This was my first visit to Japan, which we kicked off in the capital of Tokyo and then Kyoto. I was most excited, however, about getting out of the cities, and seeing a bit of traditional, rural Japan. It was a very happy accident that I chose to stay 3 days in Takayama during the annual Takayama Spring Festival! Read on for a comprehensive 3-day Takayama itinerary that goes beyond the Spring Festival.
Why Stay for 3 Days in Takayama?
A major drawcard for Takayama is the Takayama Spring Festival, but that’s not the only reason to choose Takayama as a destination on a trip to Japan. In fact, there is so much to see and do in 3 days in Takayama, that I have had to split this post into smaller posts! Read my companion posts for a more detailed description of the Takayama Spring Festival and the Tour to Shirakawa-go village.
Takayama Highlights
- Stunning location
- Old Town Walking Tour & Shirakawa go Tour
- Experiencing a traditional onsen
- Takayama Spring Festival
1. Takayama’s Stunning Location
Firstly, Takayama’s stunning location in the Gifu prefecture, in the Japanese Alps, makes it the perfect base to explore nearby scenic tourist hotspots such as Shirakawa go, the Shinhotaka Ropeway and Kamikochi.
Bear in mind that some of the top tourist spots mentioned above may be closed due to snow and bad weather, so it’s always a good idea to have a back-up itinerary plan. Shirakawa-go however, is open and accessible all year round.
2. Takayama Old Town and Shirakawa-go Tour
Staying for 3 days in Takayama gives you plenty of time to explore a little further afield. One full day in Takayama was spent on a wonderful pre-booked tour of Takayama Old town and the nearby UNESCO world heritage village of Shirakawa-go.
The first half of the day included a guided tour of Takayama Jinya and the streets of Old Town. We took a minibus from there to the picturesque mountain village of Shirakawa-go.
Takayama Old Town
Second to its stunning location, Takayama has a fascinating history, which can be explored through the streets of its beautifully preserved Old Town. I highly recommend a walking tour of the Old Town, to learn all about Takayama’s important political past and the town’s hidden gems.
Wandering the streets of the Old Town, among the dark wooden buildings from the Edo period (1600s-late 1800s), you truly feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the Japan of shoguns and samurai. The classic Edo period style of dark latticed facades, clay tiled roofs, and deep eaves, designed to protect the buildings from snow, beckons you to explore.
With cafes, craft shops, breweries and government buildings. You could spend hours exploring the Old Town streets.
Enter buildings beneath low hanging noren curtains and discover hidden courtyards and interior gardens. Large cedar balls hanging above the entrance identify sake breweries, just in case you wanted to do a little sake tasting! The government protects the heart of Old Town, the Sanmachi Suji district, as a cultural heritage site.
Takayama Jinya
Takayama Jinya is a significant historical site, located in the heart of the old town, that once served as the local governor’s office from 1692 to 1969. It is the only surviving Edo period government office in Japan.
Today you can explore the various rooms that once functioned as offices, meeting spaces and residential quarters for samurai officials. The trim on the tatami mats helps to identify the type of people that would typically occupy that room. The samurai were non-materialistic and proudly lived in humble surroundings. This is reflected in this simple yet beautiful and peaceful complex – except the torture room, not so peaceful in there! 😁
The complex also contains a large storehouse used to store rice bales that were collected as tax. Today it is a museum of artifacts and displays, showcasing the Jinya’s history.
After our fabulous guided tour of Takayama Jinya, we enjoyed some free time sampling the delicious food that Yoshi, our guide, had pointed out to us as we walked along.
Hida Beef
First order of business was to try some of the Hida beef that the region is famous for. There were food stalls everywhere because of the festival. Sampling one dish after another, I slowly made my way down the main street.
As our walking tour continued, Yoshi, our tour guide pointed out a large shrine located beyond the morning Miyagawa markets. I planned to visit the shrine in some free time we had on our tour….but first, some exploration of the morning markets was in order!
Morning Markets
Takayama hosts two morning markets daily. Both are located in the Old Town, one along the Miyagawa River and one in front of Takayama Jinya. Selling a variety of local crafts, snacks and farm products, they are definitely worth a look on your explorations of the Old Town.
While exploring the Miyagawa River markets, take a few moments to enjoy the clear, fast-flowing Miyagawa river that flows through the centre of Takayama. Admire the colourful Koi fish that thrive in the river’s cold, clean water while enjoying a warming coffee in a nearby cafe.
From the markets, I wandered down to check out the large shrine that Yoshi had pointed out.
Shrines and Temples
Hei Shrine
There are two important shrines in Takayama that you should make sure to see. The first is the Hei shrine, that the Takayama Spring festival is dedicated to, located in front of Takayama Jinya.
Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine
The second is Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine, that the Autumn festival is dedicated to and the one that Yoshi had pointed out.
This shrine is located next to the Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall, so if you are not in Takayama for the Spring or Autumn festival, you should add these sites to your itinerary. You don’t want to miss seeing the amazing Yatai floats. They rotate the 12 floats, so not all are on display at once. The floats are wonderful to see up close and it’s interesting to learn their history.
