3 days in Takayama, told via Google Maps reviews (part 2/5, 30 reviews)
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- Day 1 (27th August): Arrival
- Day 2 (28th August): Museums
- Day 3 (29th August): Shirakawago
- Shirakawago etc Day Trip ★★★★★
- Ainokura Observation Deck ★★★★★
- Ainokurajinushi Shrine ★★★★✰
- Matsuya ★★★★✰
- Shirakawa-go ★★★★★
- Soba dojo restaurant ★★★★★
- Shirakawa-go Heritage Site ★★★★★
- Deai Bridge ★★★★★
- Shop ★★★★✰
- Nakano Chojiro Residence ★★★★★
- Wooden Walkway ★★★★★
- Purin no ie ★★★★★
- Shinkogei Sanmachi ★★★★★
- Suzuya ★★★★✰
- Conclusion
I recently went to Japan for an unbelievably excellent 3-week holiday! Here’s the second location visited, Takayama, told via 30 Google Maps reviews (well, some are TripAdvisor).
Note: This is a series of posts, with Tokyo Part 1, Takayama Part 2 (this article), Kyoto Part 3 and Part 4, and Tokyo again Part 5.
Day 1 (27th August): Arrival
We travelled in from Tokyo (via Toyama), and luckily had plenty of time to explore the historical old town streets we were planning to look at the next day! This resulted in a healthy 9,174 steps (4.15 miles).
Oyado Koto No Yume ★★★★★
This traditional hotel in a great location was such a unique experience! Despite being affordable, guests are treated as honoured visitors, with services offered by default that go far beyond what I’ve experienced elsewhere.
For example, upon check-in we received a detailed room tour by staff, along with free sake in the evening. The options whilst checking in can be a little overwhelming, as the traditional nature means staff will tidy away your beds during lunchtime, then lay them back out again in the evening. Luckily we were out all day so just opted for the single visit (and beds always out), but if you intend to spend lots of time in the hotel be aware of this!
Similarly, upon entering you need to hand your shoes to a staff member in exchange for your key, and reverse the process every time you leave. Whilst this “being waited on” experience is presumably attractive, it disincentivises brief rest stops in your hotel room since it’ll take quite a bit of yours & employees time!
Breakfast is unbelievably high quality, with reserved tables and your meal brought to you upon entering. The Japanese and Western meals vary daily (one example of each in photos), with a staggering array of different foods in each one! The Japanese one is (unsurprisingly) slightly better, but either will absolutely fill you up and leave you feeling like royalty. There’s the usual hot drink / cereal / pastries available, but these foods are rarely touched. Additionally, only some guests use the provided clothing (0-30% per day), but it is of course fine either way.
The rooms themselves are a little outdated, with plug sockets a bit far away, bathing experience a little disjointed, and minor wear and tear on the rooms. They’re perfectly usable though, and the staff redeem them entirely by adding little snacks to your room daily, along with ice cold water! Coming home to these after a day out was a wonderful experience.
Finally, there’s a surprisingly high quality shop in the lobby, offering many of the same products sold within the market. We bought some small gifts and magnets here, it’s a much appreciated feature. There’s also a small gift on checkout to remember your trip by, keep an eye out!
Wooden beckoning cat ★★★★★
It’s a wooden beckoning cat.
Hidatakayama Town Museum ★★★★✰
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.
Chan-no-me cafe ★★★★✰
Very tasty little filled pastries, only accepts cash and the often busy nature can make it tricky to order. There’s a surprisingly large and quiet eating area at the back, highly recommend it instead of standing in the street.
MUGI ★★★★★
We ended up eating here due to all other restaurants nearby being closed late at night or having long tourist queues, and we’re so so glad!
This was one of our best eating experiences in Japan, with the friendly chef making a wide variety of food in the surprisingly small cooking area. Everything we had was excellent, with the potato mochi special being a highlight. Sake portions were generous (and strong!), and the open sides let the outside ambience in whilst still feeling intimate.
We stayed for an hour or so, with the small izakaya being around half full throughout.
SAN AI Japanese Art Culture ★★★★★
Despite plenty of souvenir shops along the old town streets, SAN AI manages to include the simpler, more obvious items alongside many exclusive products created in collaboration with Japanese artists. We bought a couple of things from our multiple visits here, it’s a great place for gifts.
Kaji Bridge ★★★★★
Busy bridge with shops on both sides, plus a good view downriver. It’s also possible to sit on the waterside and watch the foot traffic.
Ikada Bridge ★★★★★
Convenient bridge to get into the old town, plus excellent views of Nakabashi Bridge at night!
Gyojin Bridge ★★★★★
Small convenient bridge to get between the two halves of the town, far quieter than any others. A nice riverside seat too.
Day 2 (28th August): Museums
A quite rambly day throughout Takayama, with the morning market, Showa era museum, and open air museum proving highlights. A total of 11,216 steps (4.78 miles).
