Takayama's old town has been beautifully preserved with many buildings and whole streets of houses dating back to the feudal ages, when the city thrived as a wealthy merchant town.
The southern half of the old town, especially the Sannomachi Street, survives in a particularly pretty state with many old homes, shops, cafes and sake breweries, some of which have been in business for centuries. The shops in the area are typically open daily from 9:00 to 17:00.
A rickshaw ride through the streets of the old town
Several homes in the old town open their doors to the public. They provide a glimpse behind the facade into the former living quarters of the local merchants and exhibit traditional household goods and local arts and crafts.
A pleasant alternative to exploring Takayama's old town on foot is getting pulled through the streets on a rickshaw. A 30 minute tour for two costs around 7000 yen. Shorter and longer courses are also available.
Hours: 8:45 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from November to February) Closed: December 29, 31 and January 1 Admission: 440 yen Typical visit duration: 60 minutes
A beautiful traditional Japanese-style building, the Takayama Jinya used to serve as Takayama's government office during the feudal era, when the city stood under direct control of the shogun due to its valuable timber resources.
Old sake breweries
Hours: typically 9:00 to 17:00
Sake is one of Takayama's local specialties. Several old sake breweries can be found in Takayama's old town, recognized by sugidama (balls made of cedar branches) hung over their entrances. Small samples of sake can be purchased at some breweries.
Fujii Art Gallery
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 Closed: No closing days Admission: 700 yen Typical visit duration: 20-30 minutes
The Fujii Art Gallery (Fujii Bijutsu Mingeikan), also known as Fujii Folk Craft Museum, is housed in an old building with a beautiful gate along Sannomachi Street. The small museum exhibits various household items and art objects.
Takayama Museum of History and Art
Hours: 9:00 to 19:00 (garden 7:00 to 21:00) Closed: No closing days Admission: Free Typical visit duration: 45 minutes
The Museum of Local History (Hida-Takayama Machi no Hakubutsukan) is an interesting museum about the history and culture of Takayama City. It is housed in an old, restored building.
Takayama Showa Museum
Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 Closed: No closing days Admission: 1000 yen Typical visit duration: 45-60 minutes
A spacious museum dedicated to all things from the Showa Period (1926-1989), particularly the 1950s. A recreated town allows visitors to walk through nostalgic displays of contemporary life including houses and restaurants. There are also some interactive exhibits including the chance to play on retro video games consoles.
Northern area
Hachiman Shrine
Hours: Always open Closed: No closing days Admission: Free Typical visit duration: 10 minutes
Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine (Sakurayama Hachimangu) stands in the northeastern area of Takayama's old town. The shrine's festival, the Takayama Autumn Festival, is celebrated on October 9-10.
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from December to February) Closed: No closing days Admission: 1000 yen Typical visit duration: 45 minutes
Located just next to Hachiman Shrine, the Takayama Yatai Kaikan (festival float exhibition hall) exhibits four of the autumn festival's eleven festival floats. English audio guides are available.
Karakuri Museum
Currently closed Hours: 9:05 to 16:25 Closed: Irregular closing days during winter Admission: 600 yen Typical visit duration: 40 minutes
Also located at Hachiman Shrine, the Karakuri Museum (mechanical doll museum) displays mechanical dolls (karakuri ningyo) which get mounted onto festival floats. The museum also shows over 200 shishimai (lion dance) masks from around Japan.
Kusakabe Heritage House•
Hours: 10:00 to 16:00 Closed: Tuesdays (or next day if Tuesday is a national holiday) Admission: 1000 yen Typical visit duration: 30 minutes
The Kusakabe Heritage House (Kusakabe Mingeikan) is one of Takayama's oldest merchant homes open to the public. Its former residents, the Kusakabe family, used to be successful money lenders.
Yoshijima Heritage House•
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 15:00 from Dec to Feb) Closed: Tuesday to Thursday Admission: 500 yen Typical visit duration: 30 minutes
Standing right next to the Kusakabe Heritage House is the Yoshijima Heritage House (Yoshijima-ke), the former residence of the Yoshijima family. Also open to the public, the building used to serve as a residence and sake brewery.
Takayama Jinya market: 6:00 to 12:00 (from 7:00 from Jan to Mar) Miyagawa market: 7:00 to 12:00 (from 8:00 from Dec to Mar)
Two morning markets (asaichi) are held in Takayama on a daily basis, one in front of the Takayama Jinya and one along Miyagawa River. Most stands sell local crafts and farm products such as vegetables, pickles and flowers.
