2 Day Takayama Itinerary: Exploring the Kyoto of the Japanese Alps

I loved my time in Takayama so much, it ended up being the perfect last stop on a whirlwind 2-week Japan itinerary.

In Takayama, I could unwind, soak in an onsen, relish in the surrounding nature, and explore the historic region at a bit of a slower pace.

It’s not on many tourists’ radar when visiting Japan for the first time (and actually less than 4% of tourists opt to visit the Gifu prefecture at all).

But it is definitely worth adding to your first-timer Japan itinerary!

Why?

Takayama has all the traditional Japanese architecture and ambience that you’d expect from Kyoto but with none of the crowds. It’s actually called the “little Kyoto” of the Japanese alps!

And it’s a great contrast to busy, modern Tokyo, allowing you to see a smaller Japanese town, surrounded by mountains and trees, and just brimming with Edo period charm.

Have I convinced you yet? Well, let’s get right into it!

girl standing in the middle of a street surrounded by Edo-period Japanese architecture in old town Takayama — Hida-Takayama Sanmachi Historic District

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How Long to Spend in Takayama

You should spend at least 2 days in Takayama — if not more!

I spent exactly 2 days there and wished I’d had more time to stroll and wander. But even with just those 2 days, I did a lot.

My experience and what went well: I soaked in a private onsen at a ryokan, explored historic and traditional villages, and even tried Japanese archery!

What I regret: One thing I regret about my visit to Takayama is not spending that much time in the historic district.

I wandered around the Sanmachi Historic District for maybe 1-2 hours, which is not enough time to try out all the cafes.

In my defense, I stayed far too long at the ryokan, soaking in the onsen, which is not a bad way to pass the time.

Perhaps I should have spent another day in Takayama as it is a place you need to stroll through, not rush past.

So learn from my mistakes and savor your precious time while in Takayama. It goes by way too fast.

Overview of 2 Day Takayama Itinerary

Where to Stay: Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, a traditional ryokan with private onsens right in Takayama! I stayed here and LOVED it. See why.

Day 1: Miyagawa Morning Market, Sanmachi Historic District, Hida Folk Village, traditional Japanese archery

Day 2: Day trip to Shirakawago

Day 1: Old Town, Hida Folk Village, Archery

Explore the Historic District + Stroll the Morning Market

The Sanmachi Historic District is full of Edo period architecture and traditional Japanese charm.

Take a walking tour to learn more about the history of the area. Or simply wander around, like I did, in complete awe.

I’d also suggest doing a sake tasting at Funasaka Sake Brewery as Takayama is particularly known for its sake production.

Miyagawa River and Morning Market.

I especially recommend walking along the Miyagawa River and across the bridges. It’s enchanting.

This is where the Miyagawa Morning Market is held. So come early to see what’s selling.

Traditional cafes.

There are so many cafes in the historic district. I ended up going to Cha-No-Me Cafe.

Though, I regret getting my matcha tea to go. The to-go cups were cute, but not as picturesque as the traditional teacups they serve to those sitting inside.

So if you have the time, definitely sit in and enjoy your tea the right way!

A bridge over the Miyagawa River with a mountain of autumn-colored trees beyond it — Miyagawa River, Takayama

A hand holds a red patterned coffee cup with the words Comfortable elegant time, inside a cozy café with wooden floors and wicker furniture. — Cha-No-Me Cafe, Takayama

A red bridge crosses a gentle river with autumn trees and buildings in the background under a partly cloudy sky. — Ikada Bridge, Takayama

Try Japanese Archery

While strolling around Takayama, I stumbled upon a place to try Japanese archery! I never would have imagined getting to do something like this here but was so glad to have done so.

A lesson is included for beginners, and you’ll get 10 arrows to shoot at the target. I didn’t do very well at all (didn’t even get on the board), but I had SO much fun.

No need for advance reservations, just walk on in. I definitely recommend it!

