The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast: Places to Explore

Takayama

Takayama. Takayama, originally called Hida, is a tranquil town whose rustic charms are the result of hundreds of years of peaceful isolation in the Hida Mountains. Downtown, shops and restaurants mingle with museums and inns along rows of traditional wood-lattice buildings. A peculiar-looking ball of cedar leaves suspended outside a storefront indicates a drinking establishment or brewery. Nicknamed "Little Kyoto," Takayama has fewer crowds and wider streets, not to mention fresh mountain air and gorgeous scenery.

Takayama's hugely popular festivals, spring's Sanno Matsuri (April 14-15) and the smaller autumn Hachi-man Matsuri (October 9-10), draw hundreds of thousands of spectators for parades of floats. Hotels are booked solid during Matsuri time, so if you plan to join the festivities, make reservations several months in advance.

Outside of festival time, it is easy to see all the main attractions here in a day, two at the most. Though it's decidedly touristy, many people like using Takayama as a hub to visit Kamikochi and the surrounding area. Takayama.

Takayama at a Glance

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