A different Japanese countryside experience. When you tour Shirakawago Village, you get to visit centuries-old traditional Gassho-Zukuri farmhouses characterized by steep triangle thatched roofing. The detailing of how it’s assembled can be seen from underneath it. These farmhouses are well preserved and many are still residence to the locals. There’s a few things you can do here. There are 3 big houses open to the public, some shrines and temples, and a walking path. There’s a lot of snack shops and souvenir shops you can browse in, as well as a lot of photo spots. There’s an observation deck where you can get a view of the whole village, 400m from the main path, but we weren’t able to go up. We had 2 hours to go around, which wasn’t enough. Perhaps 3-4 hours is a good time to spend in the village if you want to do everything there is to do, and go inside all the houses. We got our tour tickets via Klook, and there’s 2 stops in total—Takayama, a suburban economic city district dating back to the Edo period where old wooden houses still stand, and Shirakawago, a more secluded village compared to Takayama, both located in the mountainous Gifu region. We had 2 hours to go around in each of the stops. All in all it’s a nice peek into the mountain countryside. It’s quiet and peaceful.

Recommendation for Visiting Shirakawa-go Village ​An Unforgettable Experience: A Journey Back in Time to the Heart of Traditional Japan ​Welcome to Shirakawa-go! If you're looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, our historic village, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the perfect destination for you. A visit here is an exceptional opportunity to experience rural Japan and its traditional way of life, offering a stark and beautiful contrast to the country's modern pace. ​Architectural Wonder: The Gassho-zukuri Houses ​Shirakawa-go is famous for its unique Gassho-zukuri houses—massive wooden structures with steeply pitched, thatched roofs that resemble "hands held in prayer." These buildings are a masterpiece of local engineering, designed to withstand the region's heavy snowfall and offering a fascinating glimpse into the ingenuity of the area's residents. ​Tranquility and Authenticity: Walk along the quiet paths, listen to the gentle flow of the river, and feel the rural serenity. The village houses aren't just an attraction; they are living homes that offer insight into life from centuries past. We highly recommend visiting homes open to the public, such as Kanda House or Wada House, to see the traditional hearth and the original use of the roof space for sericulture (silkworm farming). ​Breathtaking Vistas: Don't miss the ascent to the Shiroyama Viewpoint. The panoramic view of the entire village, with its sloping roofs set against the changing backdrop of the mountains, is the most iconic and photographed sight in Japan. ​Experience a Different Side of Japan ​Shirakawa-go offers an illuminating lesson in culture and simplicity. This is the place to slow down, reconnect with nature, and experience the deep-rooted traditions of Japanese culture.

Absolutely beautiful village with a rich history. Walking around the area is easy for the most part. The observation deck is up a hill but not arduous. Lovely to walk around the main village. If travelling in by bus you should book in advance. Please be mindful of the village's rules: no smoking, no littering, no entering private residences etc.

This place was amazing, I only had about 2.5hrs to explore this place and while I felt satisfied I wish I had a car so I could stay as long as I wanted. That being said if you are doing the Limon tour bus option it’s plenty of time. The place has food and bathrooms but no trash. Any trash you have must be thrown away at home (not a complaint but just a warning to anyone) This place is just beautiful and aw inspiring, j truly think everyone deserves to see it. Autumn is probably the best time because of all the leaves changing colors. There’s tons of houses, shops, and vendors as well to get unique items. It’s honestly hard to explain why but I know that if you come here you will understand it’s a sight to be seen and worth the time. It’s also very close to Kanazawa so you could make this a day trip by car.

The world-famous Shirakawa-go is a picturesque mountain village known for its traditional gassho-zukuri houses — charming wooden farmhouses with steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snow. Nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains, the village offers a glimpse into Japan’s rural heritage and architectural ingenuity. The area is always bustling with tourists, especially during weekends and holidays, as visitors from around the world come to admire its UNESCO World Heritage–listed scenery. You’ll find many souvenir shops, cafés, and eateries lining the main streets, making it easy to enjoy local snacks or pick up traditional crafts. However, the popularity of Shirakawa-go does make it feel somewhat commercialized, with parts of the village catering heavily to tourism. Compared to Miyama, a similar traditional village near Kyoto, Shirakawa-go feels more lively but less tranquil and authentic. The car park opposite Shirakawa-go is somehow reserved for tourist bus only, and if you drive, have to park on top of the hill and take the free shuttle bus back to the main car park. Still, it remains a must-visit destination for its unique atmosphere and breathtaking views.

Get here EARLY! We were there around 11am and we had to park in the over flow lot up the hill (they have shuttles to take you down). It felt like Disneyland, there were so many tourists it didn’t feel authentic. It was interesting though and if you get off the main drag you can find some quiet moments.

Visited Shirakawa-go during the transition from summer to fall, and it was absolutely beautiful. The village is calm and serene, surrounded by stunning scenery and peaceful vibes. I’d love to come back again in winter to see it covered in snow!

A great place to visit in October for Sports Day. I’m not sure what it’s like in the snow, but I enjoyed riding the chair lift to the top and seeing the flowers and kochia bushes.

A great place for family, it has plenty of food and space to stay!

Best ski resort for beginners... With a Verity of slopes..

Great place to all. Beautiful place. Not expensive.

It’s been redone and looks great. Busy near the bottom of the hill but great for beginners

The route to Norikurakogen is very narrow road. But, you will see beautiful scenery in Autumn. It would be the 2nd week of October and the best would be October 20th-25th for color leaves.

It's alright, recommended for beginner and average skiers and snowboarders. Okay for one day but boring for more.

Nice and peaceful small village, worth to visit. All the carp in Seto canal had moved to another pond during late Nov to early Apr (winter time). All my children felt so disappointed 😞 when all the carp can't be seen in the Seto Canal. Just 20min & 240yen if take train JR takayama line from Takayama station.

My daughter really enjoyed feeding the fish along the canal. The koi were active and came right up to the edge, which made it fun and engaging for kids. It was a simple but memorable moment that added to the charm of walking through Setogawa and Shirakabe Dozou Street.

We arrived there during the Obon week (Wednesday). We arrived there around 10 am, and there was already a long line for their parking. It was especially crowded because the parking lot is under construction. We bypassed the parking and decided to park elsewhere. Though it was ten minutes walk (1,000 yen for parking), we felt it was worth the walk as the sightseeing bus was still at the bridge, meaning they hadn’t parked yet. We proceeded to go to the Main Street where there were many shops for snacks. It was my second visit, and I was surprised how crowded it was. Nonetheless, we were able to enjoy Shirakawa-go. Definitely arrive early if you don’t want to wait..before 9 am perhaps.

Beautiful street with carps swimming in the large canals. You can pay 100¥ to have access to a bag of bread to feed the fish. Quiet street with benches to sit and enjoy the serene atmosphere

A peaceful and beautiful place, not crowded. You can walk along the stream and feed the koi fish.

Nostalgic old Japanese town featuring Edo style buildings. The main attraction is the canal behind the buildings where the water is so clean that the owner of respective buildings keep their koi fish there. But please be aware that all the fish will be kept at different places during winter.

A beautiful street in the middle of the very quiet and laid back little town if Hida-Furukawa. The canals are flanked by white-black warehouses and have a very elegant look. It is recommended to visit in late April onwards, during which the canals will be filled with koi (I sadly did not get to see them). Just a short and cheap bus ride from Takayama Nohi Bus Center (Terminal 2)

Newly renovated ropeway Plenty of spaces at the top, connected to trekking trails Unfortunately the weather was bad on the day I visited there. There is live camera on official website, please do check before going there! I went there during summer, lots of mosquitoes, remember to bring mosquitoes repellent!

Great way to get fast up the mountain. There is a live webcam on their site so you can see the conditions at the top. Nice to walk around and see the different observation decks

We went up in Autumn & it was stunning going up & over the ropeway. As the mountain views open up before you - beautiful scenery. Apart from the short walk around to the great viewpoints, took the pretty hard hike up the hill to the hut & the views were even better, although pretty concerned about any bears nearby!

Really enjoyed visiting here. Visited in autumn on Oct 24th 2025. Too early to see the trees in autumn colors unfortunately but some are already changing. Very fortunate as the weather is cooperating and we had a clear view of the mountains. The Ropeway has 2 storey just a short ride to the top.

We couldnt go to Kamikochi because of the weather and came upon this place by chance.We were lucky to be the only ones here. The cafe at the middle station has good bread and pastry. Beautiful ride up with nice treks at the top.

It is nice up there. But do check the weather before going othewise there won't be much of a view. The ropeway ride is very short but scenic. There are places to walk around easily at the summit.

The view is absolutely amazing, and I'm very excited about it. Everyone should visit here at least once in their life. It's like paradise!

We had Halal soba. Lovely owner who always smiles and the halal soba was delicious. Place was beautiful with old japanese style. It closes quite early at 2pm so do plan ahead. We were lucky it wasnt crowded or at the peak period, so we managed to park in front of the shop.

Nice and cozy place. Do not need reservation. Serving halal delicious food

They have halal and vegan and 素食 menu. I had very good time with my various friends. Thank you very much.