Miyagawa Morning Markets ★★★★✰
There are 2 morning markets in Takayama, this one being a fairly typical small town market, yet running daily! The market runs between Yayoi Bridge and Kaji Bridge during the morning, primarily selling snacks ready to eat. There are more permanent restaurants selling slightly more substantial food and drinks, however these will all close at lunchtime too.
Definitely worth a visit, although most stalls are cash only and often speak limited English, but they’re all fairly specialised so ordering shouldn’t be too hard!
Takayama Showa-kan ★★★★★
This very dense museum can take 30 minutes or 2-3 hours, depending on how interested you are in the Showa period of Japan! Every room is absolutely full of historical items, with a lot of trust put in visitors to not touch / break all of the items.
Rooms are convincing, and vary from classrooms, opticians, living rooms, arcades, and plenty more. The effect is made convincing by street signs and advertising all over the place. Each room is absolutely full of unique details, and there’s hundreds of opportunities for selfies if interested.
Tickets are purchased at the door, after a small souvenir / traditional sweet shop.
Yoshijima Traditional House ★★✰✰✰
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.
Neko no Tsuki ★★★★★
This cat cafe is instantly noticeable from outside, with some of the key characters peeking out of the large glass windows!
Thankfully, in comparison to many other animal cafes in Japan, the cat’s welfare is clearly placed first here. Shoe coverings must be worn, hands must be washed, and information about how to approach cats, give them space, etc is presented beforehand whilst ordering drinks.
Drinks are a little expensive, on top of the time spent with cats, but this is completely justifiable due to the focus on the cat’s welfare. The owner(?) spoke to us throughout our time about the cats, our experiences with our own cat, and similar topics, with her love and care for the cats being very obvious. She was very knowledgeable about cats, with their health obviously being this cafe’s focus.
The cats themselves were clearly comfortable and well cared for, each expressing their personality instead of desperately asking for treats / affection. For example, a set of two brothers “run the show”, with one patrolling whilst we visited, and another keeping an eye on outdoors. They were both obviously very happy and healthy, enjoying their life and tolerating the occasional visitor intrusion.
Upstairs is a female cat room, and these continue the trend of keeping themselves to themselves and tolerating visitors’ presence. One of these very sadly has a brain injury so struggled to really understand what was going on, just spending her time sitting quietly instead.
Throughout, I really appreciated the cats not being forced to interact, and just napping or peeking from a distance. One of the more curious kept diving close to us then jogging away, not quite sure of themself!
With around 5-6 cats downstairs and 4-5 upstairs, they have a massive area to play in, with lots of levels and roofing beams to run around on, all clean and tidy. A few were in a cage, with the owner explaining this was due to some bickering between them! One cried a bit whilst we were there, and the owner’s obvious love for them all was shown when she solved it by giving him a stroke instead of disciplining, and he settled down after this.
Overall this was a wonderful, wholesome experience, with the focus on cats making it an easily justifiable cost for half hour.
Oku ★★★★★
We visited here for lunch after the cat cafe next door, and had a wonderful set menu! Each course was explained by the waitress, and tasted absolutely perfect, especially the bread and butter, and sautéed pork (pictured).
This definitely had similarities to various fancy French-inspired cafe back in the UK, with a relaxed coffee shop vibe combined with clearly high quality food and friendly staff. Slippers are worn throughout, with shoes left outside the front door, the toilet is quite outdated so maybe avoid that part!
Hida no Sato Open Air Museum ★★★★★
The highlight of Takayama! After purchasing a cheap entry ticket, you can spend a few hours walking around the village, optionally following one of the 3 routes pictured on a provided map (from quick route to visiting all 20 or so buildings).
Every building is unique, and provides lots of information on specific parts of village life. The buildings themselves are transported from different places in the region, being more of a compilation of different examples than an actual village. However, this allows the museum to provide information on these different styles, such as designs to prevent snow buildup, or keep cool in summer.
These buildings all require taking your shoes off, as is expected. A couple are indicated on the map as being extra notable, so make sure you visit these on your route.
A few child friendly physical games are provided at the entrance, and there’s toilets scattered throughout, with a rest area with drinks etc near the end. Check out all the fish on the pier too!
There’s a large souvenir shop at the bus stop outside, so don’t worry about the lack of items inside the village. Make sure you keep an eye on bus routes, since the infrequent bus is one of the only ways to get to or from here!
Center4 Hamburgers ★★★★✰
Solid burgers, open late, hidden deep inside a building on an empty and dark street! The burgers are good and filling, I recommend the chilli bean burger. Fairly touristy, with an intriguing Johnny Cash / retro americana theme inside and currencies pinned up all over the bars.
Photos aren’t permitted here (you’re meant to focus on the food!) so you may not see many. I’d recommend booking in advance, since the place can fill up for dinner (7pm and later). We had our hotel make a reservation as only phone bookings are possible.
Day 3 (29th August): Shirakawago
A busy day out visiting Shirakawago and Ainokura, traditional villages up in the mountains! We ended up with 14,915 steps (5.77 miles).
Shirakawago etc Day Trip ★★★★★
Shirakawago is a common tourist destination from Takayama, but this day trip also lets you visit the Ainokura Gassho village, a far smaller and more “real” version, as well as briefly seeing Suganuma village.
