Is this Takayama trip worth it?

Hello, I recently made a last minute change to my first time Japan trip plan coming up. I have the JR pass and I have decided that I will go see Takayama from Tokyo. My plan was to arrive there at around noon and stay the night, and then leave early the next morning by taking the JR lines back to Narita airport. I would however take the route through Toyama as I think I will enjoy the train ride more getting to see sites I haven't seen through the window. I pretty much have to leave by 730 am to make my flight with 2 hours to spare.

Unfortunately this is the only day I can see Takayama during the trip due to previously made plans and accommodations. My question is in your opinion, is Takayama is worth seeing at this time of the year with less than 24 hours in the town?

For added context, I would have already stayed in Tokyo/Nikko for about a week at this point, plus 4 days in Osaka/Nara/Koyasan, 3 days in Kyoto, 3 days in Fuji/Hakone, 2 days in Hiroshima/Miyajima.

Thank you!

In the end, only you can decide if it is really worth it - it depends on your interests. But you should know that Tokyo to Takayama is about 4½ hours by train, and if you are going soon, with far less daylight this time of year, you'd have maybe 5 hours at the most, which is hardly doing the place justice. Personally, I wouldn't do it - unless you're heart is really set on it and you just don't see yourself going to Japan ever again ever in the foreseeable future.
If you are seeing Takayama, going to see Shirakawago or Gokayama would be a very good addition, but you just don't give yourself enough time. Then you want to rush from Takayama to Narita Airport via Toyama. That will take you 6-6½ hours of just sitting on trains. Not something I'd want to do right before a long international flight.

I suggest you leave Takayama for a future trip. It will always be there. There are loads of great places around Tokyo, and you can use your time more effectively. A few ideas are Karuizawa, just an hour from Tokyo by bullet train and worlds apart. Or go see Kamakura & Enoshima for a day. A day trip to Sendai is also a possibility, or an over night at Kanazawa.

I agree with Ken. Takayama is a great spot, but this just seems too rushed to make it enjoyable.
Also, while the old streets in Takayama are lovely, if you are going to Kyoto then you can also get a great eold streetf experience by walking through Gion and Higashiyama more broadly. I also think the area of Saga Toriimoto in Arashiyama is also underrated in terms of an old street atmosphere.
And Naramachi in Nara is quite nice too.

Hello! Thank you guys so much for your responses. I feel like I kind of knew it wasn't the best idea but I needed other people to confirm it for me. I might just add it on my list of things to see another time when I'm in the country. Thank you guys!

Needing to travel from Takayama to catch a flight from Narita on the same day seems recipe for disaster in the making. Yes, japanese trains are very reliable, but thatfs a far distance and things can go wrong with so much train travel you need.

I personally also didnft like Takayama as I was thinking it is overly touristic.

Here some alternatives closer to Tokyo:
- if itfs Shirakawago style houses you are after, go to Japan open air folk house museum in Kanagawa instead. Easy to reach and they have a small, authentic Shirakawago village. https://maps.app.goo.gl/zLb7rcDbcMAgGiTV7?g_st=ic
- if itfs old city you are after Ifd go to Sawara in Chiba prefecture.
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/search?q=Sawara&m=1
- other people might suggest Kawagoe but I personally donft like Kawagoe. Too many tourists for my liking.
- Kamakura is also not to be missed. But isnft really comparable to Takayama.

Hey, I really appreciate your insight. I actually just realized that Kamakura would be something I definitely want to see so I'll just do that instead!!

Takayama is simply a long way from the other major spots and while there are three main routes I use, you would realistically just have an afternoon and the place deserves more than that. Even getting the 7:55 bus to Matsumoto and either the train to Nagoya or back to Shinjuku from there are trips worth the effort, but rushing to a plane at Narita, I wouldn't do that.