This is a wonderful place to have soba. The Mori (cold) soba was delicious.

lovely cozy easy small restaurant fantastic soba

(Translated by Google) I had lunch at this soba restaurant near the festival square. The soba was flavorful and delicious. The condiments were wasabi, green onion, and grated daikon radish, and there was salt on the table. The portion was eight inches, but I wish I had more (I should have ordered nine inches...). Thank you for the meal. (Original) まつり広場近くのこちらのそば店で昼食にいただきました。 風味が良く美味しい蕎麦でした。 薬味はわさびと葱と大根おろしがあり、卓上に塩があります。 量は八寸でしたがもう少し食べたかったかな（九寸にすればよかった…） ごちそうさまでした。

(Translated by Google) Visited on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 (national holiday). They're usually closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but they were open because it was a holiday. The restaurant has a calm, Japanese-style atmosphere. I ordered Nagao Farm's three-color tomato soba. A great value menu that includes plenty of tomatoes, lettuce, and soba noodles. The three types of tomatoes had different flavors, and were sweet and delicious! The soba noodles were chewy and delicate, and even enjoyed with salt. I was impressed by how great an initiative they are to create a menu in collaboration with a nearby farm. (Original) 2025.9.23（火・祝）利用。 通常月火休みでしたが祝日ということで営業してました。 店内は和風の落ち着いた雰囲気。 長尾農園の3色トマト蕎麦を注文しました。 たっぷりのトマト、レタス、蕎麦が食べられるお得なメニュー。トマトは3つの種類で味が違い、甘くて美味しい！ 蕎麦はコシがあり繊細な味で、塩で食べても味わい深かったです。 近隣の農園とコラボしてメニューを創作するというのは素晴らしい試みだと感心しました。

One of the BEST experiencies in my trip to Japan, and definitely the best beef I've ever eaten. The woman who served us was very nice, even though she didn't speak English, she did her best to understand us and explain everything. We ordered the Hida Beef dinner set and added more pieces of meat because it was incredible, it melted in your mouth. It's worth coming here, even from other areas. Plus, there was no one else around, so it was very relaxing. I'll recommend it to anyone who tells me they're going to Japan.

Highly recommend this restaurant for Hida beef! Food is amazing. Very clean and spacious. Service is excellent! The lady is such a wonderful lady! Beef was stone grilled and you can cook it yourself or ask her to cook it for you. She offered udon to my kids when they asked for udon which was not on the menu. Those udon was made by her grandma and it was her dinner. How nice of her. Love the beef and the whole experience.

Best meal I had in Japan, if I could give it 10 stars, I would. If you are in the area, you must visit.

An awesome restaurant with super tasty food , an excellent customer service , staff super friendly and knowledgeable. A highly recommended place, great prices and tasty food.

Girlfriend wanted to eat Hida beef, so just randomly searched on google map for a place near our hotel (hotel kikori) and this was the closest! But so glad it come up as an option! Best beef for the price! For some it may seem expensive, but we’ve tried places more expensive and you don’t get as much beef with the same quality as this place! We got the set with 5 beef parts option for ¥9800 each!

Yamayu was recommended by the staff operating our holiday home in Hida-Furukawa. It was the best meal. The set menu was absolutely delicious and the lady serving us was extremely attentive. No detail was too small and she seemed genuinely happy to have us at the restaurant. We were a larger group of 7 people but everything was served promptly. My 9 year old son especially loved cooking his Hida-Wagyu on the lava stone which made entertaining him easy. Any language barriers were easily overcome and we also received a very interesting presentation regarding where the meat came from and the number of days the beef was aged. It was all topped off with the lady seeing us out the front door at the end of the night and bowing to us as we drove out of the car park. We are already planning our next trip to Hida-Furukawa just so we can visit Yamayu again!

Perfect experience! Everything starting with the smile that welcomes you, amazing food and perfect deserts! Best beef we ate! The place worth not less than 5 stars.

It’s been a wonderful experience to walk through this morning market, pacing slowly enough to enjoy the culture and people. The fruits are fresh. The local people are polite and friendly. I went very early in the morning at 7:00am therefore there aren’t too many people, making it an even better walk. I recommend going early and spend an hour to 90 minutes here. Then sit down at a coffee shop nearby for morning tea and wait for the other shops to open.

The Miyagawa Morning Market is one of the most well-known morning markets in Japan and a popular stop for visitors to Takayama. It’s located along the scenic Miyagawa River, creating a pleasant atmosphere for a morning stroll. While the market is charming, it does feel more catered to tourists than locals, with many stalls selling souvenirs, snacks, and street food rather than everyday produce. The market street itself is relatively short, so you can easily walk through it in about 15–20 minutes. That said, it’s still worth a visit for the lively atmosphere, friendly vendors, and the chance to sample local specialties like Hida beef skewers, fresh fruit, and traditional sweets while enjoying views of the river.

I visited the Miyagawa Morning Market around 7 a.m., but most of the shops were still closed and many vendors were just setting up their stalls. I realized it’s probably better to come a bit later, so I went back again around 8 a.m. By that time, more shops were open and the market felt livelier. There were stalls selling food, plants, and various souvenirs. It’s not a very big market, but it has a nice and relaxed atmosphere. I think it’s a good place to walk around in the morning if you’re staying in Takayama and have some free time before noon. Coming a bit later than 7 a.m. would be better if you want to see more shops open.

It’s an ok market, didn’t find it particularly interesting or appealing, but they sell some nice stuff along with the usual souvenirs for tourists. It’s strange because everything shuts downs at noon and the city becomes almost like a ghost town. Apparently some of the items the vendors are selling are made by the wives of local farmers, so look for handmade things and not souvenirs that seem to be made in a factory, that should help the local community better. Also, as tourists, it’s not always easy to buy fresh produces, as you’re probable going to be on a bus for a few hours with no way of preserving food, so I didn’t personally buy anything to eat here.

Some stall are nice but things especially snacks are more pricey here. What I enjoyed most was the nice breezy walk and feeding the koi fishes in the stream below. You can purchase fish pellets from stalls. Love the beautiful scenery.

A cute market to wander around in the morning. There's a shop where you can engrave your name on chopsticks. The people at the stalls are cute and charming. There's a stall selling sesame snacks where the seller loves Israel, go and support him!

Open only in the morning for a few hours as the name suggests. There’s a list of shops on the right but along the riverside there’s also some small stores selling farmers produce which is quite nice . We enjoyed hida beef and some local desserts

Hida Kokubunji Temple is the oldest temple in Takayama, with a history dating back to 746 AD. Established under Emperor Shōmu's directive to build provincial temples across Japan, it has been a spiritual and cultural landmark for over 1,200 years. Key highlights include: Three-Story Pagoda: Standing at 22 meters, this pagoda is the only one of its kind in the Hida region. Originally a seven-story structure, it was rebuilt multiple times due to fires and now stands as a three-story pagoda constructed in 1820. Ancient Ginkgo Tree: In front of the Bell Tower Gate, a 28-meter-tall ginkgo tree, estimated to be over 1,250 years old, is believed to have been planted by a Buddhist monk. It's designated as a natural monument and is a popular photo spot, especially in autumn. Main Hall (Hondō): The current main hall, dating from the Muromachi period (1336–1573), is the oldest building in Takayama and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The temple houses several significant artifacts, including statues of Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) and Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Mercy) from the Heian period, as well as a tachi sword donated by the Ena clan.

This is a national historical site. There is a huge ginko tree over 1200 years old and a ‘Triple Pagoda’ in the precincts, as well as Bell Tower Gates, said to have been moved from Takayama Castle and the cornerstone of the pagoda built over 1200 years ago. The main temple building is the oldest structure in the city, constructed in the Muromachi era (about 500 years ago). Popular place, regular stream of visitors. Easy terrain, lot of easy walking. Wear comfy shoes, take water, wear hat, sunscreen. Fee charged for entry. Great place for photography.

The area is smaller than I expected. Though the three storey pagoda and the main hall depicts how ancient it is, it was not scary. I can breathe good air with the surrounding old townscape.

Nice and serene. Best part is that it’s situated right in the middle of Takayama near the hotel. P.s: Great spot to take some OOTD 🤣

Rainy day in Takayama! But we managed a walk about to see some interesting spots. This Buddhist temple was very serene. There is a huge tree on the grounds and large pagoda. It was a small area but so glad we came across it.

Visited on 25/10/2025. Soothing and peaceful ambience…

Nice little stop while exploring Takayama. A quaint temple complex in comparison to others. The Great Ginko Tree was the best part.

Sanmachi Suji @ Takayama 🇯🇵 – Golden Yatai, Sake & Festival Charm 🎏🍶🛍️ We visited Sanmachi Suji on 15 April during the Takayama Spring Festival, and it was an incredible experience. The historic alley was full of life, with yatai (festival floats) on display—the golden yatai was absolutely amazing, shining with intricate craftsmanship and traditional elegance. The street was lined with traditional costume shops, paper umbrellas (和傘), local crafts, and souvenirs—perfect for festival-goers. We also enjoyed sake tasting at one of the local breweries, adding a rich cultural flavor to our walk. With the backdrop of cherry blossoms and Edo-style buildings, it was a perfect blend of heritage and celebration. A must-visit during the spring festival! 🌸🍶✨

Visited on a Sunday evening and it was still quite crowded, but the atmosphere was lively and full of character. The old wooden buildings, traditional shops, and narrow streets made it feel like stepping back in time. Lots of little stores selling local crafts, snacks, and sake. Despite the crowd, it was still enjoyable to walk around and take in the historic charm of the area. Worth a visit if you're in Takayama.

