Takayama with my son, eating and traditional houses
November 2022
Takayama is a city in the central mountains of Japan in the Gifu Prefecture. The city is known for its historic district (Sanmachi Historical Houses Preserved Area) with well preserved wooden merchant houses lining the narrow streets full of shops and eateries. The area is known for the famous Hida beef that is said to be more flavorful and fatty than Kobe beef. The city is also know for its spring and autumn festivals.
Takayama was a place I visited more than 25 years ago as an architecture student. I remember exploring the unique interiors of the traditional houses there. You don’t know what is really lying behind those dark wood store fronts and fences until you get into the buildings and see the amazing the spaces inside. Takayama is also a departure point to visit Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO world heritage site.
How we got to Takayama
I debated going to Takayama on this trip since it is a 4.5 hour trip from Yokohama on two trains (Shinkansen and Hida Limited Express train) to get there. But it does mean my son gets to take his first Shinkansen ride. And he was every excited to see one!
Our trip took us from Yokohama station to Nagoya then transferred trains to Takayama. We arrived at the Takayama station and walked out the east exit. The historic town area and river are mostly to the east of the train station. The old township is laid out in a rough grid so it is not hard to navigate the streets.
The bus station to Shirakawa-go is located right next to this train station. There are plenty of luggage storage lockers here if needed.
We dropped off our carry-on luggage at our hotel, the Hotel Wood Takayama, which is a 13 minute walk from the station, and then set out to find late lunch armed with a handy map of the town and recommended list of restaurants that the hotel gave us.
It was raining hard so we went for a homey mom and pop ramen shop called Kikyou-ya, serving specialty Takayama ramen. We sat at the cozy counter and had delicious ramen with light broth; it was very budget friendly. They had a simple menu with English so it was easy to order. The elderly couple who run the restaurant were very welcoming.
With our stomach full, we retreated back to our hotel by walking through the old streets. What beautiful streets with traditional buildings! There are cafes, crafts and gift stores, restaurants, dessert places, and Hida beef skewer stands. All the treats along the streets were very tempting.
old street store
Rainy autumn day in town
Our accommodation in Takayama
Our modern Japanese design accommodation, the Hotel Wood Takayama, is at a great location just to the east end of the historic streets. We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. They offer local sake and soft drinks for free at their lounge. The rooms have a simple, peaceful elegance. And the public (for hotel guests) baths on the main floor are modern and relaxing; plus they offer popsicles to cool you down after soaking in the hot water. There is a convenient FamilyMart around the corner for snacks, food and drinks; good especially if you want something easy for breakfast (if you opted not to have the hotel Japanese breakfast). There are also plenty of places to eat around.
Center4 hamburger
Eating in Takayama
For dinner we tried to get into a restaurant called Ajikura Tengoku specializing in grilled Hida beef. However, it is such a popular restaurant that there was more than an hour wait. Apparently you have to make a reservation far in advance here. Or come early. Being hungry and with an impatient picky kid, we opted to go back to a cool little place close to the hotel called Center4 Hamburgers which serves Hida beef burgers. If you want a break from Japanese cuisine, I recommend coming here for what is said to be the best burgers, fries and milkshakes in town, popular with Japanese and foreign visitors. Splurge for the Hida beef burger - at least for the adult in the family.
Ahhh Hida beef. You can’t walk a block in the town without seeing a sign for beef! We tried the Hida beef skewer stands around the area (they seem to be around every corner) and we liked this one the best — located in one of the historic streets (at this location) — called Rokujyuban (or Number 60). The A5 beef skewer is not cheap but amazing. My son still dreams of going back for more.
Rokujyuban
Takayama Morning Market
The following morning we took a walk to see the Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market by the river. There is another morning market at Takayama Jinya. There are many scenic bridges over the river that runs through the city. This morning market food and craft stalls start at one of the main bridges and follow a road by the river.
There are coffee stands, snacks, fresh local milk, meat buns, Hida beef sushi, fruits, vegetables and fish among other things for sale. For kids, you can buy a bag of fish food at the fish monger store just by the entry to the market near the bridge. Then go down to the river as pictured below where the people are feeding the bright orange koi fishes and other water fowl.
mini taiyaki
Another hit with the kid at the market is the taiyaki snack stand. Taiyaki is a cake/waffle often shaped like a fish and tastes kind of like a pancake with sweet fillings inside. The lady at the stand sells vanilla custard, chocolate and red bean filled mini taiyaki. They are very delicious.
Visit Kusakabe House
After our relaxing stroll through the market, we reached the Kusakabe House. This house is an example of late-Edo period merchant store and residence. It is open to the public and functions as a folk museum. The striking main interior area consists of dark heavy posts and beams that opens up into impressive space. You can explore the rest of the complex including going up the steep stairs to the rooms above. Definitely worth a visit here. Check opening hours before you visit.
There is Yoshijima House next doors also worth visiting. Unfortunately it is open only a few days a week so we missed it this time. (See Takayama visit part 2 post).
Kusakabe House
We only stayed at Takayama for one night as we planned to visit Shirakawa-go for the next night. I regret only allowing one night at Takayama; truely there is a lot more to see in this charming city and we both wanted to stay longer. In fact, the following spring, we had to come back again to Takayama…see Takayama Part 2 post.
Walking at night in Takayama
We walked around at night to find dinner places. The streets of historical area of Takayama are quiet and some are dark. There are street lights, but the traditional stores are mostly closed. However, we felt very safe. Of course, practice normal safety measures. The hotel can call you a taxi if you prefer. There were other tourists walking around as well and it was pleasant to walk the old streets and look at the river at night.