Top choice in Central Honshū
Yarimikan is a wonderfully traditional onsen ryokan (hot-spring inn) on the Kamata-gawa, with two indoor baths, eight riverside rotemburo (outdoor baths; some available for private use) and 15 rooms. Guests can bathe 24 hours a day (it's stunning by moonlight) and day visitors (¥600 including towel rental) are accepted between 10am and 2pm. Cuisine features local Hida beef and grilled freshwater fish.
It's just off Rte 475, a few kilometres before the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway.
22.7 MILES
Must-see Matsumoto-jō is Japan's oldest wooden castle and one of four castles designated National Treasures – the others are Hikone, Himeji and Inuyama…
18.66 MILES
This popular art museum showcases the work of Chihiro Iwasaki (1918–74), who became world-renowned while specialising in children's-book illustrations…
19.01 MILES
This merchant and moneychanger's house, dating from the 1890s, showcases the striking craftsmanship of traditional Takayama carpenters. Inside is a…
18.87 MILES
On display here are over 300 shishi (lion) masks, instruments and drums related to festival dances. The main draw is the twice-hourly puppet show where…
19.88 MILES
Fancy some wasabi wine or ice cream? This farm, a 15-minute bike ride from JR Hotaka Station, is a must for wasabi-lovers. An English map guides you among…
19 MILES
This nostalgia bonanza from the Shōwa period (1926–89) focuses on 1955 to 1965, a time of great optimism between Japan's postwar malaise and the 1980s…
20.83 MILES
Housing more than 100,000 woodblock prints, paintings, screens and old books, this renowned museum exhibits but a fraction of its collection. The museum…
22.75 MILES
Nawate-dōri, a few blocks south from the castle, is a popular street for a stroll. Vendors along this riverside walk sell antiques, souvenirs, and…
5.17 MILES
Admission to Hirayu Onsen's only attraction, a quaint museum of folk memorabilia, includes entrance to a rather lovely and lesser-known little rotemburo …
18.48 MILES
Ten minutes' walk north from JR Hotaka Station, Rokuzan Bijutsukan showcases the work of Meiji-era sculptor Rokuzan Ogiwara (1879–1910; aka the 'Rodin of…
18.66 MILES
This popular art museum showcases the work of Chihiro Iwasaki (1918–74), who became world-renowned while specialising in children's-book illustrations…
18.83 MILES
The stately Shintō Sakurayama Hachiman-gū presides over Takayama Matsuri and is dedicated to the protection of Takayama. You can find a moment for quiet…
5. Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall
18.84 MILES
A rotating selection of four of the 23 multitiered yatai (floats) used in Takayama Matsuri can be appreciated here. These spectacular creations, some…
18.87 MILES
On display here are over 300 shishi (lion) masks, instruments and drums related to festival dances. The main draw is the twice-hourly puppet show where…
7. Takayama Museum of History & Art
18.97 MILES
Not to be confused with the Hida Takayama Museum of Art, this free museum is situated around pretty gardens and features 14 themed exhibition rooms…
18.99 MILES
Various trails lead through Shiroyama-kōen and up the mountainside to the ruins of the castle, Takayama-jō. As you descend, you can take a look at the…