Experience the best of Takayama
Takayama, in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, is a well-kept Edo-period town of dark wooden merchant houses, sake breweries and a morning market.
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Takayama lies in the Hida region of the Japanese Alps, in a high basin ringed by mountains. Its old town, Sanmachi Suji, keeps three streets of dark timber merchant houses from the Edo period, with latticed fronts and sake breweries marked by cedar-ball signs hanging from the eaves. Takayama Jinya, the former magistrate's office, is one of the last of its kind in Japan.
A morning market runs along the Miyagawa river with farm produce and crafts, and the Hida Folk Village displays thatched farmhouses moved from nearby valleys. Takayama's spring and autumn festivals bring out elaborately carved wooden floats, recognised by UNESCO. Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO village of steep thatched farmhouses, lies about an hour's drive north-west, and the hot-spring villages of Okuhida lie to the east.
Hida beef, grilled over charcoal or on a magnolia leaf with miso, and Takayama ramen in a clear soy broth are the local meals, with mitarashi dango, grilled rice balls in sweet sauce, to follow. Local sake is poured in the old breweries. Summers are cooler than on the coast, winters bring deep snow, and the maples turn in October and November.
- Free cancellation on 86% of experiences
- 4.9 across the top 16
Special offers in Takayama
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
![Departing from Takayama [Regular sightseeing bus] World Heritage Sites Shirakawago and Gokayama Ainokura](/img/s/720/480/11/22/89/94.jpg)
Signature experiences in Takayama
Go beyond Takayama
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Nagano · 100 kmZenkoji Temple
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Nagoya · 113 kmToyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
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Nagoya · 113 kmSCMAGLEV and Railway Park
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Tokoname · 148 kmTokonyan
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Takashima · 150 kmShirahige Shrine
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Ito · 150 kmMt. Omuro
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Fujinomiya · 151 kmFujisan Sengen Shrine (Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha)
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Fujinomiya · 151 kmAsagiri Plateau (Asagiri Kogen)
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Fujikawaguchiko-machi · 154 kmLake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchi-ko)
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Fujikawaguchiko-machi · 154 kmOishi Park
Questions about Takayama
- What is there to do in Takayama?
- We list 142 experiences in Takayama. The largest groups are day trips (20), city tours (7).
- What are the top attractions in Takayama?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Takayama are Takayama Morning Markets (Asaichi), Sannomachi Street (Sanmachi Suji), Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine & Festival Floats Exhibition Hall.
- What is the most popular experience in Takayama?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "Departing from Takayama [Regular sightseeing bus] World Heritage Sites Shirakawago and Gokayama Ainokura", rated 4.6 out of 5 from 176 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Takayama take?
- The typical experience in Takayama lasts about 3 hours; the middle half run between 2 hours and 7 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Takayama?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 87% of the 142 experiences we hold for Takayama. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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