, there are beautiful flowers and lush vines growing on the buildings.
8 Stay In A Traditional Ryokan
When venturing out of more touristy areas of Japan to a quiet town like Takayama, it’s a great opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese-style accommodation option. Rather than staying at a hotel or Airbnb, consider booking a room at a Ryokan in Takayama. This traditional-style Japanese inn features tatami-matted rooms and shared baths or onsen. Guests sleep on a futon on the tatami floor mats and can often dine at the inn’s restaurant, enjoying a kaiseki-style meal with many small Japanese dishes.
7 Taste Hida Milk
Takayama is close to Hida, a region of Japan with a special black-haired cattle breed that is unique to Gifu Prefecture. The milk from these cows is sweet and smooth and produces a range of milk products with a different (and potentially superior) taste to other dairy products around the world. While in Takayama, it’s worth trying a glass of Hida milk along with Hida milk ice cream or a Hida milkshake.
6 Soak In An Onsen
Just about anywhere travelers go in Japan, they’ll find themselves faced with fantastic options for soaking in a hot spring. But there’s something special about the serenity of Takayama that takes the meditative experience of soaking in the hot bath and listening to the birds chirping among the trees that take it to the next level. Ideally, select an accommodation option in the town that offers an on-site onsen. Most Ryokans have shared bath facilities or a private onsen in the room.
5 Try Hida Beef Sushi
Hida beef is unique to Gifu Prefecture and comes from the black-haired Japanese Wagyu cattle in Hida, Japan. These cows are fattened for a minimum of 14 months, and their meat quality is rated grade 3, 4, or 5. The meat is beautifully marbled and tender, so it melts in your mouth. While in Takayama, try this local delicacy in its raw form as a type of sushi.
4 Attend Takayama Festival
Takayama Festival ranks as one of the top three festivals in Japan. It takes place twice per year, once in the fall and once in the spring, and is a celebration of the coming of spring and autumn. Dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, Takayama Festival features floats moving through the streets in a parade-like fashion. In the spring (April), the festival takes place in the southern part of the old town at Hie Shrine, while in the fall, it occurs in the northern part of the old town at the Hachiman Shrine.
3 Take A Day Trip To Shirakawago
Shirakawago is a small traditional village in Gifu Prefecture that showcases a structural style called gasshō-zukuri. These farmhouses have thatched roofing, and some are more than 250 years old. Shirakawago was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and is a popular place to visit when taking a trip to the Japanese Alps.
2 Visit Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village
To get a better sense of Takayama's history, travelers can visit Hida no sato (the Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village), which is an open-air museum. There are close to 30 historic farmhouses that were moved here from Shirakawago to create the museum and preserve the structures in 1971. The buildings are open to exploring while at the museum, and travelers can choose to pay anywhere from 600 to 1600 yen to participate in some traditional crafting activities.
1 Tour Takayama Jinya
History buffs will want to check out Takayama Jinya while visiting this town in the Japanese Alps. A jinya refers to the collective group of buildings that comprise this historical site from the Edo period; they are different from those of a Shrine or Temple. The jinya was the former headquarters for the government of Hida but is now open to the public.