Getting there and around
Takayama's old town can be reached in a ten minute walk from Takayama Station.
A small inn with a full of quiet atmosphere and Japanese tradition. Onsen baths available. 6 min from JR Takayama Station. Close to major sightseeing spots. Free Wi-Fi.
Located in 15-minute bus ride from JR Takayama Station, Guest House & Cafe SOY is surrounded by lush greenery. Free WIFi is provided and free private parking is available on site. The property also provides free pick-up service from JR Takayama Station. Rooms at Guest House & Cafe SOY are air conditioned and fitted with a seating area. A hairdryer and slippers are provided for your comfort. Shirakawa Village is a 50-minute drive away, while Takayama Old Town is a 20-minute away from the property. Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village can be also reached in 12 minutes by car from Guest House & Cafe SOY.
Reopened after renovation in 2022, Auberge Hidanomori is situated in quiet hills, a 10-minute shuttle ride from JR Takayama Station. The property offers free WiFi access in rooms and in public areas including the shared TV lounge and the terrace. Each room has air-conditioning and heating facilities at Hidanomori Auberge. Bathrooms are shared. Free toiletries are provided. Guests here can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking or walking through the on-site garden, or just simply unwind at the shared lounge with some tea. Free on-site parking is also available. Breakfast is served in the dining hall starting at 07:30 daily. Freshly baked bread, salad, yogurt, tea and coffee are served, while Italian cuisine is served for dinner. Meals require advance reservations. From Auberge Hidanomori, Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village and Takayama Jinya are within a 10-minute drive.
Located just a 1-minute walk from popular Miyagawa Morning Market in the heart of Takayama, Sumiyoshi Ryokan offers homely Japanese-style accommodation in the historic townhouse building. Free WiFi is available at the lobby and guestrooms. This hotel was selected as one of the Top 25 B&Bs and Inns in Japan by TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award 2015. The inn is a 12-minute walk from JR Takayama Station. Takayama Jinya, an old government building, is a 7-minute walk away, and the streets full of old merchantsf houses can be reached within a 10-minute walk from the property. Rooms are fitted with tatami (woven-straw) flooring and traditional futon bedding. A low table and a TV with satellite channels are provided. Guests can relax in the room with free green tea. Ryokan Sumiyoshi has a spacious public baths and a small Japanese garden. There are many antiques like pots and samurai armours displayed at the lobby. Carefully prepared Japanese multi-course dinner, including Hida Beef sukiyaki dish, can be enjoyed at the guest room. Guests can choose to have either Japanese or Western breakfast to satisfy their appetite in the morning.
Renovated in 2015, IORI Stay is nestled in Takayama. This traditional Japanese-style townhouse was created in collaboration with local artists and boasts designs with both modern and traditional Japanese influence. Guests will have the entire property to themselves during their stay. All units are entirely non-smoking and have a kitchen equipped with a microwave and fridge. A stove-top and kettle are also available.There is a private bathroom with slippers in every unit. Towels are provided. A traditional Japanese-style breakfast is served on site. Vegan and vegetarian meals are available upon request.
Situated in a tranquil area in Gifu Region, a 52-minute drive away from JR Takayama Station, Mozumo boasts a hot-spring bath and rooms decorated with modern Japanese interior. Free WiFi and free private parking is available on site. Guests can savour hoba miso, a regional favorite, for breakfast. Rooms with contemporary Japanese design are fitted with tatami (woven-straw) flooring and come with a private open-air bath. Also comes with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a seating area with low table. The public bath and shared lounge offers views of the private forest. Guests can relax with massage at an additional charge. Various activities can be enjoyed in the surroundings, including skiing and fishing. Takayama Old Town is a 50-minute drive away, while Shirakawago can be reached with a 90-minute drive from Mozumo.
Yamakyu features classic Japanese-style accommodations with free Wi-Fi. Indoor and outdoor public baths are available for guests to relax in. JR Takayama Train Station is a 20-minute walk away and a free shuttle service is provided from the station. The air-conditioned rooms feature tatami (woven-straw) floors and Japanese futon bedding. A TV, yukata robes, safety box, towels and green tea bags are provided. Includes a private toilet but bathrooms are shared. Guests can enjoy the beautiful Japanese garden or request for relaxing massages. There are 1 computers at the lobby that guests can use. Complimentary coffee and a computer with free internet access are available as well. Local products can be purchased at the souvenir shop. There is a washing machine on site that guests can use for an additional fee. A traditional multi-course meal is served for dinner and a Japanese set menu is available for breakfast. All meals are served at the dining room. Yamakyu Inn is a 5-minute walk from Old Town, Takayama Jinya and the morning market. Hida No Sato Folk Village is a 20-minute bus ride away.
