Kanazawa to Shirakawago to Takayama

We are going to Japan soon, and our last few nights we have rooms booked in Kanazawa and Takayama. I want to stop in Shirakawa-go when we depart Kanazawa for Takayama, and was hoping to book a day tour so that we don't have to worry about our luggage. Are there any day tours that are a one-way trip to Takayama? If not, is there somewhere we could store our luggage in Shirakawa-go while we tour the area? I've considered renting a car, but we don't speak Japanese or read it, so unless there are also English names on the road signs in that area, I'm not sure if that is a great plan for us. Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks!

http://shirakawa-go.org/kankou/guide/3382/

待合所内にコインロッカー設置。※コインロッカーが満杯の場合は、案内窓口でも手荷物をお預かりしています。（有料）

We have coin lockers in the bus terminal. If they are full, we will keep your luggage at the information (requires luggage fee).

I took the 8:20 bus from Takayama to Shirakawago arrival of 9:10. I departed at 12:20 and arrived in Kanazawa at 13:35.

You can do it on your own and get bus tickets via and just do the opposite of mine with different times:
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/highwaybus/shirakawago.pdf (scroll to bottom of page to find the link where to buy and take notice on place name).

In Shirakawago Bus Station, there are lockers. There are small/medium lockers which I believe cost 400 or 500 Yen (not sure). But those were all taken/full. There are big lockers which were 800 Yen (ONLY use 100 Yen coins, no other combination). So if you do go, make sure to have 100 yen coins with you. Inside the Bus Station, there is a tourist info desk you can ask for change for locker use if need to. If lockers are all full, you can leave it with them inside for same cost as lockers. Also, if using lockers...payment is for ONE time use only. As in, once you take out the key and put it in again to open up...that's it. So make sure to put everything inside all one time before putting in the money and taking key out. If you forgot your wallet, camera or whatever after taking key out. Once you put key back in to re-open, you have to make another 800 Yen payment to lock it again. When I was there, other tourists couldn't understand that. They kept thinking they can open and close and open and close. The worker told them they have to pay again. They argued they already put money. But they didn't understand that when they reopened to put their umbrella and heavy jackets inside with the rest of their stuff, that they had to pay again.

Also inside the Bus Station, there are maps in different languages that you can pick up. When walking out of the Bus Station to the main road, turn left, just a minute or 2 walk down the street you will come to a shuttle stop (forgot how much it cost). I think someone will be standing around in that area. A shuttle comes every so often that will bring you to the look out above the town. I used this to save time since when I got there it was due in less than 5 mins. Other option would be to walk up to the lookout. May take 15-20 mins. Taking the shuttle can save time if the timing is right. I took the shuttle up and spent some time up there picture taking and browse/shop at the tourist shop there. Then I walked down towards the town. I just wandered around until I needed to go back to the Bus Station for my bus to Kanazawa. I just went back 15-20 minutes before boarding time to use the restroom ( the reason why I went early because there are only a few stalls and was worried it would get busy if a bunch of people decides to use it before boarding) and to get my stuff out of the locker.

So you can do it on your own on the way to Takayama. Unless you want an official guide tour that will explain and describe everything to you.

Thank you both! That information was extremely helpful and solves my problem.