Sanmachi Suji in Takayama on a rainy day, and it was absolutely beautiful in its own quiet way. The old wooden houses glistened under the raindrops, and the reflections on the wet stone streets made the whole town feel timeless. The rain added a calm and romantic charm — fewer tourists, soft sounds of rain, and the smell of fresh wood and coffee from nearby cafés. Walking through those narrow lanes with an umbrella felt like stepping back in time. If you ever visit Takayama, don’t skip Sanmachi Suji, even if it’s raining. In fact, that’s when it feels the most magical.

Sanmachi Suji in Takayama swept us into a living memory — a street where spring, tradition, and joy collide. During Sanno Matsuri, the charming wooden houses opened their hearts — and sometimes their doors — offering travelers & tourists a taste of local sake and hospitality. The streets overflowed with energy as twelve yatai (festival floats), adorned with intricate details and adorable dolls, paraded through the crowds in synchronized celebration. It was crowded, yes — but in the best kind of way. The kind of atmosphere that makes you feel part of something old, grand, and beautifully alive. A walk through Sanmachi Suji during spring isn’t just a visit. It’s a traditional festival of the senses before leaving to Shirakawa-go two days later.

High-quality authentic matcha soft serve 350¥ 📍宮川園, Takayama, Gifu Takayama ramen (regular) 1,000¥ 📍Sanmachi, Takayama, Gifu Hida beef sushi set A 800¥ * Bamboo charcoal salt 1 piece * Ginger soy sauce 1 piece HIDA Beef Combination set C 1,200¥ * Bamboo charcoal salt 1 piece * Ginger soy sauce 1 piece * Hida beef gunkan 1 piece 📍Hida Kotte Ushi, Takayama, Gifu 🌿 While strolling around the old streets, look out for the streams of crystal-clear water filled with colorful koi carp fish 🐟, a charming sight unique to this town. And of course, you should pick up a Sarubobo doll, the traditional red mascot of Takayama, believed to bring good luck, happiness, and protection—making it a meaningful souvenir to take home. 🎁 👉 Full video and more food discovery in Japan: @fastingidie on TikTok & Instagram! 🎥🍣

Early in the morning when no one is around I felt like I have traveled back in time. In the afternoon when it’s crowded with tourists I felt claustrophobic. The street is narrow and the houses are small. After 5 pm almost all shops are closed. There are no street lights and it’s very dark.

Nice walk around sanmachi suji area with lots of great dessert and hida beef sushi snacks on the side the road.

Nice museum to visit to learn about history of Takayama. It was especially meaningful since we just visited the Shiroyama Park where the castle ruins is located. At least we got to see how the castle looked like in the old days. No photography allowed in most exhibition rooms. Overall, still a nice time spent there.

This museum is entirely free, and somewhat hidden away. Upon entering, collecting a free map will guide you around the ~10 exhibition rooms and few small gardens. There's lots of well written information about the town's history and traditions, most of it in English. When we visited there did not seem to be any staff around, despite the clearly well maintained grounds. Regardless of your interest in the local history, there's enough peaceful places to rest quietly to make this worth a visit.

It was really interesting to learn something about the history of takayama. The museum is for free but you can not take many pictures there. You can learn about their festivals and their past. You can even fly in an interactive simulation above the destroyed takayama castle and can see what it once looked like. If you like history, that is the place to go. But it is not an must see in takayama.

Free admission for visitors. There were around 20 display rooms which provided information related to culture, economic, social live, festivals and past stories of Takayama. No picture allowed inside display rooms so I only took photo of the garden. After saw those display I interested to find more about Japanese swords, which they provided it on specific free leaflet (can be requested to museum staff)

Laid back and easy to navigate with very few people. Everything is at your own pace just like the whole of Takayama. There were quite a number of exhibitions though lack of English explanation so we just marvelled at the swords and antique pieces without much knowledge of it. The back garden is very pretty and quiet.

We enjoyed the museum, with a few different exhibitions and it was free! However, one of the volunteers kept approaching us and talking at us after we said we would to just go around on our own. This made us feel quite uncomfortable so we left earlier than we would have liked, I hope the museum can see this feedback.

The building itself is an interesting mix of modern structure using traditional style. Interesting local artifacts on display. A very pleasant way to spend an hour or so.

It is a museum and exhibition hall devoted to the lovely floats of the Takayama Festival. Festival is held annually in April and October. The streets fill with tens of thousands of locals and visitors enjoying food from stalls and refreshments. Popular place, have to buy tickets. Easy terrain, easy walking around museum. Wear comfy shoes, take water, wear hat, sunscreen. Great place for photography.

We missed the festival by a few days (it’s on the 9th and 10th October), so we got to see some of the floats (4) at the museum. Your visit will be rather quick because there’s not much to see, but you can learn a bit about the history behind the festival and the floats through the audioguides (available in english) and if you come with a guide, as it was our case. The video they show on the second floor is ok but rather dated, and the TV is quite small.

The Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan is a museum in Takayama, Japan. It showcases the beautiful festival floats used in the famous Takayama Festival. These floats are large, colorful, and very detailed, highlighting the amazing craftsmanship of traditional artisans. The museum also features video introductions and explanations, making it easier to understand the history and significance of the floats. English audio guides are available as well. It’s a great place to visit if you want to learn about traditional Japanese culture and festivals.

The floats are very impressive and interesting, but there are only 5 of them. And there isn't very much information written in the museum, it's all on the audio guide. So if you're not a fan of audio guides, like me, you're basically out of luck. It's quite a small museum so the 1000 yen price seems a bit steep.

One of the few places where one can truly understand the exhibits as the ticket comes with use of audio commentary kit in English and a few other languages. Amazing to see the spring and autumn floats on display and understand more of the cultural, religious practices. Ticket includes entrance to adjacent museum displaying a 1/10 model of Tokugawa mausoleum.

One of the coolest small museums I’ve visited. Amazing collection of matsuri yatai that must be seen to be believed. Gives great cultural context and history. A must visit in Takayama.

I visited the museum with floats (Yatai) that are listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. The museum is located inside Hachiman-gu Sakurayama Shrine. The star attractions? Stunning floats that are true masterpieces, adorned with lacquer, vibrant paintwork, exquisite woodwork, intricate metalwork, and impressive smithery. The size of these floats is astounding! Imagine the Daihachi-Tai with wheels over 1.56 meters and the Hou-ou-tai showcasing a Phoenix with a wingspan of 1.8 meters and height of 8.8 meters! 😲 My absolute favourite was the Hotei-tai float, home to a dancing marionette. It takes 8 puppeteers, maneuvering 36 strings inside the float, to make this marionette perform its awe-inspiring jumps and somersaults 😲 I had the chance to watch a behind-the-scenes video of this in the visual room. Don't miss the last photo for a close-up glimpse of the small, but mighty marionette. The Gold shrine in the photo is a portable shrine called Mikoshi and weights about 2.5 tonnes 😱 80 people and two long bars are needed to carry the shrine. All the floats are located in an exhibition hall with 10 metre ceiling height 🫣 These floats are changed three times a year so people can see different ones when visiting 😲 Just think of the teamwork required to navigate these behemoths through the crowd-filled streets. That's what I call the spirit of a matsuri! 🙌

What a gem of a find! We had enjoyed many days of Japanese cuisine but decided to switch it up this evening. This place was amazing! There is an English menu — though the food exceeded our expectations given the menu has limited description of each dish. It is evident that they pay significant attention to detail with each dish. The food was absolutely delicious. We were the only tourists in here and the staff was welcoming and friendly! Would definitely recommend.

Delicious French-style food using local ingredients. Subtle flavours and excellent service. We had the beef and fish of the day, with apple pie for dessert. Definitely recommended.

Delicious food. The English menu was unfortunately little informativ. The food and the arrangement was way better than we expected after reading the menu. So trust in the food pictures on google. Food arrangement was beautiful and with lots of love for detail!

This restaurant offers both tasting menu and a la carte menu. But the tasting menu has to be booked one day in advance. I ordered from a la carte menu and the fish was surprisingly tasty. Chef seasoned the plate very nicely. The dishes were aromatic from the variety of ingredients. Love it!

Went for dinner @ Nakagawa with my wife. We ordered the Hida Wagyu Fillet dinner set & added on the vegetable soup of the day. Everything is delicious! The steak was the right temperature to our liking 👍 We both enjoyed the dinner very much. The best meal we had in Takayama during our 2 nights stay! Will visit again if we come to Takayama in future.

Lovely small restaurant with very friendly people and delicious food. The most tasty Hida beef. We had the dinner set and loved it!

Absolutely amazing experience. We booked dinner course for two, the chef was kind enough to adjust my menu as I only eat fish. Micheline star restaurant quality food. Amazing combination of Japanese and western cuisine. But without stress and discomfort of overly fancy restaurant. Staff was very sweet and food was absolutely breathtaking.

Best ramen in all of Takayama. Great traditional experience sitting at the tables without shoes in the booths. Food and service was fantastic and I would recommend popping in. There can sometimes be a queue so write your name on the board and wait your turn. 5-20 minute wait to get in.

