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If you plan to visit Takayama on your trip, you might wonder what to do there. There’s actually quite a lot, and you can easily spend 2-3 days exploring the town and some nearby fun spots. These are the 10 things you shouldn’t miss when you do.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
1. Explore Takayama Old Town
This ‘Little Kyoto’-style area is why most people come to Takayama, and it’s worth the trip.
It’s not a big area, but it’s a beautiful one, and ideally, you’re going to want to explore it twice – once when the shops and cafes that fill the wooden buildings are open and once either early in the morning, or, just before sunset, when there are only a handful of other people around so you can appreciate how pretty this area is without crowds of other people in the way.
Having time to do this is one reason I think staying overnight in Takayama is better than just coming in for the day. If you’re wondering exactly how long to stay, check out our guide to how long to time to spend in Takayama.
If you’re more deciding where to stay, rather than for how long we also have a guide for that too. Take a look at the best areas to stay in Takayama.
When the area is open, you can stock up on Takayama souvenirs here. Some of the more unique shops not to miss include Takayama Usagiya, which sells rabbit-themed souvenirs; Senbeidou, which sells homemade rice crackers; and Tienda Kotoriya, which sells kimono and yukata.
Also, consider picking yourself up a Sarubobo doll, the unofficial mascot of Takayama – or, at least, trying him in ice cream form! See more about the dolls, including how to visit a Sarubobo shrine and where to make one yourself, in our longer post on Sarubobo dolls.
If you do want to shop, the shops open around 9 am and close between 5-6 pm. Some more local shops may close earlier and also take the odd day off in the week. If there’s somewhere you’d particularly like to visit check opening hours in advance.
2. The Retro Museums
The Showa Era was a period in Japan between 1926 and 1989, and despite the fact that this might not all seem like ancient history to some of us (cough), in Takayama, there are two museums dedicated to the look and feel of the time.
You’ll find streetscapes covered in old movie posters and advertising hoardings, and inside the ‘shops’ and other ‘buildings’, all manner of gadgets and gizmos. If you’re traveling with someone who loves retro gadgets, they’ll love it here—Mr Japlanease was at home on this trip, but I texted him pictures of things he’d love every second shop.
Of the two, the Showa Kan Museum is closest to the main tourist area, but if you like video games, the Hida Takayama Retro Museum, a bit further south, has more working games.
The Museum is open seven days a week from 9 to 5 p.m
3. Matsuri Float Museum
Officially known as the Takayama Matsuri Kaikan Museum, this houses four of the 12 immense floats that travel the parade route of the twice-yearly Takayama Matsuri.
The size and detail of these are incredible. With working puppets on the top and intricate carvings through the floats, it’s fantastic to see them in close-up detail.
When you go in, you’ll be given an audio guide that helps explain how the themes of the floats are devised and point out specific details you might miss otherwise. It’s fascinating—and if you’re not going to be in Takayama during the Matsuri, which takes place in April and October, it’s fantastic to be able to see these giant floats close up.
The Museum is open seven days a week from 9 to 5 p.m. from March to November and 8 to 4.30 p.m. from December to February.
4. The Nikko Carvings
Your ticket to the Matsuri Museum includes entry to a second museum, the Sakurayama Nikkokan. I had no idea what this was. I’d not seen it on maps, and it hadn’t come up in my research, but I decided to wander in any way. I quickly realised I’d found my favourite thing in Takayama.
The museum holds carved models of the 28 buildings of the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko. Thirty-three carvers and engineers created this replica, which took over 15 years to complete and contains over 500,000 separate parts.
I must admit, I can’t find any official reason why this is in Takyama rather than Nikko other than the owner wanted it to be so.
There is a potential link as one of the artisans was the carver, Hasegawa Kijuro, who hailed from nearby Toyama. In his day, Kijuro was known as the Hidari Jingoro of his time. Jingoro the famous artist and sculptor believed to have carved the actual Toshogu Shrine at Nikko (although there’s a whole story going on there that we don’t have room for).
Whether that’s relevant or not, the owner of these 1/10th-scale models decided they should be permanently displayed here, and for that, I am very grateful.
The level of detail on them is amazing. I spent 45 minutes here and could easily have spent more. Don’t miss it.
It’s open seven days a week from 9 to 4.30 p.m.
While visiting the Matsuri Museum and Sakurayama Nikkokan, add a little more time to fully explore the area around the Sakurayama Hachimango shrine where they are housed.
You’re also close to one of Takayama’s morning markets here. Many blogs rave about this, but I found it rather disappointing. Apparently, to see it at it’s best you must arrive before 10 am – see our One Day Guide to Takayama if you want a schedule to stick to.
