Sights in Central Honshū
-
A
Sūkyō Mahikari Main World Shrine
Dominating Takayama's western skyline is the golden roof of the Main World Shrine of Sūkyō Mahikari, a new religion whose teachings are said to include healing via training courses and amulets that transmit divine light rays. Guided tours are available (call in advance for an English-speaking guide).
reviewed
-
Hida-no-Sato
The large, open-air Hida-no-Sato is highly recommended for its dozens of traditional houses, dismantled at their original sites throughout the region and rebuilt here. Allow at least three hours. During clear weather, there are good views across the town to the peaks of the Japan Alps.
Hida-no-Sato is in two sections. The western section features 12 old houses and a complex of traditional buildings. Displays are well presented and offer an excellent chance to see what rural life was like in previous centuries.
Hida-no-Sato is a 30-minute walk west from Takayama Station, but the route is not enjoyable. Either hire a bicycle, or catch a bus from Takayama bus station (高山濃飛バスセン…
reviewed
-
Atsuta-jingū
Hidden among 1000-year-old cypress trees, the 1900-year-old Atsuta-jingū is one of the most sacred shrines in all of Shintō. It houses the kusanagi-no-tsurugi (sacred sword; literally the 'grass-cutting sword'), one of the sanshu no jingi (three regalia) that were, according to legend, handed down to the imperial family by the sun goddess Amaterasu-Ōmikami. (The other two are the curved jewels at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, and the sacred mirror housed at Ise-jingū.) You won't be able to view the regalia, but don't feel left out; no one but the emperor and a few selected Shintō priests ever get to see them.
There is a small Treasure Hall, housing a changing collecti…
reviewed
-
Nagoya castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Nagoya castle to be built for his ninth son on the site of an older castle, from 1610 to 1614. Although it was destroyed in WWII and replaced in 1959 with a ferroconcrete replica, it's worth a visit for the fine museum inside featuring armour, treasures and histories of the Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa families. A lift will save you climbing stairs. Note the 3m-long replicas of the famous shachi-hoko, gilded dolphin-like sea creatures, at either end of the roof (and in every souvenir shop).
Within the castle grounds, the garden, Ninomaru-en (二の丸園), has a teahouse in an attractive setting. It's particularly lovely during the cherry-blossom season, and…
reviewed
-
Zenkō-Ji Temple 善光寺
Zenkō-Ji Temple 善光寺 is believed to have been founded in the 7th century and is the home of the Ikkō-Sanzon, allegedly the first Buddhist image to arrive in Japan (in AD 552, from Korea). The image has quite a history; it's been the subject of disputes, lost, recovered and, finally, installed again. Don't expect to see it, however; it is said that 37 generations of emperors have not seen the image, though visitors may view a copy every seven years.
Zenkōji's immense popularity stems partly from its liberal welcoming of believers from all Buddhist sects, including women; its chief officiants are both a priest and a priestess.
The original site was south of the curre…
reviewed
-
Matsumoto-Jō Castle
Even if you spend only a couple of hours in Matsumoto, visit Matsumoto-Jō Castle, Japan's oldest wooden castle and one of four castles designated National Treasures - the others are Hikone, Himeji and Inuyama.
The magnificent three-turreted donjon was built c 1595, in contrasting black-and-white, leading to the nickname Karasu-jō (Crow Castle). Steep steps lead up six storeys, with impressive views from each level. Lower floors display guns, bombs and gadgets with which to storm castles, and a delightful tsukimi yagura (moon-viewing pavilion). It has a tranquil moat full of carp, with the occasional swan gliding beneath the red bridges. The basics are explained over lou…
reviewed
-
B
Kenroku-en
The star attraction of Kanazawa, Kenroku-en is ranked as one of the great gardens of the Edo period and one of the top three gardens in Japan (the other two are Kairaku-en in Mito, and Kōraku-en in Okayama).
The name (kenroku means 'combined six') refers to a renowned garden from Sung-dynasty China that required six attributes for perfection: seclusion, spaciousness, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views (on clear days you can see to the Sea of Japan). In 1676 Kenroku-en started as the garden of an outer villa of Kanazawa-jō, but later it was enlarged to serve the castle itself, reaching completion in the early 19th century; the garden opened to the pub…
reviewed
-
C
Takayama Yatai Kaikan
A rotating selection of four of the 23 multitiered yatai (floats) used in the Takayama Matsuri can be seen at Takayama Yatai Kaikan. These spectacular creations, some dating from the 17th century, are prized for their flamboyant carvings, metalwork and lacquerwork. A famous feature of some floats is karakuri, mechanical puppets that perform amazing tricks and acrobatics courtesy of eight accomplished puppeteers using 36 strings. A video gives a sense of the festival.
