Travelling from Takayama to Gokayama is one of the best ways to connect two very different parts of Japan’s mountain region. Takayama gives you: historic streets + Hida beef + sake + traditional merchant houses. Gokayama gives you: mountains + tiny villages + gassho-zukuri farmhouses + UNESCO World Heritage scenery. But getting between them isn’t … Read more
Takayama is one of the best food destinations in Japan’s mountains. Most visitors arrive knowing about: Hida beef. And yes: you should absolutely eat it. But Takayama’s food culture goes much further. This small mountain city has developed distinctive foods around: cold winters + pure mountain water + local cattle + buckwheat + preserved vegetables … Read more
Takayama is one of the best small food cities to include in a Japan itinerary. Hida beef gets most of the attention. And yes: you absolutely should eat Hida beef. But Takayama’s food scene goes much further. This mountain city is also known for: The city is compact enough that most of the restaurants in … Read more
Wondering where to stay in Takayama? For most first-time visitors, the decision is surprisingly easy. Stay either: near Takayama Station or: between Takayama Station and the Old Town. Takayama is compact and extremely walkable. Unlike Tokyo or Osaka, you don’t need to choose your hotel based around train lines or spend 30 minutes travelling to … Read more
Takayama isn’t a major nightlife city. And that’s exactly why going out here can be so enjoyable. Forget enormous nightclubs, packed entertainment districts and trains full of people heading home at midnight. Takayama nightlife is more about: local sake + small bars + izakaya + whisky + craft beer + quiet streets after dark. The … Read more
If you’re going to eat Hida beef once in Japan: Takayama is the place to do it. Hida beef is one of Gifu Prefecture’s most famous foods and one of the main reasons Takayama has become such a good destination for food-focused travellers. You’ll find it served almost everywhere. But there’s a big difference between … Read more
Takayama is one of the best places in Japan to slow down. Hidden in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, the city combines: historic streets + Hida beef + sake breweries + morning markets + traditional architecture + Japanese Alps scenery. It’s considerably smaller than Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. That’s part of the appeal. You don’t … Read more
Two days is an excellent amount of time for Takayama. It’s enough to experience the historic old town, morning markets, Takayama Jinya, sake breweries, Hida beef and Hida Folk Village without turning your visit into a race. And Takayama is compact. Most of the historic centre can be explored: on foot. For your first visit, … Read more
Getting from Shirakawa-go to Takayama is extremely easy. There’s no train station at Shirakawa-go. Instead, the main public transport option is: Shirakawa-go → Nohi Bus → Takayama The journey takes roughly: 50–60 minutes and the current adult fare is: ¥2,800 one way. Buses operate throughout the day, making it easy to visit Shirakawa-go for several … Read more
Ordering drinks in Japan is much easier than it can seem before your first visit. You don’t need to speak fluent Japanese or memorise complicated sentences. In most bars, restaurants and izakayas, a few simple phrases — combined with pointing at the menu when needed — are enough to order confidently. If you only learn … Read more