The one food item that the YouTube vloggers said was a must-try in Takayama was the Hida Beef Sushi. These self-absorbed, follower-chasing travelers would rave about the tenderness of the meat and then immediately tell me to press the Subscribe button. Alas, it did look like a tasty morsel on camera, and this was the place mentioned the most to get it. Jamie W and I were strolling on Sanmachi Suji, the heart of Takayama's Old Town, when we came upon this spot. While the street was crowded, surprisingly the order window was not. That was likely because they were sold out of two of the three levels of Hida Beef Sushi - the ¥600 Lean version and the ¥1,000 Premium version. That left the ¥800 Medium-Fat version, so we naturally ordered it to share. The long slices of tender-looking Hida beef were slightly seared, placed over sushi rice nigiri-style, and lacquered with a horseradish soy sauce. It was placed on a flat rice cracker with a tiny dab of wasabi on top. It was prepared medium-rare, which was a plus, though the meat was slightly chewier than expected. Still, it was gone in a matter of minutes, and we didn't spend much time perusing the rest of their restaurant menu. FOOD - 4 stars...tender but slightly chewy AMBIANCE - 3 stars...not much atmosphere though they had open seating inside SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty automatic though the process was meticulous TOTAL - 4 stars...Hida Beef Sushi...check!

Its incredible authentic experience. The servis is very friendly. There is wide selection and menu is in English too. One of the best meet we ever had. We took roast beef, its was very soft and rump steak, also delicious.

Another popular spot for Hida beef sushi 🍣 in the area! I came around 4 PM, so the top one was already sold out 😅 Tried set A and premium-fat B — A was a bit chewy, but B was melt-in-your-mouth soft 🤤✨ Tip: eat it right away or the rice might stick to the cracker 🍘 There’s also a small dine-in space where you can sit and wash your hands 💧🪑

Ordered the beef sushi street food set for ¥1,200. Honestly, it looked good but the meat was a bit tough, not the melt-in-your-mouth kind I was expecting from Hida beef. Still decent for a quick bite, and I appreciated that they provide a place to sit inside so you don’t eat in front of other shops. Just not as impressive as I hoped.

Never pre planned to visit this place just walk in spontaneously. Only after I made my orders then started to read the review and realized this is a popular joint. The interior is very nice traditional Japanese setting. The foods are really fresh and well cooked. Absolutely unforgettable experience! Strongly recommend!

You simply can’t visit Hida Takayama without indulging in the renowned Hida beef! Known for its rich marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture, Hida beef is one of the finest wagyu varieties, raised in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Its unparalleled tenderness and buttery flavor make it an absolute must-try for any meat lover. During our visit, we had the pleasure of enjoying this delicacy at Sakaguchiya (御食事処 坂口屋), a traditional Japanese restaurant that added an extra layer of authenticity to the experience. The setting at Sakaguchiya is warm and inviting, offering a perfect blend of traditional Japanese decor and a comfortable dining atmosphere. As we sat down to enjoy our meal, we were impressed not only by the quality of the food but also by the attention to detail in both presentation and service. The Hida beef was beautifully prepared, cooked to perfection with just the right amount of seasoning to enhance its natural flavor. Each bite was incredibly tender, and the rich marbling created a luxurious melt-in-your-mouth sensation that left us wanting more. For those who are visiting Takayama, I highly recommend making a stop at Sakaguchiya to experience Hida beef in its most authentic form. The combination of the top-tier wagyu and the traditional Japanese setting makes for a truly memorable dining experience. Whether you’re a seasoned wagyu enthusiast or trying it for the first time, Hida beef is a culinary highlight that shouldn’t be missed.

Now we went here because of the good rating and it didn't disappoint. Just a bit far from where your tour bus might be parked but well worth it. 900 yen ramen. Affordable but definitely good flavor. Personally, had the basic ramen. Loved the chunk of meat. Flavorful, tender and soft.

The best Takayama ramen, without question. Don’t go to the other touristy places - this little ramen shop run by a very kind couple is miles better, and no queue since it’s not on the “main street”. Cannot recommend enough!

Best Takayama ramen, so simple and sol good especially the meat as well as the noodles and soup! 😍 We love it here and came back 2 years later, still amazing! We walked right in with no line and it is the sweetest couple that runs the restaurant. You sit on the floor and eat, but that is also a part of the traditional experience. Can only recommend! 🙌

Cozy ramen house at Takayama. The humble looking noodles took us by surprise, the noodles were springy and cooked perfectly, soup was flavourful and light, not cloying. Not the typical Ichiran ramen type. The char siu was so tender! We sat at the counter seats and watched the chef prepared the noodles. You can sense the dedication and precision in the way he worked. We regretted not going for the upsized noodles! Must try if you are at takayama! Highly recommended!

A small shop run by a old couple (I assume). Selling only one type of ramen and Char Siew rice. Hardly leave review but this char Siew rice is super nice !

I’m in love with the traditional tatami seating by the window, old school vibe with jazz in the background. A relaxing afternoon. Shoyu ramen was good. I prefer thin noodles. Chashu bowl was delicious too. Great price service and atmosphere. Kid-friendly! Would totally come back.

Nice bowls of ramen. Light and subtle flavors. Simple menu. We got both bowls—the Takayama ramen had thinner noodles and a broth with a stronger dashi flavor. Both had just the right amount of sodium! I can’t say which one I liked better, but slightly prefer the noodles in the Takayama; they were thinner, curly, and had a nice bite to it. Try both ramen with a little bit of white pepper, it really brings out the flavor. The pork in the Takayama and the chicken in the shoyu were both cooked perfectly. Tender, but not too meaty/gamey. Service was friendly and fast. The shop is off a main road and not too hard to find. We went at 11:15 right after they opened and there was no line.

We arrived slightly after 5pm and were seated within 5 minutes. The menu does not offer a wide variety of cuts, but we went for the A5 large plate. The meat was sliced thinner than expected, but it was still delicious especially the sirloin and the cubed steak. The price per gram here is more reasonable compared to many other Hida beef restaurants in the area as they raise their own cattle, which is a plus. We added on a sirloin plate, and again, the cut was thin. I skipped the premium sirloin thinking it looked too fatty based on the photo, but after trying premium sirloin at another place the next day, I realised that it could have been the better choice. Overall, a good place to enjoy Hida beef at relatively more affordable prices.

Came in around 6:30 on a Friday evening (post Autumn Matsuri) so it was fairly busy with about 28 groups in front of us. Wait was ~40 minutes, and were hungry but definitely worth the wait. Super fatty and melty meat, great way to experience A5 grade beef. For 2 people, a sampler platter, kimchi sampler, rice, and an extra entree of A5 short rib was plenty since the meat was so rich.

The best yakiniku restaurant in Takayama! We loved it so much that we went twice on two consecutive days during our stay that’s how worth it it was. The Hida beef was absolutely exceptional incredibly tender, juicy, and full of rich flavor that melts in your mouth. The price is very reasonable considering the top-quality meat and the overall dining experience. The staff were kind and welcoming, making every meal feel special. A must-visit spot in Takayama for anyone who loves authentic Japanese yakiniku and wants to taste the best of Hida beef.

One of the best hida beef in town. It's also a bucher shop where you can buy nice cuts to cook at home or choose to eat at the restaurant here. The price is reasonable comparing to the quality of the meat. Hida beef doesn't give off a strong beefy flavor but it's definitely melted in your mouth. I que up for about 30 mins but it's worth the wait. You have to come here if you're in Takayama.

I ordered four dishes of Wagyu beef and received poor services. Among all upscale beef restaurants I have ever visited, this may be the worst. The waitress and waiters are very impolite and not helpful. Beef is not as good as photo as I found black spots ( I believe it is rotten). We asked for recommendations on sake but we did not take the recommended one. The waiter spoke in Japanese in front of us and complained to his lady colleague. This is very unacceptable

You can find High quality here. It’s so intense marbling, tender texture, rich and juicy flavor. The beef lover must visit! There are Pork and Bacon provided for whom not a beef fan!🥩 I can say it’s the most HAPPY meal for this trip!

The breed their own for meat. Good quality and reasonably priced. Well worth the wait for delicious Hida Beef. Get a queue number without delay. It moves fairly quickly when we were there. There is an English menu and order is via scan QR code at the table. Free wifi is available for those without data. Staff are friendly too!!

I enjoyed the experience and found the historical building really interesting—it gives you a great glimpse into Japan’s Edo-period government life. However, I do wish there had been more explanations in English. Most of the signs and information were in Japanese, so it was a bit hard to fully understand the context without a guide. Still, a beautiful place worth visiting if you appreciate history and architecture!

Takayama's Jinya is a very interesting example of civilian architecture before the Meiji Period. It offers valuable perspective against the long list of temples, shrines, and a dozen of casltes that survived to the modern day. The building is well kept, sports a sober but pretty garden, with some of the rooms filled with origian furniture. More importantly, it is the sole example of a government office from the Edo Period. Don't miss it when you are in Takayama

The exposition at Takayama Jinya was bigger than we expected and offered a really interesting glimpse into traditional Japanese interior and architecture. All visitors are asked to remove their shoes at the entrance, place them in a plastic bag, and carry them throughout the visit — something to keep in mind before entering. There’s no rush inside, and several peaceful spots let you sit on tatami mats and enjoy views of the surrounding nature. A calm and enriching experience overall.