Hida Kokubunji Temple
Not far from the Takayama train station, you will find the Hida Kokubunji Temple. They say this Buddhist temple is the oldest in the Hida region. The temple features a triple pagoda, Bell Tower gates believed to have been moved from Takayama Castle, and a huge Ginko tree said to be around 1200 years old.
The ancient Ginko tree has been designated as a national natural monument. In the past, people believed that snow would fall when the leaves of the Ginko tree fell. Locals love the tree as a sign of the changing seasons. When I was in Takayama at the end of winter, the branches were bare. In Buddhist thought, the tree’s bare branches remind us of endurance and waiting.
Senkoji Temple Spiritual Retreat and Forest Pilgrimage
In ancient times, Senjoki Temple was a place where travelers once made their way to, from the town of Takayama through the satoyama woodlands, to rest their bodies and steady their minds before venturing further into the mountains. Today, you can experience the same tranquility in mind and body as pilgrims once did, on this unforgettable spiritual retreat to Senkoji Temple.
Participate in meditations, tour Senkoji’s Enku Buddha Treasure Hall and enjoy a vegetarian bento lunch. After lunch take a sensory hike along a 3-kilometer trail which winds through the mountains surrounding Senkoji Temple and gaze in wonder at the Gohonsugi (“Five Cedars”), a cedar tree, over 1,200 years old, and another nationally designated natural monument.
Images supplied by Wabunka
What an amazing way to experience traditional Japan, that goes beyond the stunning scenery to take you on a journey into Japan’s spiritual way of life, intertwined with the natural world. For more details on this tour and to book, click on the link here.
Traditional Tea Ceremony and Hida Woodcraft Experience
Experiencing a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in a place like Takayama Old Town is a truly unforgettable experience. My friends at Wabunka offer a unique opportunity to visit the tearoom of the Kazehikaru gallery shop and observe a demonstration by a master woodcarver up close, followed by a modern traditional tea ceremony in the second-floor tatami tearoom. Two Japanese cultural experiences in one tour- fantastic! For more details on the experience and to book, click the link here.
Images supplied by Wabunka.
Shirakawa-go Tour
After our free time exploring, we met up with our tour guide again and hopped into our mini-bus to begin our scenic drive through snow-capped mountains and valleys, to reach our destination for the afternoon, the gorgeous UNESCO world heritage village of Shirakawa-go.
I loved this part of the tour and took so many photos! It became obvious to me as I had so much to say about this gorgeous place, that a separate post on Shirakawa-go was in order. Click on the link here to read about this enchanting Alpine village.
Hike and Cycle Tour
For those wanting to get a bit active and see more of Takayama’s stunning location, you can enjoy this curated hiking and cycling experience through Hida’s natural landscapes, including the ruins of Matsukura Castle and Hida Folk Village (Hida no Sato), with a delicious bento lunch.
The tour begins with a guided bike ride from the city center. After a gentle 1 km ride—about 10 minutes—you arrive at peaceful Kitayama Park. Hike the 3.7 km hiking trail that leads you past the ruins of the Honmaru, Ninomaru, and Sannomaru citadels, as well as massive stone walls believed to be the largest of their time, to reach the ruins of Matsukura Castle.
After your picnic Bento lunch, enjoying the panoramic views of Takayama, continue onto the final stop, the Hida Folk Village. An outdoor village museum surrounded by the natural beauty of Hida, the Hida Folk Village makes a great alternative to Shirakawa-go. Traditional thatched-roof houses from old farming and mountain communities have been relocated here to preserve the lifestyle and wisdom of the region. For more details on the tour and to book, click on the link.
3. Experience a Traditional Onsen
Thirdly, Takayama is an onsen town. If you want to experience an authentic onsen in a traditional ryokan, like I did, then Takayama is a great choice! I loved my onsen experience there so much!
My First Onsen Experience!
I had a whole extra day in Takayama free because the second day of the Takayama Spring festival program had effectively been cancelled due to the weather.
What to do?!
I decided to take the bus up to Kamikochi, a scenic Alpine Valley in the Northern Japanese Alps. With camera in hand, ready for some magnificent scenery, I made my way to the bus terminal to purchase my bus ticket, only to be told that Kamikochi was actually closed until the 17th April – the day I was due to leave.
To get to Kamikochi by bus involves changing buses at a little town called Hirayu. I decided to catch the bus to Hirayu anyway, for a little look around. At a cost of 1600 yen each way, I thought it was a pretty cheap day out.
As we continued to ascend into the Alps my excitement grew …. it was starting to snow! I am from Queensland in Australia, so I don’t get to see snow, unless I travel. We arrived at Hirayu, and to me it was like a magical fairytale. I stood surrounded by towering mountain peaks as snow fell around me. It was stunning!
Hirayu Onsen
My old friend Google told me all about Hirayu. It is an onsen town…. hello!! My dream of experiencing a traditional onsen was about to be realized quite by accident!