Locations:

Hankyujo Takayama: 19 Aioimachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0014, Japan
Hankyu Dojo: 11 Asahimachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0017, Japan

girl in a black jacket wearing a tan backpack in front of the entry way of an archery place — Hankyujo Takayama

arrows stuck in hay at an archery place — Hankyujo Takayama

Head to Hida Folk Village

Hida Folk Village is a must-visit in Takayama, and a great alternative to crowded Shirakawago.

Here you won’t find many people, but you will find incredible historic houses you can tour.

Get a feel for what life was like in the mountain villages of Japan hundreds of years ago, and explore a beautiful open-air museum out in nature.

The village is picturesquely situated on a hillside in Takayama, surrounding a large pond. And it’s all a quick 10-minute bus ride from Takayama’s city center.

The best part? No crowds!

When I visited, there were only a few other people here, making it feel like we had the village all to ourselves.

A person with long hair and a backpack walks along a path toward a traditional wooden house, surrounded by autumn trees and hills under a clear blue sky. — Hida Folk Village

a traditional japanese house with a rice field in front of it and blue sky above it — Hida Folk Village

girl standing near fence in front of a pond with traditional japanese houses on the other side of the pond — Hida Folk Village

girl standing between two trees with traditional japanese houses behind her — Hida Folk Village in early December

Day 2: Shirakawago

While in Takayama, you must take a day trip to Shirakawago!

I took a day trip to Shirakawago Japan while staying in Takayama, and it was one of my favorite days in Japan.

The scenery is stunning, and there is so much to do, you’ll definitely fill up a whole day.

I’m sure you’ll be absolutely blown away by the beauty of Shirakawago, just like I was.

I visited both Hida Folk Village in Takayama and Shirakawago, and I am glad that I went to both!

If you’re wondering if it’s worth visiting both, it IS, but I have a full breakdown to help you decide.

A person walks toward traditional thatched-roof houses in a rural village, surrounded by rice fields, trees, and distant forested mountains under a cloudy sky. — Shirakawago

Traditional Japanese village with thatched-roof houses, autumn trees with red leaves in the foreground, mountains in the background, and a cloudy sky overhead. — Shirakawago

A calm pond reflects leafless trees and thatched-roof huts, with patches of snow on the ground and mountains visible in the background under an overcast sky. — Shirakawago

girl walking on stones through a pond in a garden — Shirakawago

Where to Stay: Stay in a Ryokan

I stayed at Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, an onsen ryokan that I recommend whole-heartedly.

Before settling on Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, I researched for days to figure out where to stay in Takayama.

Why did I choose this particular ryokan?

It had everything I was looking to experience:

Traditional Japanese architecture
A private hot-spring onsen with views of nature
Unmatched Japanese hospitality
All within the city center of Takayama

That’s right, you don’t need to drive an hour up into the mountains to experience all this.

Let me share with you my full review and breakdown of the best Takayama ryokan (Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama) as well as my research on similar nearby ryokans to help you book your ryokan experience.

Best Ryokan in Takayama Japan: Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama (Review + Comparison)

a japanese garden in front of the ryokan that has a bonsai tree and stone lantern — Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama

girl sitting on the edge of a wooden onsen bath in a small garden — Private guest room onsen, Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama

How to Get to Takayama from Tokyo

How far is Takayama from Tokyo? The drive from Tokyo to Takayama is about 200 miles (5 hours), but the way the train travels is about 300 miles (4 hours). So interesting that the train is faster despite taking a longer route!

The train route requires one stop and transfer at Nagoya Station. So you’ll need to purchase two tickets.

Step 1: Take the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya (1.5 hours).

I’m assuming most people will be coming from Tokyo, so if that’s the case, your first step will be taking the bullet train to Nagoya Station.