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5. Try Samples at Funasaka Sake Brewery
This sake brewery has been located in the old town of Takayama for over 200 years, and they have a fun way to let you sample their wares.
You can buy a sake cup and tokens (100 yen each) and insert them into the sake machines to get a mini cupful to try. The more expensive the sake, the smaller the pour dispensed for your sake coin!
The area isn’t big, and there aren’t any seats in this part of the brewery, so don’t expect a detailed tasting, but it’s a nice way to try some of the local sake.
If you want to do your homework so you know which ones are the best to taste, check out this detailed guide to the company’s different sake. If you find one you like you can buy bottles from the attached store. It’s open from 8.30 to 6 pm.
If you’d prefer to try the sake in a more refined setting, the brewery also has an attached sake bar, a pretty outdoor terrace and a restaurant that specialises in the famous Hida beef (find the menu here).
Talking of Hida Beef…
6. Try Hida Beef
Every place in Japan has a few things you need to eat when you’re there, and in Takayama, it’s Hida Beef.
When you think of excellent beef in Japan, you probably think of Kobe. However, there are many areas in Japan where the cows are treated like royalty to produce exceptionally high-quality, marbled beef that cooks to perfection—and the Hida region (where Takayama sits) is one of them.
Hida beef is heavily marbled with thin fibres, but one thing that makes it different from other types is that it’s not just the steaks with these attributes. This makes Hida beef more versatile than other types of Wagyu. You’ll find stalls around Takayama selling skewers of beef or croquettes made from it. It comes in ramen and stews, and you’ll even find it raw on top of sushi.
If you’d prefer to try the beef in a restaurant, Savor Japan has a list of their picks of the best places in Takayama to try it.
Or why not book a cooking class and learn how to cook Hida beef, and some other local Takayama dishes yourself. Take a look at this one from byfood. They can also offer bookings for restaurants in Takayama.
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. Choose from our 62-page Japan Super Planner, which includes tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing. Or, try a specific planner like Tokyo Tips, Kyoto Tips, or the Rail Pass Planner. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.
7. Hido No Sato Museum
If you’re not going to Shirakawa go, this is an excellent opportunity to see one of the famous pointy-roofed Gassho houses from this region up close.
The museum has several traditional Japanese buildings set around a large lake. It also offers craft-making classes, including making Sarubobo dolls, and allows visitors to play with old Japanese children’s games.
The cheapest way to get here is by using the Sarubabo bus, which leaves from the bus station. Make sure you check the time of the return buses carefully, as they run about every 30 minutes.
The Museum is open 8.30am to 5pm seven days a week.
If you have more time down here or have just missed the bus and want to spend it somewhere fun, the Teddy Bear Museum is charming. It’s small, you’ll only need 30 minutes to wander round it, but it’s got some very fun displays. It’s open from 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.
8. Take the Higashiyama Shrine Walk
If you’re in Takayama for more than a day, you could try and cover all of this walk around the edges of town officially called the Higashiyama Walking Course. This takes in 12 shrines/temples – you can also extend it to add a loop around the castle’s ruins.
Find a guide to the different temples and shrines you’ll see in our full guide to the Higashiyama Walking Course.
The temple part of the course takes about two hours to cover if you see all of it.
We explain how to fit it in in our two-day guide to Takayama.
9. Visit Hida Furakawa
Another reason to stay in Takayama for longer than a day is to take a side trip to this small town, a 15-minute train ride north of Takayama.
It’s an unspoilt town with local shops, two sake breweries and numerous shrines, but the unique thing that brings people to Hida Furukawa are the giant koi carp that swim in the canals that line the street. It’s an unbelievable sight to see, especially if you know how much these fish sell for in the West.
You need a few hours to see Hida Furukawa, taking time to wander into shops and stop for lunch – or a slice of the famous cheesecake. Add a little longer if you also want to tour the sake brewery.
See more about how to spend your time in our longer guide to Hida Furukawa.
10. Day Trip to Shirakawa-Go
This village, which is full of Gassho houses, is an easy bus ride from Takayama. You can either go for the day from Takayama, or if you’re traveling between Takayama and Kanazawa, it’s a great idea to visit Shirakawa go on the way, as it’s halfway between them.
To visit the village properly will take 3-4 hours. I made a few mistakes when I visited which meant I didn’t have the fantastic day I was expecting – so make sure you read our Shirakawa-go guide if you do want to head here for a visit.
So, there you have our guide to the top 10 things to do in Takayama. If you’re coming in to Takayama from Toyama, don’t forget to read our guides on what to do in Toyama. Or, it’s also common to come in to Takayama from Nagoya. If that’s the route you’re taking have a look at our Nagoya guides – I did not have enough time in that city, it’s very underrated.