The Hirayu Folk Museum is just a short 5-minute walk from the bus stop, and a public onsen is located right next to it. I was so happy that I practically skipped there. I found the onsen easily, and a gentleman told me it was just a 300-yen donation to use. Walking into the ladies onsen, I found it was empty. Could this day get any better?!?
For those unfamiliar, an onsen is a Japanese natural geothermal, hot spring bath. Due to the high number of active volcanoes in the area, onsen towns are scattered throughout the Alps. The onsens can be gender-separated or mixed depending on location, and bathing etiquette dictates that bathers are nude. For more information on onsen etiquette read my onsen guide for beginners.
Towel or No Towel?
Now you can understand how happy this shy westerner was, that the onsen was empty! Only problem with impromptu onsen bathing was that I hadn’t brought a towel with me. This was a beautiful, but rustic, outdoor onsen …. no showers and therefore no towels. I walked back to the Folk Museum thinking they may store towels there.
The Folk Museum was wonderful to look through and I had the whole place to myself…. but alas no towels and no-one to ask where to find a towel. I bumped into 2 men outside and asked if they knew where to find towels – no luck.
My window of opportunity to have the whole onsen to myself was closing…. surely someone was going to arrive soon and spoil my nirvana. Decision made, I stripped off and quickly sank into the warm waters of my first onsen, a towel was a problem for later.
It was heavenly! Bathing in warm, mineral rich water, while snow fell around me and snow-capped mountain peaks surrounded me. I will never forget it.
Time to leave, I jumped out without a towel but, luckily, there were no witnesses! I dried off using my thermals, got dressed, and merrily made my way back to the bus station. On the way, I ran into those two men again. They waved a package above their heads “We found some towels! You can buy some from the convenience store.” “Too late” I replied “My bum’s a bit wet, but it was worth it!” 😂
4. Takayama Spring Festival
Last, but not least, Takayama hosts two of Japan’s biggest festivals every year. The Takayama Spring Festival and the Takayama Autumn festival draws crowds from all over Japan to Takayama, to celebrate the change of seasons. The traditional marionette performances, grand display of yatai floats, festival processions, and more are not to be missed! I have written a whole post on everything you need to know about the Takayama Spring festival.
Takayama Spring festival was a highlight of my trip to Japan, so glad I got to witness it!
The Spring and Autumn festival are but one example of how Takayama embraces tradition. There are many more examples around town if you know where to look.
Discover Takayama’s displays of folklore and tradition
Takayama is a town steeped in tradition and folklore. Discover the bronze statues of Ashinaga and Tenaga, facing each other on the Kaji-bashi bridge. Both characters from Japanese folklore that work together with their long arms and long legs to catch fish, with Tenaga riding on Ashinaga’s back.
There were several sightings of sarubobo around town too, Takayama’s mascot and associated with ancient beliefs around the protective power of monkeys.
Around every corner, are reminders of what a gorgeous and unique place Takayama is in Spring. From gorgeous flowers lining the streets and decorating drain covers to cute bunnies in strollers…. does it get more Spring than that?!
How to get to Takayama
Another drawcard for Takayama is its easy accessibility. I had been traveling with friends at the beginning of this trip but was heading onwards to Takayama alone. As it was my first time visiting Japan, I didn’t want to deal with changing trains. From Kyoto, there is a limited express scenic train directly to Takayama.
From Takayama, I took a bullet train back to Tokyo via Nagano. Maybe it was the several days traveling on my own that increased my confidence, but I found changing trains in Nagano a lot less stressful than I thought it would be. I learnt a lot about how to reduce stress on a first visit to Japan, for my top tips read my blog post!
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Takayama
I mentioned earlier that I wanted to stay in a traditional ryokan and experience bathing in an onsen. As luck would have it, I found the most amazing traditional ryokan to stay in that is less than a 5-minute walk from the train station. I loved Oyado Koto No Yume so much, I wrote a whole post about it!
Ryokans are traditional Japanese Inns that offer not only onsen but also traditional style rooms, cuisine and hospitality. To read more details about my experience staying at Oyado Koto No Yume, click this link to read my blog post.
I was wondering why accommodation in the area was so hard to find and why it seemed a bit expensive. When I discovered that the annual Spring Festival is on the 14th and 15th of April in Takayama, it all made sense! Please note, if you want to go to Takayama during the Takayama Spring festival (and I’m assuming the same would be said for the Autumn festival) then you need to book way ahead!
I’m not just talking about accommodation but also transport to and from Takayama. The population of the town over those few days increases dramatically, so get in early to secure accommodation and transportation.
I loved my stay in Takayama, it’s what I imagined rural Japan to be like when I was planning this trip. Have you been? Did you love it as much as I did? Drop a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Takayama.
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
2 thoughts on “3 Days in Takayama: Your Ultimate Guide During Spring Festival”
Takayama looks great and that Onsen looks so peaceful, do you know if this one allows tattoos or is it very traditional one?
Good question! I don’t have any tattoos, so I didn’t look closely into this. I think because it is a rural and rustic onsen, the rules are a little more relaxed, but best to maybe take some patches to cover any tattoos just in case. When I was there, I didn’t see anyone else…not even in the folk museum.