The Yatai Kaikan is on the grounds of the stately hillside shrine Sakurayama Hachiman-gū; the shrine's main buildings are behind the Yatai Kaikan. Dedicated to the protection of Takayama, the shrine also ov…
reviewed
-
Tokugawa Art Museum
A must for anyone with even a passing interest in Japanese culture and history, this museum has a 10,000-plus piece collection that includes National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties that once belonged to the shōgunal family: furnishings, arms and armour, tea-ceremony implements, calligraphy, painted scrolls, lacquerware, and masks and costumes from nō theatre. A priceless 12th-century scroll depicting The Tale of Genji is locked away except for a short stint in late November; the rest of the year, visitors must remain content with a video.
The museum is three minutes' walk from the Tokugawaen-Shindeki bus stop, east of Nagoya-jō.
reviewed
-
D
Takayama-jō
The hilly districts in the east side of town are linked by a walking trail, particularly enjoyable in the early morning or late afternoon. Various trails lead through the Shiroyama-kōen park and up the mountainside to the ruins of the castle, Takayama-jō. As you descend, you can take a look at the temple, Shōren-ji, which was transferred to this site from the Shōkawa Valley when a dam was built there in 1960.
There are over a dozen temples (one houses the youth hostel) and shrines you can wander around before taking in the greenery of the park, Shiroyama-kōen. The tourist information office has descriptions of the temples and a simple map, or the Hida Takayama pamph…
reviewed
Advertisement
-
E
Kanazawa-jō
Originally built in 1580, Kanazawa-jō housed the Maeda clan for 14 generations; this massive structure was called the castle of 1000 tatami. That castle was destroyed by fire, but some reconstruction has taken place inside its moated walls, now rechristened Kanazawa Castle Park (Kanazawa-jo Kōen). The elegant gate Ishikawa-mon, rebuilt in 1788, provides a dramatic entry from Kenroku-en; holes in its turret were designed for ishi-otoshi, hurling rocks at invaders.
Two additional buildings, the Hishi-yagura (diamond-shaped turret) and Gojikken-Nagaya (armoury) were reconstructed in 2001, offering a glimpse of the castle's unique wood-frame construction.
reviewed
-
F
Takayama-jinya
These sprawling grounds south of the Sanmachi district house the only remaining prefectural office building of the Tokugawa shōgunate. Takayama-jinya was originally built in 1615 as the administrative centre for the Kanamori clan but was later taken over by the bakufu. The main gate was once reserved for high officials. The present main building dates back to 1816 and it was used as the local government office until 1969.
As well as government offices, a rice granary and a garden, there's a torture chamber with explanatory detail. Free guided tours in English are available (reservations advised). Takayama-jinya is a 15-minute walk east of the train station.
reviewed
-
Matsumoto City Museum of Art
This sleek museum has a good collection of Japanese artists, many of whom hail from Matsumoto or depict scenes of the surrounding countryside. Highlights include the striking avant-garde works of Kusama Yayoi (look for the 'Infinity Mirrored Room').
reviewed
-
Myōryū-ji
The temple Myōryū-ji is a five-minute walk from the river. Completed in 1643, it was designed as a hideout in case of attack, and contains hidden stairways, escape routes, secret chambers, concealed tunnels and trick doors. The popular name refers to the temple's connection with ninja (practitioners of the art of stealth). Admission is by tour only - it's in Japanese but visual enough. To reach the temple, take Minami Ō-dōri across the river, take a left at the first major intersection, then the first right.
reviewed
-
G
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
Designed by the acclaimed Tokyo architecture firm SANAA, this ultramodern museum opened in late 2004 and instantly became an 'it' building. A low-slung glass cylinder, 113m in diameter, forms the perimeter, and inside galleries and auditoria are arranged like boxes on a tray. Nongallery portions of the building are open daily from 9am to 10pm.
Oh yes, there's art too: temporary exhibits by leading contemporary artists from Japan and abroad, plus occasional music and dance performances. Check the website for events; admission charges may increase up to ¥1000 during special exhibitions.
reviewed
-
H
Noritake Garden
Take a stroll around Noritake Garden, the tree-planted grounds of the original 1904 factory of one of Japan's best-known porcelain makers. The craft centre offers a peek at the production process and a museum of old Noritake pieces, plus a chance to glaze your own dish (¥1500). The Noritake Gallery has changing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and ceramic works. Signage is in English throughout, and look for an early kiln and some atmospheric old chimneys, the remains of a 1933 tunnel kiln.