I would highly recommend a visit here! We did a guided visit our tour guide, Yoshi (through Japan Guide Agency), and loved it. There really is a lot to see here. It was also a great activity to do in the rain.

Nice building and good to get some history. The joinery and structure of the building is phenomenal, something I really appreciated looking at. Educational on the buildings use and different methods of roofing.

The provincial governor dispatched by the Shogunate performed the official duties involved in ruling over Hida (e.g., the administration, policing and judicial functions). Takayama Jinya is the only such site of a provincial governor / magistrate’s office – of around 60 across Japan where the main building still remains today. Popular place with tourists and locals. Easy terrain, lot of easy walking. Wear comfy shoes, take water, mostly under cover. Great place for photography.

Government building mostly empty which made it quite boring. Not a whole heap of English. 440Y entry, could have done without unless Government buildings really interest you

The house is big and nice to explore. You can spend 15' to 30' here depend on how fast you walk around. It is 2 levels and spacious house. The price is steep. If you plan to visit Hida Folk Village, you can skip this place.

Yoshijima Heritage House was built in 1907 by master carpenter Nishida Isaburo. It served as the home of the Yoshijima family, who were prominent sake brewers and moneylenders. The house is renowned for its exquisite Meiji-era architecture, characterized by intricate wooden joinery and a harmonious blend of functional design and aesthetic beauty. Notably, the structure features large wooden beams and a spacious interior that reflects the wealth and status of its original inhabitants. Visitors can explore various rooms that showcase traditional Japanese living spaces, including tatami-matted rooms, sliding shoji screens, and an inner courtyard garden. However, there are few exhibits on display, so considering the admission fee (¥1,500), the overall experience may feel somewhat underwhelming.

Hidden inside an unassuming sliding door, this massive empty traditional Japanese living space is quite odd. There is almost nothing on display until you get to the outside space at the back, which seemed to have some sort of collaboration with an artist? As such, the fairly high entry price (1500Y, cash only) is hard to justify when your time will consist of 10 minutes wandering around large empty spaces! Whilst the hidden entrance and high cost ensures it is empty, there's almost no actual information here. I'd recommend instead visiting a restaurant or inn with traditional layouts.

Considered a National Important Cultural Treasure. Not much to see inside, honestly, but going with a guide is recommended because she/he will tell you more about the architecture and explain you the way people lived (and some still do) in this kind of homes. It used to be a prosperous sake brewery before being turned into a residence and lastly a tourist attraction. You have to take your shoes off at the entrance so bring warm socks (we’re in October now); I had thin ones and my feet were freezing.

Traditional house. It is a two storey house. To go up, there is a quite a sloppy narrow stairs from one side and the other from another side. Cost 1000yen. Abit steep for the price. If it is slightly cheaper maybe can attract more tourists to come. But there is always pros and cons. Overall, the feeling of the house is good. Feels calm and peaceful in the house.

It's always interesting to visit a traditional house if you are of the curious type (like me). And this house is a testimony of bygone times. My only reservation regards the lack of explanation in the rooms themselves even if they provide a sheet of paper in English with a general explanation.

Traditional Japanese house built in the early 20th century. The family was a sake brewer so the house was used for both business and family. This house shows good example of tradition carpentry and the roof structure at the entrance is highly praised for a perfect feminine blend between the "hard" straight lines of the structure with the "warm" sunlight sheds from the big window above. This is a really "open" exhibit where visitors can sit, touch and feel almost any part of the house. Most of the daily use objects and decorative items are being moved and exhibit in the folk museum. Tips: the restaurant Kyoya in the next street serves superb meals including prime Hide beef and live river fish. It makes a good combo to visit both together. 😁👍

It's fun to see everything. It's not a full day; after 30 minutes you're done.

impressive shrine surrounded by nature. Very much recommended for a visit along with the museum of Takayama festival vehicles next to it.

Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine has such a calm and peaceful atmosphere. It’s surrounded by beautiful flowers and offers a lovely scenic spot for photos. Though it’s not a large shrine, it’s the perfect place to relax and feel a sense of tranquility in Takayama. 🌸

A nice peaceful place when full festivities are not in swing. The shrine is very nice and a steady stream of ppl came to pray. I only came here to see where the autumn festival takes place.

This is a BEAUTIFUL shrine up a little hill in the outer part of the city. Loved the calm and relaxing vibe you get there, the architecture was amazing and all the green surroundings of the shrine.

Beautiful shrine and buildings in this area! Super clean and well made carpentry! You can spend a 100-300yen to put prayer wishes on wood or paper and leave it there! I recommend speding at least 30minutes to explore all buildings and enjoy the cultural space!

Love it here. Somehow very peaceful. You will see the white shrines nearby the river, walk that way for 400 metres and walk up the stairs. Enjoy the view! It would be lovely if you come here before the sun sets.

We love the hike up to the shrine. It's only a short walk from the town (about 20 mins), and once you are up there, the atmosphere is very calm and peaceful, where you are underneath the big tall cedars and can overlook the city.

Very nice & peaceful shrine at the bottom of the forest & a view over the village.

Famous with the movie called “your name”. Silent and sacred place to feel the existence of god in Japan.

Went to Keta Wakamiya shrine on the 1st of 2022 for Hatsumode! The shrine is beautiful in the snow😍. It was packed with visitors so it was hard to find parking. The roads were very slippery, it didn't seem like they have spread salt on the ground to melt the snow or have any antislip measures. There were many elderly there it looked very dangerous for them to climb the stairs and down. I also slipped a few times on way down.

A good place to view Furukawa city under sunshine. A small shrine without many people here, but a little far from train station.

This is a beautiful shrine on top of a hill, serenely surrounded by trees. The best part is you can get a panoramic view of entire Hida-Furukawa from here. And this helps you understand why the shrine has been central to communal life in the area for centuries -- it's as if gods and goddesses were overseeing and protecting all folks down there. A wonderful place to visit, particularly for those who are spiritually inclined. Breathing in and out in front of the panoramic view can fill you with positive energy and inspirations!

Any fans of Your Name, the Romance Anime. The stairway was used in the movie.

I know many people come here because of the Your Name anime. However, the station could actually make it more interesting. I understand it might seem like too much since it’s just a train station and not a tourist attraction, but tourists do visit here from time to time. They should be aware of this and consider doing something to enhance the experience.

We were glad, on hindsight, the bus tickets to Shirakawa-go were sold out and we came here for a day trip instead. The entire place was absolutely beautiful, quiet and devoid (mostly) of tourists. We were lucky to also have soba at the local favorite, Sobasho Nakaya, before taking the 4.10pm train back to Takayama.

Hida Furukawa, a good short stay from Takayama or a wonderful day trip. A 20mins train ride from Takayama and you will land in a picture perfect town with beautiful shophouses and canals filled with lively carps ( except for winter ) A charming place to spend half a day strolling the shrines and streets or a short stay away from the crowds in the other larger towns.

Stayed here for several days on my own and loved it. This is not a tourist trap, its a beautiful town where you will relax. Also it has two exceptional Sake breweries, pleasant surprise!

I believe you would have watched the famous anime named “your name-君の名”, So this is the real life location of it, place is very simple, everyone should give a try on visiting the Shrine which was mentioned in the anime, the hida character refers this Hida city so buy that cow 🐮 omiyage also.This place is for anime lovers or else it is same like another places in japan. Since it is a old village things here will give a nostalgic and traditional look.

A cost small station which has been widely known because of the renown Japanese comic movie “your name”. Very thoughtful photo taking guide and tips inside and outside of the station. There are NOT so many trains everyday so plan your trip ahead if you are heading to this amazing place.

Small old town near Takayama. Only 15 minutes by train. The most favorite attraction is a small canal named Seto river. The canel is lined by old store houses with white walls where you can see a billion of craps.

A nice exhibit featuring the Hida Furukawa festival. There is a short video/movie in a small theater, marionettes and drums you can try to play with, and a photo spot where you can try out the Tombo pose. There were only a few visitors that time and the female staff took photos for me 🙂 There is also a souvenir shop and a resting area inside the building.

A place to understand Hida-Furukawa festival. A theatre to show the festival. Close up looks of the Floats, experience the control of wooden puppet, enter the display float & etc. During the festival, floats will back to their storehouse. Therefore, no floats will be display at the exhibition.

Insightful exhibition about the furukawa festival with almost all actual artifacts used on display. Staff are very friendly. They also show an informative mini documentary about the movie. Overall giving you a great experience about the festival without participating one.

It was fascinating to learn about Hida Furukawa Festival. This museum is well kept, and they have a nice theater to watch a short documentary about the matsuri. ☺️ Set tickets with a discount can be bought, which includes entrance to the nearby crafts museum. 🔨

An unexpected treat! Well worth the reasonable price of admission to see the 20 informative and vibrant film. The exhibition hall housed the intricate floats.

Worth going to just see the amazing 20-min video presentation of the festival in the mini theatre itself! Friendly staff, and seeing the floats and costumes up close. Tip: received a 200 yen discount coupon from the visitor centre in town to use for this exhibition.

A fascinating museum which explains the local Hida Furukawa Festival. Has displays of all the instruments, equipment and floats used in the festival and has a 20 minute video which shows and explains the festival. The video is Japanese but has very well translated English subtitles. A must see if you're in the area and admission is only ¥500. The staff were also incredibly kind and welcoming.