After an hour or so journey in the bus whilst information is shared by the host (ours was Chiname Yamashita), you’ll drive past Suganama. This is just a brief preview, but it’s a nice extra.
First is Ainokura Gassho Village. There are around 10 buildings here, and it’s a very quiet and peaceful village. The highlight is the observation deck, accessed by a 10 minute uphill walk, and showing the entire village with perfect tree framing. There are also a few other museums, shops, and landmarks / viewpoints worth taking a look at.
Next is Shirakawago, where you’ll spend most of the day. There’s plenty of reviews of here already, but make sure you spend plenty of time in the historical section, and visit the key landmarks if you have time!
Overall this was a fairly simple day trip, and ended quite early (around 4pm). However, it was an efficient way to visit all of the traditional villages in the area, whilst also learning additional information.
Ainokura Observation Deck ★★★★★
Unbelievable views! If you’re in Ainokura, make sure you take the 10 minute well-signposted hike up the hill by the car park. There’s no amenities here (besides bells to scare off bears!), but the view itself is completely worth it.
Ainokurajinushi Shrine ★★★★✰
Small shrine with a nearby stone related to an emperor. Not much information available, but a pretty and shaded area nonetheless.
Matsuya ★★★★✰
A small restaurant and souvenir shop, with a seating area and drinks. This is the main shop in the quiet village, and the shop had a wide variety of unique items with cute signs.
Shirakawa-go ★★★★★
A great way to spend at least a few hours! The surprisingly free village has plenty of food, shops, and natural beauty, with a dedicated paid world heritage site. There are plenty of routes around the village, with all sorts of hidden beauty if you look in any direction (check out the fish by pathways)!
Make sure you visit the buildings highlighted on the tourist map, and remember that locals still live here. It was disappointing seeing other tourists treating people’s homes like photoshoots. Regardless, there’s lots of opportunities for photos, without intruding on others’ privacy.
Soba dojo restaurant ★★★★★
A great set meal of noodles, rice, and meat, in this underrated soba restaurant at the entrance to the historical village. The food is affordable, and there’s a floor seating area if you prefer. Instructions are provided for which dish goes with which, in case you need reminding!
Note that shoes must be taken off at the entrance.
Shirakawa-go Heritage Site ★★★★★
Very picturesque historical village, with the small entry fee being well worth it for a peaceful walk around. Alongside various traditional buildings with information boards, there’s also a relaxing building with free hot and cold green tea / water, ideal during the summer months.
There’s also a unique ice cream stand, waterfalls, and plenty of places to sit and rest.
Even though the rest of the village is free, this paid heritage section near the car park is essential to visit, if only due to the lack of tourists making it far calmer.
Deai Bridge ★★★★★
A surprisingly pretty way to cross from the car park into the historical Shirakawa-go village, with great views. It can get quite busy, so try not to hold up traffic when taking a picture!
Shop ★★★★✰
A small shop selling souvenirs and a few unique ice cream flavours, all of which were surprisingly delicious! There’s also a good rest area outside to sit and enjoy the ice cream.
Visitors via the sightseeing bus can show their sticker for a small discount.
Nakano Chojiro Residence ★★★★★
Be careful, most of the photos here are inaccurate! This is an excellent place to rest after exploring the village, with a silent and dim interior and a nearby free self-service green tea / water machine.
When we visited, despite already having a cup earlier, and elderly woman with no English insisted we try the green tea! It was easier to just accept, so we had plenty of tea here! Lucky it was tasty.
There’s also a cute stuffed cat, and a small table to look out over the surroundings from.
Wooden Walkway ★★★★★
An excellent way to get through the village, with natural beauty on all sides.
Purin no ie ★★★★★
A very busy store selling puddings, clearly with a lot of social media popularity! Regardless, it’s worth the price, being an excellent custard dessert, we ended up buying 2. There is a small amount of seating outside, and a place to return your glass jars / rubbish.
Shinkogei Sanmachi ★★★★★
A very cute store where hand-dyed stuffed animals are sold in various sizes. Friendly owner.
Suzuya ★★★★✰
A very hot and chaotic restaurant! A great place for hotpot and sake, with filling portions.
We came during summer evening, where the lack of air con made the whole place unbelievably sweaty, even with the few fans trying their hardest!
Conclusion
We only visited Takayama for a couple of days, but loved the feel of the town. It felt much calmer and peaceful than Tokyo (obviously, it’s a fraction of the size!), with beautiful mountain landscapes on any train trip. Having a traditional hotel with absurdly good breakfast helped the experience significantly. It was also surprisingly hard to find somewhere to eat in the evenings, with seemingly everywhere closing early, or being fully booked.
The town itself had a somewhat bizarre feel, with a clearly touristy main road, then a very different but also touristy old town, then finally a standard Japanese small town everywhere else. I suspect it’s been affected negatively by overtourism, but that doesn’t take away from the experience much! However, our 2.5 days there seemed enough to do pretty much everything, any longer might get a little dull.