There are many beautiful places to visit around Takayama

Sight seeing at/around Takayama

The Takayama city is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Many of highest mountains in Japan are found at the eastern part of Takayama-city. You can enjoy a lot of beautiful scenery overthere. Takayama-city is very old city and has several historical buildings. In the age of Nara(A.D.710-784), Kokubun-ji(temple) and Kokubunni-ji(nunnery) were founded in Takayama by the order of Emperor-Shomu. Kokufu(the capital of the area) was also founded in the age. There are many beautiful places to visit inside and around Takayama-city. So, we hope you can enjoy the area.

I) Takayama-city

Thanks to Takayama city.

(Detailed information can be found at the Link: http://www.hida.jp/english/tourist_information.htm)

The old-town area, which is shown as ‘furui-machi-nami’ in an urban area map(http://www.hida.jp/english/map.htm#urban), is recognized as a national preserved area of important historical buildings. You will see nice and old buildings, which were built in Edo-era(A.D.1603-1867), of merchant houses and sake-winery houses over there. ‘Takayama Jinya’ is also a nice building to visit. The building was a local governmental building during Edo-era and was a house of a magistrate of Edo-Shogun-government. About 5-minutes walk from Takayama station, you can find ‘Kokubun-ji’, which was founded by the order of Emperor Shoumu in A.D.746. The original main building of the temple was lost and the current building was reconstructed during the Muromachi-era(A.D. 1336-1573).

Morning markets, which were started from Edo-era, are routinely held everyday at two locations in the urban-area. The one is held at ‘Jinya-mae’ and the other is held at ‘Miyagawa-mae’. You can find many fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers being grown-up around Takayama-city. These markets open from 6:00a.m. until noon.

Useful Links of Takayama-Area

Takayama-city

http://www.hida.jp/english/tourist_information.htm

http://www.hida.jp/english/index.html

http://www.hida.jp/e-taka.htm

Hida Takayama International Association

http://www.htia.org/e/index.html

Hida-Yado Net (Information of Hotels and Pensions in Hida)

http://www.hida-yado.net/

Description of TAKAYAMA at ‘Japan Travel and Living Guide’

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html

Description of TAKAYAMA at THE QUIRKY JAPAN HOMEPAGE

http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/takayama.htm

II) Shirakwa-go

sirakawa-go

(Detailed information about shirakawa-go can be found in the link: http://shirakawa-go.org/english/index.html and http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/index.html)

Shirakawa-go is a preserved area for houses of 'Gassho-zukuri' (http://shirakawa-go.org/english/e_world.html) and is located in the western area of Takayama-city. (It will take about 90-mininutes from Takayama by car.) The Gassho-zukuri is a name for a structure of house and is a typical structure of houses in Takayama-area. It has sloped- and thatched-roofs and is suitable for heavy snow area. Shirakawa-go was registered as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO on December 9, 1996.

From Nouhi-bus center, which is next to the Takayama-station, you will get a bus to Shirakawa-go (reservation required).

Useful Links of Shirakawa

Live Camera of Shirakawa-go

http://shirakawa-go.org/live-user/e-monitor.asp

Home Page of Shirakawa-Village

http://shirakawa-go.org/english/index.html

Homepage of Shirakawa Village Commerce and Industy Society’

http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/index.html

Photographs of Shirakawa-go by Mr. Morita.

http://www.ob.aitai.ne.jp/~morita/

Description of TAKAYAMA at ‘Japan Travel and Living Guide’

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5950.html

III) Kamikou-chi and Shinhodaka (Japan Alps)

(English description of Kamikou-chi can be found in the link: http://www.myojinkan.co.jp/kamikochi3.html )

Kamiko-chi is an entrance to Japan Alps. It is one of the most beautiful (and popular) places in Japan. If you love outdoor activities, it is the best place to visit. In July 1877, Mr. William Gauland, an English metallurgical engineer, had climbed Mt. Yari in Kamikouchi-regions and introduced the mountains in the region as Japan Alps. To climb Mt. Yari from Kamikou-chi, two days are usually necessary for the round trip. (One day trip is possible but it will be very hard.) You can enjoy a 4-hours hiking in Kamikou-chi. In Kamikou-chi, you can also enjoy ‘Roten-Onsen’ (Japanese-style outdoor spa).

Shinhodaka is another entrance to Japan Alps. It locates the other side of Kamikouchi across the Mt. Yari and Hodaka mountains. From Shinhodaka-side, you will have an access to close to Mt.nishi-hodaka, being located at the south of Mt. Yari, by a cable car.

On the way to Kamikouchi and Shinhodaka from Takayama, there is a big spa region, named Hirayu. Hirayu was one of the oldest hot spring in this area. It was found by Takeda Shingen, who is the one of the strongest and the most famous samurai generals during Sengoku-era (A.D. 1467-1568), when he had invaded this area. He used Hirayu to cure his injured soldiers. Since then, many people visits this place for a hot-spring cure.

You can also visit a limestone cave, named Hida-dai-shonyudo. It locates between Takayama and Hirayu. This limestone cave is open for tourists. You do not need to have special instruments to go down the cave. It will cost one thousand yen for one adult to enter the cave.

From Nouhi-bus center, which is next to the Takayama-station, you will get a bus to Kamoikou-chi, Shinhodaka, Hirayu and Hida-dai-shonyudo.

Useful Links of Kamikou-chi, Shihodaka and Hirayu.

English description of Kamikou-chi

http://www.myojinkan.co.jp/kamikochi3.html

Live Camera of Kamikouchi:

http://www.shinshu-online.ne.jp/livecam/kamikochi/index.html

http://www.kamikochi.or.jp/live.html

Photo Gallery of Kamikouchi

http://www.kkan.net/photo/j/04kamikouchi/e/ (English)

http://www3.famille.ne.jp/~ochi/kamih1.html (Japanese)

http://www.ayu.ne.jp/user/ego/kamikouchi_001.htm (Japanese)

Home page of Shinhodaka cable car (Japanses)