Very very cool and lovely place, seems to be family owned, when we were there(my family and I) there were two people working in the restaurant. The food was delicious and amazing. We did wait a bit but it's a hundred percent worth it. Highly recommend.

The food was amazing! We had the beed and rice bowl menu and it was delicious, one of the best things I ate so far in Japan! Also the restaurant itself is super cute japanese style and the staff also very friendly. I highly recommend coming here

Great little spot for travelling tourists. Friendly staff and English menu. I had the Hida beef sukiyaki which was delightful. My partner had the miso ramen which was also recommended.

Nice Hida beef Udon. Very cosy and homely feel. Enjoyed the meal here.

This is an excellent restaurant for those who are looking for delicious Hida-beef dishes: udon and soba noodles, sukiyaki rice　bowl, and curry and rice, all come with skillfully cooked Hida beef. Just as the name of the restaurant "Takumi" means "master artisan," the owners -- a married couple -- are also artistic, decorating the interior of the restaurant with beautiful traditional craftworks. A very nice place!

The food is delicious and the staff also nice

Good food

I really love this restaurant! Everything is so delicious, and the atmosphere is amazing. It feels like a true hidden gem. I believe it’s run by a Japanese family, which makes the experience even more authentic✨✨ I highly recommend it to anyone looking to try something unique and unforgettable🌸

We ordered the Hida beef with miso set cooked on magnolia leaf, A5 sirloin, and a seasonal vegetable with magnolia leaf grilled miso set meal. All were delicious. The Hida beef was especially high quality and grilling over the charcoal grill was very satisfying. The setting is traditional Japanese style, quiet and cosy. The chef personally came out to greet each table, which made the experience feel even more special. Parking is available, and we made a reservation through their website.

A great restaurant serving a variety of dishes made with Hida beef, including some affordable options. The rice bowl topped with Hida beef was absolutely amazing — tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The cozy, traditional interior adds to the charm

Delicious set meals and great service! There was a lot of variety so menu is able to accommodate different food preferences — beef, sashimi, soba.

We wanted to like Kyōya given the high ratings but didn’t really enjoy our meal here. The hoba miso beef was way too salty for our taste. Our Hida luxury set came with two different cuts of Hida beef, one was good and the other was tough and chewy. If you look at the attached photos, the marbling in the beef we got wasn’t great. We tried Hida beef at another restaurant the next day and enjoyed it much better there. Staff spoke good English, and meal was served quickly after we ordered. Restaurant setting was nice.

The food, especially the Hida beef, was delicious. The set meals were very generous and consisted of a variety of dishes, including appetisers and dessert. The price was very reasonable in view of the portion size and quality of the food served. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

My wife and I visited Hida the first time, a city where I wanted to visit for many years. We were searching for restaurant that serve local Hida cuisine. Kyoya came out as one of the famous places for that. We ordered their Hida Takayama Set, which included hoba miso, Hida beef, Hida tofu, sashimi, dessert and Hida soba. The Hida beef was indeed very delicious, worth the visit and highly recommend to try. Their Hoba miso was also quite good.

Nothing beats eating hot, warm, grilled dango on a rainy day. It was so soft and yummy. These were only 100 yen, which is roughly 0.76 cents.

Best shoyu dango in Takayama. The rice ball is soft, very yummy!!

Wow ~~~~ dont know what is this. Some kind of grill rice i guess But definitely delicious i like it.

Very tasty dango with soy sauce taste that's not sweet but slightly salty.

Must try item.

(Translated by Google) I visited Takayama City's tourist attraction, the Old Town, around 1:30 PM for a post-lunch snack. My goal was the mitarashi dango (sweet rice dumplings) from Jinya Dango Shop, beloved by locals and tourists alike. The surprising price of 100 yen per dango is appealing, but the flavor is even better! Rather than the typical sweet mitarashi sauce, these dangos are flavored with a "non-sweet" soy sauce. The well-browned dango is fragrant, and the umami flavor of the rice that spreads softly and chewily in your mouth is a perfect match with the fragrant soy sauce. The size is perfect for eating on the go, and one dango is so delicious you'll find yourself ordering another one. Thank you for the meal! Order ・Mitarashi dango 100 yen (Original) 高山市の観光名所「古い町並み」エリアで、昼食後のおやつとして13時半ごろに訪問しました。お目当ては、地元民にも観光客にも愛される「陣屋だんご店」のみたらし団子。驚きの1本100円という価格も魅力ですが、その味わいは価格以上！ 一般的な甘いみたらしのタレではなく、こちらの団子は“甘くない”醤油味。しっかりと焼き目のついた団子は香ばしく、口の中でふんわりもちもちと広がる米の旨みと、醤油の香ばしさがベストマッチ。食べ歩きにもぴったりなサイズ感で、1本では物足りず、ついついもう1本頼みたくなる美味しさです。 ごちそうさまでした！ 〇注文内容 ・みたらし団子　100円

(Translated by Google) I've always thought the Midarashi dango here are the most delicious. They're located at the intersection in front of the Jinya, and are handmade by an old lady. When I visited on Saturday, she told me she was thinking of quitting in about two years. She said making the dango is a lot of work. If you go to Takayama, these are the dango you should definitely try! They were delicious! (Original) 昔からここのみだらしだんごが一番美味しいと思います。 陣屋の前の交差点にあり、おばあちゃん手作りです。土曜日にお伺いした時に、あと2年くらいでやめようと思うとお話しされていました。お団子作る作業大変だそうです。 高山に行ったら絶対このお団子です！ 美味しかった！

We had a salad, a small sirloin steak, bread, rice and a chocolate cake and ice cream. Everything was delicious apart from the chocolate cake which was very dense but not bad. The restaurant was very quiet, not much atmosphere (normal for lunchtime?). Everything feels very dated. I imagine if this restaurant was updated it would be booked up for months in advance considering the food and service.

This is probably THE steakhouse in the Takayama, serving good quality Hida beef. Reservations is easy and highly recommended. The place was booked out when we visited. You'd get to choose between A4 and A5 beef cuts, but obviously the price of the meal will be costlier as a result compared to other steakhouses in the area. An interesting fact is they are also well known for their side dish souvenir "Hambaguu", probably a word play on the Hamburg steak, which is one of their specialty goods and very popular among the Japanese (to the point where apparently they have customers visiting the place just to buy those bottled side dish). It's purchasable when you pay for your meal at the counter.

I ate at a few steakhouse and shabushabub store and this was the best Have 2 sets of 150g of A5 Sirloin Steak at £7480 Super tender and delicious

One of the best steaks I have ever had, A5 Sirloin 200g is perfect with crusty bread, take their recommendations they know what they are doing.

this place does a great job keeping things simple and attention focused on the prime draw, the hida beef, which was delicious and has a texture quite different from the kobe (association marketed) variety

Steak is just amazing, and the staff is really friendly which makes it a very pleasant experience. Do yourself a favour and try the bread - with the butter, it is insanely good.

Best steaks we’ve ever had. Some say it’s expensive but this has to be because of how the beef is raised to make it this amazing. We’ve had the sirloin, the tenderloin and the chateau. Make a reservation through google and the restaurant will email or call you to confirm. Service was also phenomenal. We heard rumors about the Hida beef being the best in the world and to us it was the best we’ve ever had. It’s worth every penny. Go for the higher grade-you’ll be glad you did and you’ll have something to talk about and tell your friends after flying back home from vacay.You’ll choose your cut and they’ll bring it to you to see before it’s prepared. Thank you Kitchen Hida. We will miss you and your amazing beef, chef and staff 🍽️🥩

It was a nice visit even with the colder temperatures! The trip through the caves took us about half an hour. It's organized really well and the path through the caves was easy to follow. Some restaurants are also outside. If you find yourself in the area I would say it's worth the visit. We went on a weekend around 1530 and it wasn't busy at all.

Interesting place to visit if you haven't seen a limestone cave. Just take a bus from Takayama and back. There is a free shuttle bus that brings you from the bus stop to the cave entrance as well. 1hr to 1hr 15mins time spent at the cave is sufficient. Quite an easy walk inside but there are short steep paths and some steps. Not suitable for wheelchair users or baby strollers.

Why can't one let nature be nature? You are cooped through the narrow tunnels, that you should not touch (which I of course understand) but everything is cemented, covered with tarps, some metal construction built into the cave etc. the only nice thing are the stalagmites that are formed naturally, other than that you may watch artifical waterfalls (they literally have water lines inside) and man made builds. Other than that in their first fish pond almost every fish looks blind and sick, even having bleeding gills. Miserable place, wanted to leave asap.

Lovely caves with lots of caves to explore. Bit of scaffolding here and there but we enjoyed it and great to explore somewhere new on our way to Takayama. Cat parking is free and entry was 1200 yen each.

The Hida Great Limestone Cave, located near Takayama, is a well-known local attraction, but in my experience, it doesn’t quite live up to its grand name. Compared to other limestone caves I’ve visited—such as the magnificent ones in Halong Bay, Vietnam—this cave is relatively small and less impressive in scale. The interior mainly consists of a long, narrow corridor with low ceilings in some parts. It’s quite damp and chilly inside, even though I visited during the summer. The atmosphere can feel a bit uncomfortable due to the constant moisture, and the lighting is rather dim, which adds to the cold and slippery feel of the place. Visitors should also be prepared for a physically demanding walk. There are many steep slopes and stairways throughout the cave, which can be tiring and potentially unsafe for young children, the elderly, or anyone with mobility issues. The wet surfaces make it even more slippery, so proper footwear is highly recommended. Overall, while the Hida Great Limestone Cave may be worth a quick visit if you’re already in the area and interested in geology, it’s not a must-see attraction. Those who have explored larger or more dramatic caves elsewhere might find it underwhelming.

