A Journey Through Takayama in Central Japan: Strolling Through a Historic Edo-Era Town

(Continued from the previous post about Okuhida Hirayu Onsen ♨️) I took a direct bus 🚍 from Hirayu Onsen to Takayama Station early in the morning. The journey took about an hour. My original plan was to go from Takayama to Shirakawa-go 🏠, a World Heritage Site, to see the gassho-style houses. However, the round trip would have taken about 4.5 hours, and with the sightseeing time added, it would have been too rushed, so I decided to skip it.😣 But at the same time, I unexpectedly encountered this historic Edo-era town—[Takayama TAKAYAMA]. Everything truly happens for a reason.🙂 As soon as I got off at the station, I saw many tourists from Europe and the United States. I was quite surprised that a small town in central Japan would attract so many Westerners. They sure know how to find hidden gems! 🧐About Takayama Located in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, Takayama was once a prosperous castle town and the administrative center of the Hida region. It is famous for its well-preserved Edo-era streets and rich cultural heritage. Traditional Hida wood carvings and Hida beef 🐃 are also quite famous. 🐒Attractions 🏯Sanmachi Suji District The best-preserved Edo-era district in Takayama. The streets are lined with old wooden buildings, now a pedestrian zone, with many lovely craft shops and wagashi (Japanese sweets) shops. 🛖Takayama Jinya The government building of the Hida region during the Edo period, a well-preserved historical building (admission fee required🎫). 🎍Hie Shrine As soon as I entered the gate of Hie Shrine, the scene looked very familiar. I looked it up online and it turned out to be the shrine from Makoto Shinkai's animated film *Your Name.*!! I hadn't planned to visit, but I stumbled upon this sacred place, which was a pleasant surprise. PS: Hie Shrine is dedicated to the local mountain god and is said to be effective for career luck. I also got a "Takayama Matsuri Yatai" goshuincho (red seal book). Their 🦊fox omamori (good luck charms) are also quite cute. 🌰Food 🐃Hida Beef Pink in color and with a unique springy texture, it is perfect for sukiyaki. 🍂Hoba Miso Miso paste grilled on a magnolia leaf. The rich aroma of the soybean paste is delicious, and it's especially good when eaten with fried pork cutlet. 🥯Temari Mochi at Mitsuha There is a century-old sweet shop on the old street called "Mitsuha MITSUHA." Their signature dish is Temariyaki, a waffle filled with mochi (rice cake), matcha soup, fruit, etc., sandwiched together to resemble a traditional temari (handball) craft. It's super cute! 🍡Mitarashi Dango A famous Takayama snack, these are glutinous rice dumplings brushed with soy sauce. They have a chewy texture and a rich soy sauce flavor, and a skewer is only 100 yen! 🫓Hida Beef Manju It's said to be filled with cheese and Hida beef, and the bun is even stamped with a 🐃logo. It looks very tempting!😍 🐇Miffy Pastry Shop I'm not a fan of the Miffy IP, but as soon as I stepped inside, my inner child went wild!! It's a kawaii paradise. Whether it's wagashi or merchandise, everything is incredibly cute. I felt like my wallet wouldn't survive if I stayed too long.🙃