Discover 5 Things to do in Takayama

Gifu Prefecture in central Japan is one of the best off the beaten path travel destinations in Japan. The landlocked prefecture is surrounded by stunning mountains and is home to traditional mountain villages and Edo period (1603-1868) castle towns that give you a taste of the authentic Japan of the past.

One of the many must see destinations is Hida Takayama, which is located in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in the northern Japan Alps. Takayama is famous for its well-preserved old town, woodwork and its traditional festival, which is one of the most beautiful in Japan.

Here are the top 5 things to experience in Takayama.

Sanmachi Suji (Takayama Old Town) 

The Sanmachi Suji historic district is the home of old Takayama and lined with some of the best preserved Edo period merchant houses in all of Japan. Today, the beautiful wooden buildings are restaurants, cafes, museums, local craft shops and sake breweries allowing you to taste and feel the amazing culture of this authentic part of Japan. Walking these ancient streets you can experience what Japan was like during the age of the samurai.

Takayama Old Town

Takayama Jinya 

Takayama Jinya is a beautifully preserved government building from the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate. During the age of the samurai, the Hida region was placed under the direct control of the Shogunate due to its valuable timber resources. This historic building is now a museum giving you a look at how a local government office controlled by the shogunate would have looked.

Hida no Sato 

Hida no Sato (Hida Folk Village) is an open air museum located just outside of the center of Takayama that recreates a traditional mountain village of the Hida region. This amazing attraction features over 30 traditional buildings from Hida, including traditional thatched-roof gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which were moved here from nearby Shirakawago (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Okuhida Onsen 

Okuhida Onsen is a collection of five onsen villages just outside of Takayama. This is one of the best spots in Japan to experiences natural outdoor hot springs with the area having the most open air baths (rotenburo) in all of Japan. Stay overnight at a traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) to soak up the experience even further.

Takayama Festival 

The Takayama Festival is regarded as one of Japan’s three most beautiful festivals. Held twice a year in spring and autumn, the main attraction of the festival are the traditional yatai festival floats, which highlight the famous woodwork of the master craftsmen of the area.

Learn more about Hida Takayama by watching this amazing video from japan-guide.com

November 2012 on Japan Travel Advice

November has been another great month on Japan Travel Advice. We managed to cover some of my favourite places in Kyoto as well as build upon our content.

The site will continue to expand, and in the meantime, please enjoy a recap of our new articles for November 2012.

Please feel free to visit the site and leave a comment or rate any of the sights you see.

Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle was built in 1583 by the powerful Maeda clan and is located in Ishikawa Prefecture. It is right next to Kenrokuen Garden, which originally formed the private outer garden of the castle. Kanazawa Castle is classified as a hilltop castle. Read More

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple was first built in 798 and is considered one of the most famous landmarks of Kyoto. The name Kiyomizu-dera literally means “Pure Water Temple” and it takes its name from the pure waters of nearby Otowa Waterfall. It is located in the hills east of Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read More

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle in Kyoto was built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu. It is not your typical Japanese castle, but more of a palace style castle. Nijo Castle was constructed as a demonstration of the shogun’s power and prestige and to signal the demise of the emperor. Read More

Heian Jingu Shrine

Heian Jingu Shrine has a short history but is still considered a must see attraction in Kyoto. It is a rarity as a modern shrine in Kyoto, which is famous for its shrines, which are hundreds of years old. It was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto.  Read More

October 2012 on Japan Travel Advice

October has been a busy month on Japan Travel Advice. The site was launched on the 1st of October and we have been busy posted new content on a weekly basis. I still have some interactive Google Maps that I've been developing and hope to launch these soon.

In the meantime, please enjoy a recap of our new articles for October 2012.

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of the most visually stunning castles in all of Japan. The castle an original is known as kurasu-jo (Crow Castle) because of its black exterior. Matsumoto castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) built on a plain rather than on a hill or mountain. It is located in Matsumoto city, in Nagano Prefecture. Read More

Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is one of Japan’s best known sights. Located in Northern Kyoto, the original building was constructed in 1397 as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Read More

Todaiji Temple

Todaiji Temple in Nara is an awe-inspiring sight and should be at the top of any sightseeing trip to Japan. The temple was built in 752 during the Nara period (710 – 794 AD) at the behest of Emperor Shomu, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read More

Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa is considered to be one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The other two are Korakuen Garden in Okayama and Kairakuen Garden in Mito. The garden is conveniently located outside the gates of Kanazawa Castle. In its original form Kenrokuen Garden formed the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle. Read More

Japan Travel Advice

I am really happy to announce that my latest project Japan Travel Advice has just been launched. This has been a labour of love for me the past year as I have planned the site and gathered the required material from my 10 years in Japan.

The site has lofty ambitions as can be witnessed by the Japan Travel Advice slogan “The Complete Japan Travel Guide”. We have aimed high and realize that in no way the current content is up to our desired goal. We have the basic structure for the site in place and will continue to build upon what is in place. Over the coming months we will continue to post new content on the specific destinations and attractions in Japan to build up the site and reach our goal of being the complete Japan travel guide.

I would love for you to visit the site and let me know what you think. You can do that by clicking on this link Japan Travel Advice

You can leave comments here below and we welcome all feedback from you about the site. We know that it is not perfect at this stage, but will strive to meet our goals and ambitions of being the complete travel guide.

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