Conveniently located just a 3-minute walk from JR Takayama Train Station and registered as an important cultural asset, Ryokan Kaminaka offers traditional Japanese-style accommodation with hot public baths, multi-course Kaiseki dinners served in guestsf rooms, and sleeping arrangements on the tatami (woven-straw) floor. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout. Stepping into the rooms at Kaminaka Ryokan is like stepping back in time with LCD TV and air conditioning. Furnishings include sliding paper screens and a low table with floor cushions, and Yukata robes and green tea are provided. Only a 1-minute walk to Hida Kokubun Temple, the ryokan is a 10-minute walk to the Miyakawa Morning Market and Furui Machinami (Historic Streets). It is a 15-minute walk to Sakurayama Hachiman Temple. On-site parking is free. The ryokan boasts a beautiful Japanese garden, which features a 200-year old Japanese Azalea tree. Luggage can be left at the reception. The Japanese or Western set-menu breakfast is served at the dining room. Kaiseki dinners consist of regional specialities made using fresh seasonal, local ingredients.
Situated 1.5 km from Takayama Station, Iroriyado Hidaya is a recently renovated 4-star accommodation in Takayama, boasting a garden, a shared lounge and private parking. This sustainable ryokan is located 2 km from Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village and 47 km from Gero Station. The ryokan has parking on-site, a public bath and full-day security. All units in the ryokan are fitted with a kettle. Featuring a shared bathroom with a bidet and bathrobes, units at the ryokan also boast free WiFi. At the ryokan, each unit has air conditioning and a flat-screen TV. Guests at the ryokan can enjoy an American or an Asian breakfast. Fuji Folk Museum is 2.3 km from Iroriyado Hidaya, while Yoshijima Heritage House is 2.7 km from the property. The nearest airport is Toyama Airport, 84 km from the accommodation.
Just a 2-minute walk from Takayama Station, Oyado Koto No Yume offers Japanese-style rooms with a colourful touch. The hotel features hot-spring baths, a restaurant serving breakfast and free WiFi throughout the property. This ryokan is introduced in Michelin Green Guide Japan. Rooms feature tatami-mat flooring and traditional futon bedding. They are equipped with a 40-inch flat-screen TV, fridge, coffee maker and green tea set. Attached bathrooms come with a shower, bathtub and toiletries. Japanese-style hotel Koto No Yume Oyado is only a 2-minute walk from Kokubunji Temple. The Miyagawa Morning Market and the historical Old Private Houses are less than a 10-minute stroll away. Guests at Koto No Yume Hotel can soak in an indoor or outdoor hot-spring bath, or in a semi-outdoor hot tub for private use. Massages are available. In addition, staff are readily available to help guests put on Japanese yukata robes. A Western or Japanese breakfast is available at Oyado Koto No Yume. Shirakawago can be accessed within a 50-minute bus ride; the bus terminal is located a 2-minute walk from the property.
On just a 6-minute walk from Takayama Station, traditional Japanese-style Ryokan Asunaro offers comfortable rooms with a seating area and free WiFi. The hotel features a relaxing public hot-spring bath and free yukata robe rental for women. Meals provided at this ryokan features local ingredients for guests to enjoy. The traditional decor of the rooms evokes a warm atmosphere with paintings by local artists on the fusuma sliding doors. Each room includes an LCD TV, minibar and electric kettle make for a convenient stay. Rooms have tatami-mat flooring and futon bedding. Complimentary bottle of water is provided in every room. From Asunaro Ryokan it is a 7-minute walk to the morning market, and a 10-minute walk from Old Town and Takayama Jinya. Shirakawa-go Village is located a 50-minute bus ride away, and the bus stop for the village is a 5-minute walk away. Guests at the Asunaro can soak away the day's fatigue in the hot public bath, which is made of granite stone. Also, private shower booths are available for staying guests.The ryokan features a garden and drinks vending machines, and offers bicycle rentals. The property offers traditional Japanese dinner and breakfast at the banquet hall. Western breakfast can be arranged with a prior request. Complimentary coffee can be enjoyed in the lobby every morning.