Some tips for booking a Shinkansen ticket:

Reserve your tickets online in advance: Get your bullet train tickets up to 30 days in advance by booking on SmartEx. Why? It’s so much easier than having to wait in the super long lines at the train stations.
Register and designate an IC card: After booking your Shinkansen tickets on SmartEx, you can designate each ticket to a specific IC card (SUICA/ICOCA) number. Doing this will allow you to board the Shinkansen by simply tapping your IC card (or virtual IC card in Apple Wallet). No need to print or pick up tickets. So easy!
- If you have an iPhone, I recommend adding your IC card in Apple Wallet.
- To get your IC number, you’ll have to also download the SUICA app (only a partial number is displayed in Apple Wallet). You will only need this app to get the full number.
- You can add more than one IC card in SmartEx if you’re booking several tickets for several people (but multiple people can’t be on the same one IC card).
Book a reserved seat: It costs a little more to book a reserved seat, but I recommend it, especially if you’re bringing luggage. Having an assigned seat takes away all the anxiety over where you’ll sit and if you’ll find seats together with your travel buddies.
Get an oversized luggage seat: If you’re bringing a lot of luggage, definitely book an oversized luggage seat (otherwise you’ll have to lift your suitcase to the overhead rack). The oversized-luggage seats are assigned a luggage area for your use only. Unfortunately, other passengers sometimes place their luggage in this area despite the signs that say the luggage area is reserved. If this happens to you, you can move the luggage or ask an attendant to move it for you.

Step 2: Take the JR Hida Limited Express train from Nagoya to Takayama (2.5 hours).

The next step is to take the JR Hida Limited Express train from Nagoya Station to Takayama Station.

This part of the train journey requires a much different booking process than the Shinkansen, and it really stressed and confused me. I hope to make your time easier, so here are some tips:

Give yourself extra time. I recommend leaving some time (at least an hour) in between train journeys so that you can walk around, stretch, and be sure to make the transfer to the next train. Japan is known for being on time, but anything can happen. Extra time will be helpful.
Buy tickets online or at the station. You can purchase tickets for the JR Hida Limited Express online on the JR West website or at the station. If you’re booking online, under “Specify Train” select “HIDA/SHINANO(Osaka/Nagoya ~ Takayama/Matsumoto/Nagano).”
Retrieve tickets at the station. Either way, you will still need to retrieve your tickets from the ticket machine at the station (yes, even if you book online). This was extremely inconvenient and confusing, so be prepared by doing as much research ahead of time as possible.
Figure out which ticket machine to use. At Nagoya station, you’ll have to look for a ticket machine with a blue square that says “5489.” There was only one that was working when I visited, and it had a long line.
Purchase both tickets needed for the one journey. You must get TWO tickets for each person when riding the train from Nagoya to Takayama — a limited express ticket and basic fare ticket.
Print out instructions on retrieving tickets to have on hand. Here are the instructions for retrieving tickets reserved online. And here are the instructions for purchasing tickets directly at the station.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Still confused? In case you are still confused, be ready to type some questions into Google Translate to ask an employee.
Additional option: Pay with IC card and cash. If all else fails, you can do what I did on another Limited Express train journey. I tapped into the station with an IC card (which covers the basic fare ticket), sat in an unreserved car, and paid the attendant on the train the extra fare (for the limited express ticket) with cash when he came around checking tickets. A train station worker told us this was okay to do since the ticket machine confused us too much.

What to Pack for Your Trip to Japan

Comfortable and convenient footwear

You’ll likely walk a lot while visiting Japan, so a good pair of walking shoes is a must. However, one additional recommendation is make sure your sneakers are slip-in.

Why wear slip-in sneakers?

Many traditional places in Japan, including ryokans, require guests to remove shoes before entering. Shoes with a lot of laces are hard to get off. But slip-ins? A breeze.

Slip-in sneakers — I wore this pair of slip-in sneakers from Skechers my entire trip to Japan, and it was so convenient! I didn’t even have to sit down to take off my shoes, like everyone else did. My shoes just slipped right off. I also felt comfortable in these shoes despite walking 20,000 steps every single day.
Ankle socks — Be sure to wear ankle-covering socks with your shoes so you don’t get blisters with all that walking. I wore these Hanes ankle socks every day of my trip to Japan and didn’t get a single blister.

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.