Yes, Takayama is worth visiting, especially if you want a change from the busy cities in Japan. After Osaka and Kyoto, I was ready for the mountains, more walking and a quieter place. Takayama in the Japanese Alps was a perfect stop for that. You still get plenty of Japanese culture, but also hiking, local food, sake and an onsen after a long day outside. With two full days, you can see a lot of the best things to do in Takayama. The center is easy to explore on foot, but some of my favorite walks took me into the hills around the city. Bring good shoes, because I made a lot more steps here than expected!
How to get to Takayama from Kyoto
Traveling from Kyoto to Takayama is quite easy. Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Kyoto Station to Nagoya and change there to the JR Limited Express Hida towards Takayama. From Hotel Resol Kyoto I took a taxi to Kyoto Station for around USD 13. I was much too early, of course, so there was still enough time to walk around the station and get breakfast and a cappuccino at Starbucks. Taking the Shinkansen was a little bucket list thing for me. Ok, it is still a train, but this is Japan! The Tokaido Shinkansen started running in 1964 as the world’s first high speed railway and today reaches speeds of up to 285 km/h. Traveling with it was very easy. Signs clearly show your platform, car and seat number, everybody waits neatly in line and the train stops exactly where expected. The ride between Kyoto and Nagoya takes only around 35 minutes.
Buy your Shinkansen ticket before your travel day. I already had the QR code on my phone and only needed to scan it at the gates. Much easier with a suitcase and you already know which train you need.
At Nagoya you change to the JR Limited Express Hida towards Takayama. Several Hida trains leave throughout the day and the trip takes around 2.5 to 3 hours. Give yourself at least 30 minutes at Nagoya Station, especially when you have never been there before. The station is big and you don’t want to run around looking for your platform with your suitcase. The Hida train ride was beautiful. Mountains, rivers, bridges, tunnels and little towns passed the windows all the way to Takayama. The train was spacious too, with enough room for my suitcase and bag.
Left or right side of the Hida train? I slightly preferred the right side, but both are beautiful. When there were empty seats, I changed sides a couple of times to see the view on the other side too.
From Takayama Station you can easily walk to Hotel and Spa Gift Takayama, drop of your luggage and go exploring Takayama!
Things to do in Takayama
1. Explore Takayama Old Town
Start in Takayama Old Town around the Sanmachi area. Here you find the wooden houses, narrow streets, little water channels, shops, coffee places and sake breweries Takayama is known for. First coffee. At Yoin Coffee Beans I found a good cappuccino before walking further through the old streets. You don’t really need a plan here.
Walk through Sanmachi and continue towards Shimoninomachi and Ojinmachi Preservation District. Follow the river, turn into some of the smaller streets and just see where you end up. The next morning I passed Yoshijima Traditional House again. I already took a photo the evening before, but now there was a blue sky instead of almost darkness. So yes, another photo!
2. Try Hida beef in Takayama
Takayama is famous for Hida beef. I am not a big meat eater, but when you are in the Hida region you should at least try it once. Hida beef is the local wagyu from this part of Japan. The cattle are raised in Gifu Prefecture and the meat has to meet certain quality rules before it can be sold as Hida beef.
I tried the Hida beef as sushi and picked one of the less fatty pieces. Much more my thing. The meat was really soft and one small portion was enough for me. You will see Hida beef all over Takayama. Try it as sushi or on a skewer if you don’t want to order a complete steak dinner.
3. Walk the temples and shrines of Takayama
One of my favorite things to do in Hida Takayama was walking through the temple area east of Old Town. The Higashiyama Walking Course is around 3.5 to 4 kilometers and takes you past many temples before continuing towards Shiroyama Park.
Ask your hotel for a map of the Takayama walking routes. I took one with me and found it much easier than checking my phone all the time.
On my first afternoon I walked along the water towards Soo-in Temple and continued uphill towards Sakurayama Hachimangu. I was just in time to get another goshuin in my book. From there I walked further around the hill. It was getting darker by then, so I started walking a little faster. Then I saw a sign warning about bears. I must admit, that made me walk even faster!
Back in the center I stopped at Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple. Unfortunately the temple office was already closed, so no goshuin. I came back the next morning instead. That morning I continued along temples such as Daioji, Kyushoji, Tenshoji, Sogenji and Soyuji. Some have beautiful gardens and at Soyuji I loved the wooden details.
Also look at the trees while you walk. I kept noticing how beautifully they are shaped in Japan. Some are trimmed into round or layered forms and you can see how much work goes into keeping them like that. Between the temples you walk past little rivers, local houses, cemeteries and quiet paths under the trees. Then another temple appears. And another one. There are really a lot of temples here!
Bring water and a snack. The route is not extremely long, but add the hills, temples, goshuin stops and photos and you will be walking for quite a while.
4. Relax in a Takayama onsen
After all that walking, I was very happy that my hotel had its own onsen. I stayed at Hotel and Spa Gift Takayama for around USD 110 per night, including a big breakfast. My room was not large, but it was practical, super clean and had everything I needed. On the top floor you find a large onsen with indoor and outdoor baths and views over Takayama and the mountains.
I will explain Japanese onsen etiquette in a separate blog. The short version: wash before you enter, don’t wear swimwear, put your hair up and don’t put your small towel in the water. After walking all day, I changed into the hotel house clothes and went upstairs to the onsen. I did this every evening. Loved it!
