[2025 Takayama Attraction] Travel Guide for Hida Takayama (Updated Mar)

Hida Takayama is located in the center of Takayama City, Hida City in northern Gifu Prefecture, and has retained the appearance of a castle town and shopping street since the Edo period, and is called "Little Kyoto of Hida". ". You can also stroll through the "Sancho" built in the Meiji and Taisho periods, taste local dishes such as Hida beef and Takayama ramen, and appreciate the craftsmanship of Hida artisans. Hida Takayama is full of charm everywhere. It has flourished as a central town since the Edo period. Today, lattice windows and fireplaces create a unique atmosphere. Just strolling here will make you feel good, and local restaurants, cafes, breweries, and grocery stores all line the streets using townhouse buildings. Local flavors such as miso leaves will make you want to eat miso. Rickshaws also run through the streets of the ancient capital, and listening to the driver's explanations while enjoying the breeze on your cheeks is a piece of pure enjoyment. Takayama Festival Takayama holds large festivals every spring and autumn. The spring festival is the Sanno Festival, held in April, and the autumn festival is the Hachiman Festival, held in October. These two festivals are collectively called the Takayama Festival. The Takayama Festival, the Gion Festival in Kyoto, and the Chichibu Night Festival in Saitama are known as the three most beautiful festivals in Japan. The Takayama Festival began in the time of the Hida feudal lord Kanamori Daimyo (1585-1692), and the establishment of the floats dates back to 1718. The carriage return, with its dexterous mechanical dolls and special devices, is an artistic work that combines the beauty of traditional Japanese forms with exquisite art and craftsmanship. When night falls, more than a hundred lanterns are lit on each roof (float), coloring the solemn and gorgeous mountain night. On the east bank of the Miyagawa River, there is an ancient street that runs through Takayama City. This Sancho, in the middle of the old town, preserves old houses from the Edo period. This old town still clearly depicts the shadow of the castle capital "Takayama". If you visit here, you can see a traditional brewery with your own eyes. Old houses with latticed doors and windows. The area has been designated an "Important Traditional Architecture Group Protection Area" by the Japanese government. Morning Market Takayama's morning market is one of the three major morning markets in Japan. The morning market is held on the Miyagawa River and Takayama Shrine last time. Miyagawa Morning Market is about 350 meters from the Miyagawa River that runs through the center of the town from "Kuji Bridge" to "Yayoi Bridge". There are more than 60 stalls, and the nearby riverbank street has an open-air shop selling vegetables, fruits, pickles, spices, etc. On the other side of the street there is a shop selling snacks and handicrafts. There are also chopsticks and other Japanese-style accessories. In winter and on rainy days there may only be about 10 stalls. The Takayama Shrine morning market started 300 years ago. It was bought by farmers who grew potatoes and made them into a mulberry leaf market, and now only farmers can operate it. There are stalls selling fruits and vegetables picked early in the morning, as well as stalls selling sun-dried and homemade pickles, and they will also teach you how to eat and store them. There are about 40 to 50 stores, and you can see some rare ingredients. Potato stems, carrot leaves, wild vegetables, etc. Even if the morning market is close to noon, if you live in Takayama City, you can go for a walk around 6am. You can see the "Nora style" that was once used for farm work, and the "Korai" instead of the apron that modern Japanese housewives also wear. . The so-called Shinto shrines in Takayama refer to the places where the county and vice-general (official title) held power during the Edo period. ) Houses, warehouses, etc. are collectively called Kamiya. The representative of Hida was promoted. Ernst Young went to Hida Prefecture in the 6th year (1777) and was as famous as the Minoru County Representative at that time (Kanto, Saigoku, Mino), and it is said that the establishment of Shomiya was important. At the end of the Shogunate, more than 60 prefectures and yamon gates remain nationwide, and Takayama Shrine is the only one that has preserved the buildings from that time, and it was designated as a Showa National Relic as the only remaining relic in the country. Inside, there is an experience area where you can experience seasonal rituals that have been passed down from ancient times to the present. Why not try making a "Monkey Baby", a specialty of Takayama City? Monkey Baby means "little monkey that brings happiness", and in the past, mothers would make their own hands to wish for the happy growth of their children and grandchildren. Sew a baby monkey for your child.