Travel in Takayama

Set deep within the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, Takayama is called a "little Kyoto". Its temples, shrines, festivals, rivers and bridges are indeed reminiscent of Kyoto on a smaller scale, but in some ways Takayama has delights that even Kyoto cannot match.
Takayama is an intimate, leisurely place and even the very center of the town has a quiet, rustic charm. The region is an agricultural one, and every day the freshest of vegetables and fruit are brought by local farmers to Takayama's lively morning market. The surrounding forests provide fine timber for building traditional houses and for the simple utensils and lacquer ware that have been made in Takayama for hundreds of years. In fact, the history of the town begins with its carpenters. The skillful carpenters of Hida (as this region is called) are said to have built the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and many temples in that city, as well as in Nara. At the end of the 16th century, Takayama Castle was established by the Kanamori clan and this was the origin of the present town and its culture.
During the three hundred years when Takayama was governed by a samurai family, many unique traditions evolved here. And due to the town's location, a remarkable number of old traditions have been preserved. Of these, the best known is the Takayama Festival, which takes place in spring and autumn and is considered to be one of the three most impressive festivals in Japan. Also, Takayama contains old streets and buildings that are remarkably untouched by the passage of time. The district called San-machi Suji, for example, the traditional home of Takayama merchants and sake brewers, has been preserved in almost exactly the same state as 200 or 300 years ago. Here, the inns, shops and taverns trace the history back many generations.
Courtesy of the Japan Tourism Board

Travel in Takayama Attractions

GeoPassage tours offers multitudes of travel opportunities, Takayama is just one of the many cities we offer day tours and individual attractions to, be sure to check out our entire catalog.