Hotel tip: I booked Gift Takayama via Booking.com. You can also compare the same dates through Expedia.
5. Visit the Takayama Morning Market
Go to the Hida Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market in the morning. The market is next to the river and has stalls with vegetables, fruit, pickles, snacks, crafts and other local products.
I walked along the river, looked around and got a matcha drink before continuing with my walk. The market normally stays open until around noon, so you don’t have to get up extremely early. Perfect start of the day after breakfast and before hiking through Takayama.
6. Hike Shiroyama Park to Takayama Castle Ruins
If you like walking, continue towards Shiroyama Park and the Takayama Castle Ruins. You are still close to Takayama, but once you walk into the forest it feels very different from Old Town. You cannot walk straight up the hill from every side. Parts are surrounded by walls and steep slopes, so use the marked paths. My hotel map was useful here again.
I walked through the forest towards the Takayama Castle Ruins. The paths were good, but there is definitely some climbing involved. By the time I got higher up the hill I was tired, but the view over Takayama was worth the climb. In Shiroyama Park you also pass the bronze statue of Kanamori Nagachika. From there I continued towards Hida Gokoku Shrine, got another goshuin and walked back towards town. It was around 2:00 PM by then. Cappuccino time! Sway Coffee Roasters was a very good stop after all those steps.
Do the Shiroyama walk during daylight. Forest, hills and signs warning about bears are a little less relaxing when it starts getting dark.
7. Taste local sake in Takayama
Takayama is known for sake and you will pass several breweries while walking around Old Town. I first stopped at Hirase Sake Brewery and looked at the sake barrels outside. Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice, water, yeast and koji. It is often called rice wine, although the way it is made is actually closer to brewing beer. The taste can be dry, slightly sweet, light or quite strong, so tasting a few different ones is the best way to find out what you like.
The man inside was very friendly, but tasting strong alcohol on an empty stomach didn’t sound like a good plan to me. Eat something first. One easy snack to try is mitarashi dango, grilled rice dumplings on a stick. The Takayama version is grilled with soy sauce and is not as sweet as versions you may find elsewhere in Japan. Mine still tasted a little sweet and I liked it.
After that I went sake tasting at Hirata Sake Brewery. You buy coins, get a small glass and can choose which sake you want to taste. Easy and fun if, like me, you don’t know beforehand which one you will like. It tasted better than expected too. I am not really a strong alcohol person, but this was good!
I bought a small bottle for my father as a souvenir. Of course I had to taste a couple first to make sure I bought him the right one!
8. Discover Takayama Festival culture
This is the only activity in this list that I did not do myself. If you have more time in Takayama, it could be a good extra stop. Takayama is famous for its spring and autumn festivals. The spring festival takes place on April 14 and 15 and the autumn festival on October 9 and 10. The decorated yatai floats are an important part of both festivals. Outside the festival dates you can visit Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan next to Sakurayama Hachimangu. Four of the autumn festival floats are displayed here.
Where to eat and drink in Takayama
At Toranoya Okonomiyaki I had okonomiyaki prepared on the hot plate in front of me. This is a very tiny restaurant but the food was just tasty, perfect after a long afternoon of walking.
My favorite was Mikoto Sushi, around the corner from my hotel. It is run by a super sweet family and the sushi was delicious, including a little soup on the side. I loved it so much that I went twice during my three nights in Takayama. That probably says enough!
For coffee, Yoin Coffee Beans and Sway Coffee Roasters were my favorites. Cappuccino remains important, also in the Japanese Alps.
How many days in Takayama?
Two full days is good for Takayama itself. You have enough time for Old Town, the morning market, the temples, Shiroyama Park, Hida beef, sake and of course the onsen. I stayed three nights because I also wanted to visit Shirakawa-go. For me that was a good amount of time before continuing towards Mount Fuji. You don’t need a car in Takayama. I did almost everything in this blog on foot. If you want to make a longer road trip through the Japanese Alps, you can compare rental cars through Discover Cars. For buses and trains to your next stop, check 12Go.
Frequently asked questions about things to do in Takayama
Is Takayama worth visiting?
For me, yes. Takayama was a nice change after Osaka and Kyoto. You still get Japanese culture and good food, but you also have the mountains, hiking routes and a quieter center.
What are the best things to do in Takayama?
Walk through Takayama Old Town, visit some of the temples and shrines, hike through Shiroyama Park and go to the morning market. Try Hida beef and local sake too, and an onsen is perfect after all the walking.
How many days do you need in Takayama?
Plan two full days for Takayama. Stay three nights if you also want to visit Shirakawa-go from here.
What food is Takayama famous for?
Hida beef is probably the most famous. Also try mitarashi dango, local sake and Takayama ramen while you are here.
Let Me Inspire You Takeaways
Takayama fitted perfectly into my Japan route after Osaka and Kyoto. Instead of shops and busy streets, I spent most of my time walking between temples, through the forest and around the old town. Stay two full days for Takayama itself and add time for Shirakawa-go if that is also on your route. And book a hotel with an onsen if you can. Your legs will be thankful after all those steps!
Next: Shirakawa-go! This UNESCO World Heritage village was one of the main reasons I stayed in Takayama. Read my Shirakawa-go travel guide and continue through the Japanese Alps before heading towards Mount Fuji.
