Hida Takayama and Shirakawa-go offer one of the best combinations of historic townscapes, mountain scenery, traditional food, and rural Japan in the Chubu region. Takayama is a compact mountain city in Gifu Prefecture known for its beautifully preserved old town, traditional wooden merchant houses, morning markets, sake breweries, and Hida beef. About 50 minutes away … Read more
Inuyama Castle is one of Japan’s most atmospheric surviving original castles and an easy cultural day trip from Nagoya. Located in Aichi Prefecture beside the Kiso River, the castle sits high on a hill above the old castle town. Its compact wooden keep, steep historic staircases, and open-air upper balcony create a very different experience … Read more
Hida Takayama and Shirakawa-go offer one of the most rewarding countryside escapes in Central Japan. Takayama combines preserved merchant streets, morning markets, traditional food and mountain scenery, while nearby Shirakawa-go is famous for its UNESCO-listed gassho-zukuri farmhouses. The two destinations work particularly well together. Takayama is reached by JR train, while Shirakawa-go is connected by … Read more