It's really worth divert and come here to visit the cave. It's a long undeground walk though different caves connected by the tunnels. Nature is breatifuly exposed with the help of colorful lights. Some passgaes requires a bit of a stretch and climbing up the stairs. Parking is for free and beatifully located among the mountains. There is also an amazing small park with sculptures on th way back from the cave to the parking.

We loved it, definitely worth the stop. You get to explore three caves at different levels. It's well organised and the walking path is very clear. Outside, there's a pond with carps, and you can buy fish food nearby to feed them. Our 4 years old really enjoyed the experience.

Kusakabe Traditional House is a peaceful and charming place to visit in Takayama. The wooden architecture is beautiful, with big open spaces, warm lighting, and a calming traditional atmosphere. You can walk through the old rooms, see antique furniture and tools, and imagine how life used to be for a wealthy merchant family. It’s not a big museum, but it feels very personal and quiet—perfect for a short, relaxing stop. Great for anyone who enjoys traditional Japanese houses or just wants a break from the busier tourist spots.

The residence belonged to a wealthy family of suppliers , who, among other things, supplied the Tokugawa shogunate. It's two stories tall, with gabled walls, stepped roofs and a double-height hall, supported by sturdy beams and posts. You can see the huge 13-meter-long Japanese red pine beam that supports the ceiling. Popular place, lots of tourists and locals. Easy terrain, easy walking, some stairs. Fee charged for entry

Beautifully preserved traditional house with interesting displays from the Edo period. A calm and authentic look into historic Japanese life.

Very cool to be able to go inside to explore. What amazing history.

Interesting to see such a house from the inside. Beautiful garden, interesting arrangement. But watch out: it is highly recommended to wear a helmet, as the ceiling is really low at least for people of normal western height. Unfortunately helmets cannot be rent, so bring your own helmet.

Entry price is a little high for the size but very interesting items on display. You can blaze through in 10 minutes or take your time and spent 20 minutes here. Unless you are on a very tight budget I think it's worth seeing.

A bit pricey but the house is very well maintained. Deserved every penny. I loved the inner courtyards and the rooms around.

So amazing experience and memorable moments with my family. I love how his first ski ❤️❤️❤️

ski trip to Nagareha in Hida district. it is wide and long snow resort to ski and snowboard. on top of the mountain, you will discover another snow resort called 'kokusetsu Nagareha', where you can enjoy skiing on various types of galende, such as advanced, upper intermediate, intermediate, and elementary skiers and boarders. in fact, the last time i visited Nagareha, it was impossible for me to find the top one cz it was snowing heavily then. kokusetsu faces north, so if you are not satisfied enough Nagareha, you don't miss kokusets since the snow condition must be much better than the one facing south.

Small ski resort but it's only 1100 yen for one day ticket on Friday. So cheap make the short course very satisfying.

What am amaxing place on the doorstep of amazing natural wilderness

Top D+

(Translated by Google) Nagareha Ski Resort is a hidden gem in Hida. This time, I visited it to scout it out. It's close to Takayama, at 35km and 50 minutes. It's also very accessible, as it's located along Route 41. However, there aren't many convenience stores along the way, so if you find one somewhere between Takayama and Furukawa, I'd recommend stopping in. Takasu Dyna Meiho is known for its insanely high attendance, so it seems like a good place to sneak in for a bit of practice. It seems to have great potential as a ski resort, so it might be a good idea to combine it with Honokidaira. Unfortunately, it's a bit too far from Shizuoka, so I ended up going there specifically for the sake of it. It's harder to access than Hakuba, Niigata, or Hokushin, so it's a challenge, but Nagareha Ski Resort has a pretty good reputation, so I'd like to check it out. Its location somehow reminds me of Ontake. I hope for good snow. (Original) 飛騨の穴場スキー場こと流葉スキー場。今回は下見として訪問。高山から35㌔50分と高山からなら近い。またR41沿いのためとてもアクセスはいい。ただ道中コンビニは少ないので高山〜古川のあたりで見つけたら突入したい。 高鷲ダイナめいほうあたりは入場者数がえげつないことになっているので、じっくりコソ練するにはちょうど良さげ。スキー場としてのポテンシャルほ高いらしいのでほおのき平あたりと抱き合わせで回ると良さげではある。 いかんせん静岡からだと遠すぎるので、ここを目当てとして行くことになる。白馬や新潟、北信よりアクセスが悪いので厳しいのだが、流葉スキー場はかなり評価が高いので行ってみたいところ。なんとなくだがポジション的に御嶽っぽい。 いい雪が降りますように。

(Translated by Google) The catchphrase "Why not try going an hour further than usual?" excited me, so I went to Nagareha Ski Resort for the first time on the way back from Hirayu on January 14th! Since it was a weekday, the parking lot and slopes were empty. The staff were incredibly friendly and the views were amazing! I was so impressed with the ground conditions that I almost thought I'd gotten better at snowboarding! It's a place that can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced skiers alike, and what's more... The wider slopes above the 10th Pair Lift have great terrain, are great for fun, and even have a restaurant for a break!!! I'll definitely be back🫡 (Original) 「いつもより1時間ほど遠出してみませんか」 のキャッチフレーズに心ときめき1/14平湯からの帰りに初・流葉スキー場しました！平日だったこともあり駐車場もゲレンデも空いていました。とにかくスタッフさんがとても親切で😭景色も最高！ボードが上手くなった⁉️と勘違いしてしまうほどのグランドコンディションに感激！ 初心者から上級者まで楽しめて，更に、、、 第10ペアリフトの上に更に広く展開するゲレンデは地形もよくかなり遊べで休憩するレストランもあり！！！また行きまーす🫡

Wow! Super cool. So many interactive exhibits to help you understand these complex science experiments.

Pretty small exhibit, but if you want to learn about neutrinos then you, my friend, are in the right place.

It's cool, if small. It's not a day or even a half a day, but if you're in the area and have an hour to kill... Also, it does have English! And even Engrish, this English makes sense!

(Translated by Google) Admission is free, so I just popped in out of curiosity, but it was even more wonderful and fascinating than I imagined✨ The older men on the staff were kind and explained things carefully. At first, I wondered, "What is this place?!", but the details were revealed in a few minutes of screening inside‼︎ I was excited by the interesting and mysterious space♪ It's nice to have fun at the game corner too! You can solve mysteries if you go💡KamiokaLab💡 The best‼︎ (Original) 入館無料だし、何気なく興味本位で入ったのですが、想像以上に素晴らしく魅力的な館内でした✨ スタッフのおじさま方も優しく、丁寧に説明してくれる。 最初は、「ここって何だろう〜⁉︎」と思いましたが、その詳細は内部で行われる数分間の上映で学びが深まります‼︎ おもしろくもあり不思議な空間に、ワクワクしました♪ ゲームコーナーも楽しめて良いね！ 行けば謎が解ける💡カミオカラボ💡 最高〜‼︎

Found this place by accident just by seeing a road sign. A very neat and nicely equipped museum devoted yo the neutron detector with actual photomultiper bulbs and a nice projection installation. Took at most 15 minutes to see all and was totally worth it!

(Translated by Google) I visited Super-Kamiokande on a weekday in October 2025. It brings back fond memories of Professor Koshiba's Nobel Prize win for his research on neutrinos. I didn't really understand what was so amazing about it at the time, but visiting helped me understand a little better. This lab is free to visit as part of a town revitalization initiative. But how could someone come up with such a thing? It's a strange field, if I'm being rude. This research could help elucidate the origins of the universe. I also learned for the first time that neutrino research is being conducted in various facilities around the world. Life is a learning experience. Apparently, there's an actual facility about a 20-minute bus ride from the lab, and you can enter a lottery to visit. I'm sure it's not easy to win. The sensors used at Kamiokande are exceptional, made possible only by human technology. It really brought home to me the greatness of humanity. If you're in the area, be sure to stop by. (Original) 2025年10月の平日に訪問。スーパーカミオカンデ懐かしい、小柴教授がニュートリノの研究でノーベル賞を受賞した。何が凄いのか当時はよく分からなかったが訪問することで少し理解出来た。このラボは町おこしで見学が無償。しかし、どう考えればこんな事を思いつくんだろう？失礼な話しだが変態の領域だ。この研究が宇宙の成立ちを解明する一つになるんだと。このニュートリノの研究が世界各国で施設を含めやっていることも初めて知った。人生は勉強だ。ラボからバスで20分くらいの所に実際の施設があり、抽選で見学ができるとの事。まぁ当選することは早々無いんだろうと。カミオカンデで使われているセンサーは人の技術でしか作られない逸品。改めて人の偉大さを痛感。近くに来るなら是非立ち寄りを。

