Takayama is a mountain town in Gifu Prefecture, in central Japan. It’s about two hours and twenty minutes from Nagoya by train. Surrounded by the Japanese Alps, it feels quite different from the big cities many travellers visit first. It’s also close to my hometown, so I’ve had plenty of chances to go.

But being close to home isn’t the only reason I love it.

Well, personally, I think Takayama is one of those places that makes you slow down without even trying. You can spend a day walking through old streets, looking into little shops and stopping for food whenever something smells good. That sounds like a pretty perfect day to me.

Featured image: Takayama’s old town

The old streets have a story to tell

Takayama’s old town is the first place I want to walk whenever I visit. The dark wooden buildings, shopfronts and narrow streets are beautiful, of course. But I also love knowing that this was once a busy merchant town. The preserved Sanmachi district still gives you a sense of what Takayama was like during the Edo period.

I’m not someone who needs to know every date to enjoy a historic place. I just like walking down a street and feeling that people have been going about their everyday lives there for generations.

Kyoto has wonderful historic streets too, but Takayama feels more compact to me. It’s easy to explore on foot without feeling that you need to race across the city to see everything. You can take a turn because a shop looks interesting, then find yourself stopping for a snack ten minutes later.

There’s plenty to see between snacks

If it’s your first visit, I’d start with Sanmachi Suji, the best-known part of the old town. Take your time here. Pop into the shops, look at the traditional buildings and keep an eye out for the local sake breweries.

Then visit Takayama Jinya, the former government office. It adds another side to the town’s history: while the old streets show you Takayama’s merchant life, Jinya gives you a glimpse of how the region was governed in the Edo period.

If you enjoy traditional buildings, Hida Folk Village is another place to consider. Historic houses from around the Hida region have been brought together there, including houses with steep thatched roofs. And if the famous Takayama Festival interests you, Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan displays some of its elaborate festival floats.

You don’t have to fit all of these into one day. That’s part of my point about Takayama: it’s nicer when you leave yourself time to wander.

Come hungry

Food is a big part of why I look forward to visiting. Hida beef is the local speciality you’ll see everywhere, from a proper meal to a small piece of beef sushi you can enjoy while exploring. There are also dango, sweets and plenty of other things that might tempt you into saying, “Okay, just one more snack.”

I rarely feel the need for a strict food plan in Takayama. I’d rather walk around, see what catches my eye and make room for something else later.

Stay overnight—and go to a morning market

If you can, I really recommend staying at least one night. Takayama is lovely during the day, but staying over means you don’t have to watch the clock. You can enjoy dinner, have a relaxed evening and start again the next morning.

That morning, head to one of the markets. Miyagawa Morning Market runs beside the river, while Jinya-mae Morning Market is near Takayama Jinya. You can browse local produce and crafts, or simply enjoy seeing the town begin its day.

For me, that quiet morning is a reason to stay overnight all by itself.

Shirakawa-go is close, too

Takayama is also a convenient base for visiting Shirakawa-go, the village famous for its traditional thatched-roof houses. It’s roughly 50 minutes away by bus, so it’s easy to see why people put the two places on the same itinerary.

Still, I hope you’ll give Takayama time of its own. Yes, it’s close to my family home. But I’d love it even without that connection—for its history, its walkable streets, its food and the feeling that there’s no need to hurry.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, don’t just pass through Takayama. Stay the night, wake up early and see why it’s a place I keep wanting to return to.

But being close to home isn’t the only reason I love it.

Well, personally, I think Takayama is one of those places that makes you slow down without even trying. You can spend a day walking through old streets, looking into little shops and stopping for food whenever something smells good. That sounds like a pretty perfect day to me.

Featured image: Takayama’s old town

The old streets have a story to tell

Takayama’s old town is the first place I want to walk whenever I visit. The dark wooden buildings, shopfronts and narrow streets are beautiful, of course. But I also love knowing that this was once a busy merchant town. The preserved Sanmachi district still gives you a sense of what Takayama was like during the Edo period.

I’m not someone who needs to know every date to enjoy a historic place. I just like walking down a street and feeling that people have been going about their everyday lives there for generations.

Kyoto has wonderful historic streets too, but Takayama feels more compact to me. It’s easy to explore on foot without feeling that you need to race across the city to see everything. You can take a turn because a shop looks interesting, then find yourself stopping for a snack ten minutes later.

There’s plenty to see between snacks

If it’s your first visit, I’d start with Sanmachi Suji, the best-known part of the old town. Take your time here. Pop into the shops, look at the traditional buildings and keep an eye out for the local sake breweries.

Then visit Takayama Jinya, the former government office. It adds another side to the town’s history: while the old streets show you Takayama’s merchant life, Jinya gives you a glimpse of how the region was governed in the Edo period.

If you enjoy traditional buildings, Hida Folk Village is another place to consider. Historic houses from around the Hida region have been brought together there, including houses with steep thatched roofs. And if the famous Takayama Festival interests you, Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan displays some of its elaborate festival floats.

You don’t have to fit all of these into one day. That’s part of my point about Takayama: it’s nicer when you leave yourself time to wander.

Come hungry

Food is a big part of why I look forward to visiting. Hida beef is the local speciality you’ll see everywhere, from a proper meal to a small piece of beef sushi you can enjoy while exploring. There are also dango, sweets and plenty of other things that might tempt you into saying, “Okay, just one more snack.”

I rarely feel the need for a strict food plan in Takayama. I’d rather walk around, see what catches my eye and make room for something else later.

Stay overnight—and go to a morning market

If you can, I really recommend staying at least one night. Takayama is lovely during the day, but staying over means you don’t have to watch the clock. You can enjoy dinner, have a relaxed evening and start again the next morning.

That morning, head to one of the markets. Miyagawa Morning Market runs beside the river, while Jinya-mae Morning Market is near Takayama Jinya. You can browse local produce and crafts, or simply enjoy seeing the town begin its day.

Photo 4: Takayama’s morning market

For me, that quiet morning is a reason to stay overnight all by itself.

Shirakawa-go is close, too

Takayama is also a convenient base for visiting Shirakawa-go, the village famous for its traditional thatched-roof houses. It’s roughly 50 minutes away by bus, so it’s easy to see why people put the two places on the same itinerary.

Still, I hope you’ll give Takayama time of its own. Yes, it’s close to my family home. But I’d love it even without that connection—for its history, its walkable streets, its food and the feeling that there’s no need to hurry.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, don’t just pass through Takayama. Stay the night, wake up early and see why it’s a place I keep wanting to return to.