Takayama travel guide

Takayama grew rich on the timber and skilled carpenters of the Hida mountains, and its old merchant quarter is one of the best preserved in Japan. Dark wooden houses, sake breweries and tiny shops line the streets of Sanmachi, and two morning markets set up by the river every day.

Takayama is a natural stop in the Japan Alps. Shirakawa-go is under an hour away, Kanazawa is an easy bus ride and the high mountains of Okuhida and Kamikochi are close by. Stay at least one night: the town is at its best early in the morning and in the evening, after the tour buses leave.

Top things to do in Takayama

1. Walk the Sanmachi old streets. The heart of Takayama Old Town, three narrow lanes of merchant houses from the Edo period, full of craft shops, cafes and snack stalls.
2. Taste sake at the old breweries. Look for the large balls of cedar leaves hanging over the doors. Several breweries offer tastings for a small fee.
3. Shop the morning markets. The Miyagawa market along the river and the Jinya-mae market outside the old government house run every morning, from around 7am to noon, with pickles, fruit, miso and crafts.
4. Tour Takayama Jinya. The only surviving government office of its kind from the Edo period, with tatami rooms, a rice storehouse and an interrogation room.
5. Visit Hida Folk Village. An open-air museum of thatched farmhouses moved here from around the region, set around a pond on a hillside.
6. See the festival floats. Takayama's spring and autumn festivals are among the most beautiful in Japan. If you miss them, the Festival Floats Exhibition Hall shows several of the ornate yatai floats year round.
7. Walk the Higashiyama trail. A quiet path linking a dozen temples and shrines on the wooded hills east of town.
8. Pick up a sarubobo. The faceless red doll is Takayama's lucky charm, given for happy marriages and safe childbirth.

Areas to know

When to go

The Spring Takayama Festival on 14 and 15 April and the Autumn Takayama Festival on 9 and 10 October fill the streets with floats, puppets and lanterns. Book a room months ahead for these dates. Autumn colours peak in late October and early November. Winters are cold and snowy, which makes the old town and nearby Shirakawa-go magical but slower to reach. Summer is warm and green, and cooler than the big cities.

Getting there and around

From Nagoya, the JR Hida limited express follows a scenic river valley to Takayama in about 2.5 hours. From Tokyo, the fastest route is the shinkansen to Nagoya and then the Hida, about 4.5 hours in total. Direct highway buses also run from Shinjuku in about 5.5 hours.

From Kanazawa, buses via Shirakawa-go reach Takayama in about 2 hours 15 minutes. In town, everything is walkable from the station, and buses run to Hida Folk Village. Rental bicycles are another good option.

Where to stay

Takayama is one of the best places in Japan to try a ryokan, many with hot spring baths and dinners of Hida beef. Stay near the station for easy buses and trains, or in the old town for atmosphere.

What to eat

• Hida beef, as steak, grilled skewers or nigiri sushi served on a rice cracker
• Takayama ramen, a light soy broth with thin curly noodles
• Mitarashi dango, rice dumplings glazed with soy sauce rather than sweet syrup
• Hoba miso, miso and vegetables grilled on a magnolia leaf
• Local sake and pickles from the morning markets

Day trips and next stops

The UNESCO village of Shirakawa-go is about 50 minutes away by bus. The Shinhotaka Ropeway and the onsen villages of Okuhida are about 1.5 hours east, and Kamikochi, a beautiful valley in the Northern Alps, is open from mid-April to mid-November. Hida-Furukawa, a smaller old town with canals full of carp, is 15 minutes away by train. To continue your trip, head on to Kanazawa or back to Nagoya.

Opening hours, prices and transport details change. Check the official sources before you travel: Hida Takayama Tourism.