Welcome to Takayama

Takayama (officially known as Hida Takayama; 飛騨高山) boasts one of Japan's most atmospheric townscapes and best-loved festivals, and a trip here should be high on the list for anyone travelling in central Honshū.

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The town's present layout dates from the late 17th century and incorporates a wealth of museums, galleries and temples for a place of its compact size. Meiji-era inns, hillside shrines, and a pretty riverside setting beckon. Excellent infrastructure and friendly, welcoming locals seal the deal. Although its recent rise in popularity can sometimes take the sparkle off what was a little-known hamlet just a decade ago, there's still plenty worth visiting for – a stay during the shoulder seasons will afford a little more tranquility.

Takayama is easily explored on foot and is the perfect start or end point for sojourns into the Hida Region and the Northern Japan Alps.

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Top experiences in Takayama

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Takayama activities

$46.98 Food, Wine & Nightlife

Takayama Food and Culture Walking Day Tour

Meet your guide at a centrally located meeting point at 9:30am, then head out to enjoy a variety of local food and sake, learning about the special culinary culture and history in Takayama. Visit local shops, such as a saké brewery, a miso maker, the morning market and the local restaurant to have a short break. Discover the distinctive culture and history of Takayama with your knowledgeable guide while you go through the old town area, designated an area of Important Traditional Buildings by the Japanese Government. Enjoy the relaxing time with the rich atmosphere and soak-up the daily life in Takayama. This guided tour connects travelers and locals through food and culture, and you will find the sights of Japanese countryside through this tour.
$28.19 Food, Wine & Nightlife

Sake Tasting in Takayama

This is a beginner class for those who want to enjoy and understand sake.  In this class, you can learn how sake is made, learn what the difference is between different kinds of sakes and find out how to choose the appropriate sake for you and your taste. This activity is not only sake tasting, but also other lectures about Japanese culture, history and tradition and how it is deeply connected to sake. After you finish this class, you can choose your favorite sake and food pairing with sake. By the end of the class, you will love drinking sake! There are a lot of sake brewery in Hida Takayama area but these sake brewery usually don’t offer English explanation on sake for international taveller. We want them to know how good is sake and there are so many different kinds of sake in Japan. We hope you will enjoy drinking sake in your home country bringing back what you learn sake in Takayama.
$893.49 Cultural & Theme Tours

Takayama, Shirakawago, Kanazawa 3-Day Tour from Kyoto to Tokyo

Your 3-day tour puts the spotlight on Takayama, Shirakawago and Kanazawa, three historical Japanese cities considered by the guidebooks to be must-visit destinations. Each is famous in its own right: Takayama for its impeccably preserved Old Town, Shirakawago for its unique farmhouses and Kanazawa for its cultural heritage and samurai history.With a professional guide, enjoy tours to top attractions in each city, and enjoy leisure time in the evenings. No meals are included, giving you the flexibility to eat what you want and where you please. Your guide will factor in free time each day for meals, and offer recommendations for good places. Your one-way sightseeing adventure starts in Kyoto, from where you'll travel by train, local bus, taxi and coach between destinations before ending the tour in Tokyo. Your train travel is done independently, but tour guides and assistants accompany you to the station, help you during transfers and meet you on the other end.
$42.28 Walking & Biking Tours

Takayama City Bike Tour

Your journey to the old ages starts from learning about the foundation and history of Takayama with a local story and legend. You'll discover how people and samurai used to live in Takayama leisurely pedaling through the old town. Your guide will show you not only the history but also the local places such as nightlife for locals, amazing Japanese Alps/city view over the town, hidden café, where you would never know without a guide. You also stop for tasting local foods and talking with friendly locals in the Miyagawa morning market. After a 3 hour ride, you will discover the new aspects of Takayama.
$70 Food, Wine & Nightlife

Market Tour and Cooking Lesson in Takayama in a Renovated Historical Building

Meet together at the cooking studio, and then you will walk to the Miyagawa morning market to source some fresh vegetables and edible wild plants. Your host will show you how to select fresh, ripe produce and you will get to see some ingredients you may not be familiar with. Midori strongly believes that nothing is more precious and luxurious than using seasonal and fresh vegetables and she is excited to share some of these with you during your market visit and meal preparation.Midori has a beautiful cooking studio set up in a historic building in Takayama that looks like a typical Japanese kitchen. All the tools and utensils used in the kitchen and dining area are part of Midori’s prized collection of antique cooking equipment, many of the pieces of which are over 100 years old. After the market visit you will join Midori in the kitchen to cook a traditional Japanese meal. You will start your experience with a taste test of various miso pastes made in different regions around Japan. You will then go on to make your own miso soup, always a staple in Japanese homes, using some of the miso you tasted. You will also learn to make a variety of other dishes together, which might include shiitake mushrooms stuffed with chicken, prawns and seasoned with a salted rice malt, and maki sushi (sushi roll), using a variety of local and seasonal ingredients. You also might snack on a variety of different vegetables; in the Takayama region it is typical to enjoy steamed vegetables bought fresh from the morning market and served with a little or no dressing, so as to celebrate the vegetables' original flavor and freshness. After cooking you will feast on the delicious food you helped prepare. The dining room is traditional in style, and you can expect to sit on cushions on the floor in a raised dining area. 
$3909.15 Classic

Discover Japan

From the towers and gadgets of Tokyo to the serenity of sacred shrines and the soaring beauty of Mt Fuji, this trip provides the perfect blend of guided excursions and free time to explore this fascinating region at your own pace. Linger in the gardens of Kyoto, shoot through the mountain air on a Shinkansen bullet train, and stay in a traditional ryokan for the ultimate in Japanese luxury.
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