Summary
As one of the world cultural heritages, Shirakawa-go has attracted many tourists, making Hida Takayama a popular tourist destination in recent years. Located in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, Hida Takayama is suitable for a day trip along with a visit to Shirakawa-go, making it a must-visit area for tourists visiting the Hokuriku region in recent years. This time, taking advantage of the Hokuriku trip, we specially arranged a day trip to Takayama, visiting the main attractions of the city such as Miyagawa Morning Market, Kokubunji Temple, Takayama Jinya, and Kamisannomachi Takayama Old Town in a relaxed and independent manner.
Further reading on tourist attractions in Hokuriku, Japan
- [Japan] One-day trip to Takayama City | Map of the 4 major attractions in Takayama City & transportation methods
- [Japan] 2023 Shirakawa-go Illumination | Shirakawa-go independent travel itinerary (including one-day trip transportation guide)
- [Japan] One-day trip to Kanazawa | Kanazawa independent travel itinerary
- [Japan] Experience the Shinhotaka Ropeway | Enjoy the beautiful snow scenery in the Northern Alps of Gifu!
About Takayama City
Takayama City is located in Gifu Prefecture, in the central region of Japan. It is an important transportation hub in the Hokuriku region and can be reached by Hokuriku regional buses or JR trains. The central old town of Takayama has preserved the appearance of a castle town and merchant town since the Edo period, and is therefore known as “Little Kyoto of Hida”. It is about a 2-hour drive from Nagoya, and about 1 hour from Toyama or Shirakawa-go, so many people choose to spend a day in Takayama, visiting the richly historical city before heading elsewhere. The Japan National Tourism Organization has a special introduction to the Hida Takayama region, which can be viewed here.
The Takayama area is not large, and there is no need to take additional transportation. You can visit the main attractions on foot. The tourist map above is centered around Takayama Station (both JR and bus terminals are located here), and it takes about half a day to walk around. However, due to the limited opening hours of the morning market, those who want to visit it need to pay extra attention to the schedule.
Transportation to Takayama City
If you want to travel to Takayama, the most direct and recommended way is to fly in and out of Nagoya Airport or Komatsu Airport. To go to Nagoya, you can choose from China Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. To go to Komatsu Airport, you can choose from EVA Air and Tigerair.
From Nagoya to Takayama City
- By JR: Depart from “Nagoya Station” and take the train to “Takayama Station”. Take the JR Wide View Hida Limited Express, which costs a total of 5,510 yen including the limited express fee, and the journey takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. If you plan to travel in the Hokuriku region for multiple days, you can choose the “Takayama and Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass” to travel there. The cost is 14,000 yen for unlimited rides on designated trains for five consecutive days.
- By bus: From “Nagoya Station”, take the JR Tokai Bus, Meitetsu Bus, or Nohi Bus to “Takayama Bus Terminal”. The one-way fare from Nagoya Station to Takayama Bus Terminal is 2,980 yen, and the journey takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is worth noting that the bus from Nagoya to Takayama operates on a reservation basis, so those who plan to take the bus need to make a reservation online. For those who plan a multi-day trip in the Hokuriku region, you can choose to take the “Shoryudo Bus Pass”. It comes in two versions: three days (7,500 yen) and five days (13,000 yen), and you can choose according to your itinerary.
From Komatsu Airport to Takayama City
- It is recommended to take a bus from Komatsu Airport to Takayama City, which is more convenient. You can take a bus from Komatsu Airport to “Kanazawa” first (costs 1,130 yen), and then take the Nohi Bus to Takayama City (costs 3,390 yen). The journey takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes. The “Shoryudo Bus” also supports this route, so you can choose according to your itinerary.
One-day Trip in Takayama/Attractions in Takayama City
Kokubunji Temple
Kokubunji Temple is a temple of the Shingon sect, built by Emperor Shomu during the Nara period (710-794 AD), and the main Buddha enshrined in the temple is the Yakushi Nyorai Buddha. In addition to several important cultural properties of Japan, including the three-story pagoda and the giant ginkgo tree, they are the main reasons why tourists visit Kokubunji Temple.
Miyagawa Morning Market
The Miyagawa Morning Market in Takayama City is one of the three major morning markets in Japan (along with the Wajima Morning Market in Ishikawa Prefecture and the Katsuura Morning Market in Chiba Prefecture), and it is also one of the popular morning markets in Japan. According to the signboard at the entrance of the morning market, the opening hours on weekdays are from 06:30 to 12:00, and in winter it is from 07:00 to 12:00, so those who want to visit the morning market need to pay special attention to the opening hours.
Kamisannomachi & Takayama Old Town
Across from the Miyagawa Morning Market is Kamisannomachi in Takayama City, also known as Kamisan, which preserves the traditional Japanese architecture of the Edo period and is an important cultural preservation district. If you continue walking from Kamisannomachi, you will reach Takayama Old Town, where there are many unique shops. If you have enough time, you can spend several hours here.
Takayama Jinya
Takayama Jinya is an important cultural property in Japan. “Jinya” refers to the magistrate’s office during the Edo period, which includes the official’s residence and the tax warehouse. There used to be more than 60 jinjas, but now only one remains in Takayama, so don’t miss it when visiting Takayama City.
Takayama Jinya
Opening hours: 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM (closed at 4:30 PM from November to February, and at 6:00 PM in August), open all year round
Ticket price: 420 yen
During this visit, due to the winter season and the exceptionally good weather, the ancient city of Takayama covered in white snow had a unique charm. The only regret is that due to the tight schedule of the trip this time, there was not enough time to fully explore this ancient city. Hopefully, there will be another opportunity in the future to slow down and immerse in the atmosphere of this ancient city. Finally, here is a picture of the snow-covered streets of Takayama City, which looks like a silver-white kingdom, even though it is just an ordinary cityscape, it is still very beautiful.