Naturally there are shopping opportunities, including the Box outlet store (open 10am to 6pm), with 30% to 40% discounts on discontinued items.
reviewed
-
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry & Technology
Toyota, the world's largest automobile maker, started in another very Japanese industry: weaving. About 10 minutes' walk northwest of Noritake Garden, this excellent museum is on the site of the company's original Nagoya weaving plant (1911). It's filled with displays and demonstrations of metal processing and textile machinery, and hands-on experiences with principles of force, electronics and such, but the rubber meets the road in the 7900-sq-metre automotive pavilion; look out for humanoid robots, too. There's English signage, and an English-language audio guide for ¥200.
reviewed
-
Japan Ukiyo-e Museum
Housing more than 100,000 wood-block prints, paintings, screens and old books, this renowned museum exhibits a minuscule fraction of its collection. There's an explanatory leaflet in English.
The museum is approximately 3km from Matsumoto Station, 15 minutes' walk from Ōniwa Station on the Matsumoto Dentetsu line (¥170, six minutes), or about ¥2000 by taxi.
reviewed
-
I
Hida Kokubun-ji
Takayama's oldest temple, Hida Kokubun-ji was originally built in the 8th century and subsequently ravaged by fire; the oldest of the present buildings dates from the 16th century. The temple's treasure hall houses some Important Cultural Properties, and the courtyard boasts a three-storey pagoda and an impressively gnarled gingko tree, which is in remarkably good shape considering it's believed to be 1200 years old.
reviewed
-
Nagoya Port Area
Redeveloped to attract tourists, the cargo port now boasts several attractions. The hi-tech Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one of Japan's largest and it's generally a hit with kids. The Port Building offers good views of the harbour and Ise Bay from 53m up and also contains a Maritime Museum on the 3rd floor and the Fuji Antarctic Exploration Ship outside. Attractions are signposted in English.
Allow 30 minutes to reach Nagoya Port from Nagoya Station by train.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
International Design Centre Nagoya
Just a short walk from Sakae, the futuristic, swooping Nadya Park skyscraper houses the International Design Centre Nagoya. It's a secular shrine to the deities of conceptualisation, form and function, from art deco to the present, from Electrolux to Isamu Noguchi, and from Arne Jacobsen to the Mini Cooper. Signage is in English.
Also in Nadya Park is the Loft department store (ロフト), which design-shoppers will find equally alluring. Nadya Park is about five minutes' walk from Yaba-chō Station.
reviewed
-
Utsukushi-ga-hara-Kōgen Bijutsukan
Utsukushi-ga-hara-Kōgen Bijutsukan is in the same vein (with the same owner) as the Hakone Open-Air Museum, a large sculpture garden (some 450 pieces) with fine views of the surrounding mountains.
Most Japanese visitors reach the museum by car. Buses (80 minutes) run several times daily in midsummer with spotty-to-nonexistent service the rest of the season; check before you go. Taxis to the museum start at a cool around ¥110 (yes, one way).
reviewed
-
Ōsu Kannon temple
The much-visited Ōsu Kannon temple traces its roots back to 1333. The temple was considered so auspicious that Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered that it be moved here around 1610. Although the current buildings are 20th-century reconstructions, it still retains a traditional atmosphere. It's not uncommon to hear chanting piped in throughout the temple grounds.
Ōsu is equally famous for the vibrant shopping district that draws bargain hunters.
reviewed
-
J
Shunkei lacquerware Exhibition Hall
Shunkei lacquerware was introduced from Kyoto several centuries ago but has become Takayama's signature style and is used to produce boxes, trays and flower vases. This exhibition hall has more than 1000 pieces, including some dating from the 17th century. Unlike many other Japanese lacquer styles, shunkei is designed to show off the wood grain. A display shows production techniques, and the shop has occasional specials.
reviewed
-
K
Shōren-ji temple
This temple was transferred to this site from the Shōkawa Valley when a dam was built there in 1960. There are over a dozen temples (one houses the youth hostel) and shrines you can wander around before taking in the greenery of the park, Shiroyama-kōen. The tourist information office has descriptions of the temples and a simple map, or the Hida Takayama pamphlet has a more detailed map.
reviewed
