Takayama is a city in the mountainous Gifu prefecture of Japan. It is well known for its historic district with wooden houses dating back to the Edo era (1603-1868) and its museums including the Hida Folk Village. I especially enjoyed strolling around the morning market and looking into all the shops.
Traveling to Takayama
The journey from Hakone to Takayama included several modes of transportation including bus, bullet train, regular train, and shuttle. It took about 6 hours in total so it was a full travel day.
The train station in Nagoya
The vegetarian bento box I bought at the train station
Inside was fried tofu skins filled with rice, wasabi, pickled vegetables, and different herbs. One of my favorite things I’ve had so far.
Sweet red bean paste mochi, also at the train station. It has a gooey rice outer layer and can be filled with many different things.
Outside the Takayama train station
Accommodation
We stayed in another traditional ryokan in Takayama called Ryokan Seiryu Oyado Muraiya. This time breakfast and dinner were included.
It had tatami-matted floors and futons again
At the ryokans, you always leave your shoes at the door and pick up house slippers. Then you leave your house slippers outside your door and wear socks inside your room.
Breakfast at the ryokan was a traditional Japanese breakfast. It was very tofu heavy which I loved: fried tofu, miso soup with tofu, miso paste with green onion to mix with rice, tofu block with soy sauce, greens, nori paper with rice, soft-boiled egg, and tea.
Dinner night one at the ryokan. Steamed vegetables, salad, miso soup, noodle soup, pickled ginger, egg in a cup, bamboo shoots.
Steamed veggies with dipping sauce up close
I loved the table presentation
Dinner night two. Vegetables ready to steam, miso soup, noodle soup, mashed potatoes, greens, edamame beans, orange, and banana
Joe eating a fish head
Hida Folk Village
This open-air museum was constructed in 1971 when original Edo-era houses from around Japan were relocated to the area for preservation.
Very picturesque Shinto shrine on top of the hill
The hand-painted ceiling of the Shinto shrine
Beautiful fall leaves
Miyagawa Morning Market
We started day two with a visit to some of the morning markets around Takayama. The Miyagawa market had a ton of shops and food stalls with some tasty treats.
Chopsticks store
Coffee in a cute cookie-shaped cup that you eat. They made me a cat with the milk foam.
Joe’s coffee with a bunny
Croissant with toasted sesame seeds and sweet red bean paste inside
I love this sweet red bean paste in anything I can find
The group at the market
Old Town
The wooden houses in the old town of Takayama make you feel like you are stepping back in time. I liked just walking around in this area.
Cute little Buddha statue in a moss garden
Lunch in the old town at Ebisu Soba. The specialty in this area is cold soba noodles with a dipping sauce. Green onions and wasabi are on the side to mix in the sauce.
We did a sake tasting as a group at Funasaka Sake Brewery
Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan
Another main attraction is the festival float exhibit hall museum. These floats are several hundred years old and are used during the Takayama festival held annually in the fall. I’ll admit I was a little underwhelmed with this exhibit because it was just one room.