(Translated by Google) All I knew was Kamiokande, the word neutrino, and the Nobel Prize-winning researcher. Apparently, neutrinos, tiny things smaller than electrons, fall from the sky. They're so rare that they're taken into large facilities where they glow for incredibly long periods of time. Apparently, they've been researching the workings of the universe for decades, but the facilities are large, complex, and come in all sorts of shapes. There are apparently about five around the world. It was so extraordinary, I couldn't wrap my head around it. Maybe they can prove the mathematical formula for the theory of relativity? The shining golden object was beautiful. Where did it start from, and where is it headed? It's said to be useful for something, but it seems like a huge amount of money is being spent. The future is uncertain. Apparently, Kamioka was chosen because of its solid ground and the presence of an excellent company, Kamioka Mining. Does it mean "oka" (hill) where gods live? I've heard that the word "kami" comes from the ancient immigrants who were known for their superiority. Is it said that the Jinzu River in Toyama is the river that immigrants used to travel to Kamioka? (Original) カミオカンデ、ニュートリノという言葉、ノーベール賞を取った研究者がいることしか知らなかった。 ニュートリノという電子より小さいものの存在が、宇宙より降ってくるらしい。それは余りにも稀少過ぎて、大きな施設に取り込んで、ものすごーい長時間に、光るらしい。 宇宙の仕組みを知るために、もう数十年も研究しているらしいが、その設備は複雑で大きくて、ありとあらゆる形をしている。世界に5か所ほどあるらしい。余りにも非日常過ぎて、頭がついていかなかった。相対性理論の数式を証明できるとか？ 黄金に光り輝く物体が美しくかった。何から始まって、どこへ向かうのか？何かの役に立つらしいが、莫大なお金がかかっているように思う。未来は分からない。 神岡の地は、地盤が固く、神岡鉱業という優秀な企業があったから、選ばれたらしい。 神が住む岡という意味なのか？ 神は、昔の渡来人が優れていたから、渡来人を神と言うと聞いたことがある。富山の神通川じんづうがわは、渡来人が神岡まで通って行った川だとか？

A fun experience riding on the old railway. A pretty easy ride on electric bikes. Lots of tunnels and great views. Well organised and great staff.

We really enjoy the experience and the view.... My son is super happy with the ride.. he wants to repeat it again... But unfortunately 😔 it has a reservation so we ride the a lot time for us. We went there with no reservation but luckily some cancel their reserve time so the receptionist quickly accomodate uS, super Thank You for giving us The chance. Our 💕 Hearts appreciate it so much.... God Bless 🌼 Gattan gO

I went there during the golden week. The rail mountain bicycle was really nice and fun. Greenery mountain with a nice view during riding a bicycle. Staff can speak english and also they also provide the instruction in English.

Very fun, and I love the idea of it, it just felt a bit short. Wish it could have gone further so the experience would have been closer to an hour instead of 30/40 minutes. Staff are very friendly and one of them speaks some English.

Just perfect. Short ride, but just right before it gets boring or exhausting. Nice support from the staff. Reasonable pricing. Perfect for kids!

Love it. So much fun. Next time, I want to try Canyon course. If you take taxi from Kamioka, it is approx. 1230-1500 yen. Or if you want to save money, you can take bus from Kamioka station to town course meeting area. Please check bus timetable.

Tried the B City Course. Went from Takayama Nohi Bus Center. Quite far, takes about 1h45m to get here. But thr scenery along the way is charming. Thr Rail Bike itself was very nice and staff spoke limited English but were helpful and friendly. The scenery during the ride was very nice and quaint. The way back was quite tedious because it was uphill, but if you're healthy it shouldn't be a problem. Worth to try at least once. Might try the Canyon Course next time.

Hirayu Waterfall (Hirayu Ōtaki) is one of the most impressive waterfalls. With a height of 64 meters and a width of 6 meters, it ranks among the highest waterfalls in the country and is listed as one of Japan’s “Top 100 Waterfalls” by the Ministry of the Environment. According to a 450-year-old tale, a white monkey was seen emerging from behind the falls. Soldiers followed it and discovered the healing hot springs of Hirayu Onsen, which helped restore their strength after battle. The waterfall is easily accessible from the Hirayu Onsen bus stop. It takes 10-minute walk from the parking (in front of the restaurant). In mid-April 2025, the waterfall did not appear particularly impressive. Due to lingering snow, it was not possible to approach it closely.

We came here because our plans changed at the last minute and we're so glad we did! There was almost no one else around and the scene was beautiful. The water volume was probably at it's lowest (as it's fall) but the fall was still spectacular. The colors of the trees were also incredible. There's two parking lots close by that are very convenient. Very nice, highly recommend.

30 minute stroll from Hirayu bus station/visitor centre to these falls. Snow was still present in May & the snowmelt was gushing. Continued on to the Ōnezuko walk (that one's more difficult and hard to find).

You can either drive up to the waterfall, or walk about 20 min from the bus station. A tall nice waterfall

Cool waterfall about 30 min walk from the bus stop. Also possible to drive all the way to the top. Nice thing to do if you have an hour in the town.

Nice and relatively easy 30 min hike from Hirayu Onsen Bus Terminal to the Waterfall. Best to go before 10:30 am as the sun behind the Waterfall will be very glaring if you want to have a nice photo shoot of the Waterfall. After 11:30 am should be better or later part of the day.

Visited on 25 February 2023. You can park your car at the parking near the entrance of Hirayu Ski Area. Then take a 750m-walk around 15 mins to the waterfall. The day I went it was snowy and beautiful.

Loving this place! We had espresso, latte and toast. Everything is very good and well prepared. The service is also excellent. I love the coffee so much that I bought some home too! :) I highly recommend this cafe.

Visited on a Saturday afternoon, wasn't too busy. Genuine 5 star place. The staff patience with my broken Japanese and my quirky order. We ordered iced pour over coffee with a splash of oat milk and the pumpkin cheesecake. The pour over coffee was very smooth and brewed perfectly with no acidic or bitter taste. The cheesecake was perfect- not too heavy, but balanced cheese and pumpkin tones without over powering each other. We even won a prize for solving the Sudoku and the staff commented how quickly. Lovely atmosphere to sit inside too. A definite recommendation 👌

A small but modern and cute café (for groups of 4 or less). We took the iced matcha with oat milk and a banana caramel pound cake. Everything was delicious. The sound resonates which probably explains the choice to have smaller groups. Staff is super polite and friendly.

Lovely cafe with a relaxing vibe. We came here for the affogato and it was phenomenal. The banana caramel cake was not too heavy nor too sweet. The staff were warm and friendly. U get a sudoku puzzle from the staff and if you solve it, they will give u a gift, which was a really nice gesture. Note that big groups of 5 or more are not allowed.

Stumbled across this by accident walking the backstreets of Takayama. It is small and quiet. Nice ambience. I had a terrific affogato. No big groups.A big thumbs up!

quiet and aesthetically appealing cafe, with tables spaced out nicely apart water and napkin is served after you ordered and seated down menu attached as per below but do note prices are back in nov’24 if you order one drink and one food by yourself, the owner will give you one sudoku to solve. after you solve it, you will get a postcard to keep for memory ✨

I love everything about this place. The coffee is perfect. It was very flavorful and well balanced. The presentation was world class. Honestly, I’ve never seen better latte art before. I can’t get anywhere close to their designs at home. The food was delicious and went very well with their coffee. Lastly, everyone was so nice that I felt like I was at home. Make sure you check them out if you are ever in Takayama!

Hida beef tastes slightly different from Kobe beef, and for some reason it’s easier on the palate, which is a good thing. Service is great, as with most eateries in Japan.

We stayed in Takayama for one day, and this was one of our hotel’s recommended restaurants. Located in the Old Town, we tried the hida beef A5 filet and sirloin, which came with a side of bread or rice, vegetables or fries, and a soup, which we upgraded to french onion. We finished the set meal with an English tea and sorbet. I’m not french, but the food was fantastic! The beef was super fatty and cut like butter. We also had the beef carpaccio which was one of my favorites. The staff was very friendly and had an English menu waiting on the table 😅

Had an absolutely sumptuous dinner at this French restaurant in Takamaya. My friends and I had fillet and sirloin steaks done nearly to perfection. The salad and soup didn't disappoint too. So was dessert creme brulee. The service was good too, staff were attentive. Who said no good things can come from a small town? This restaurant can rival most in Tokyo. Run by a Japanese couple.

we came here cuz we wanted to find something to eat for our toddler. Service was great, I took hamburger which wasn’t looked like it but was delicious like homemade. They have made smaller portion for a half price for our kid and even gave us ice cream as a complimentary.

One of the most magical evenings in Japan. A warm welcome, delicately prepared fine food and lovely plates. We ate steak with vegetables and onion soup. The waiters were so kind and helped us with the menu so that a suitable meal would come out for us. We got an extra dish for dessert without asking. Great and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Have had the pleasure of dining here on two separate trips to Takayama. In 6 years of living in Japan I can say, without a doubt, this is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. The Hida beef is cooked to perfection. Whether you have the beef cheek, the filet, the fricassee… it’s all superb. Excellent service in a chic but cozy dining room. A must if you are in the area and can get a reservation.

We were so lucky to turn up at opening time without a reservation to get a table reserved for 7pm, so had to leave before then which was fine. Needless to say you must make a reservation. Best meal I had in Japan, hida steak is amazing, unreal, research it for why. Great staff, best restaurant in town.