Spending a day up in the Japanese Alps (日本アルプス, Nihon Arupusu) is a good change of pace from the urban buzz of Japan's metropolises of Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō) and Osaka (大阪, Ōsaka), or even the cultural cities of Kyoto (京都, Kyōto) and Kanazawa (金沢). Instead, experience the laidback life in these small quiet towns, consisting of low-lying traditional wooden buildings, and yet brimming with culture and delicious foods.
Discover the charms of the Japanese Alps in a single day
Ultimate Takayama & Shirakawa-go Itinerary
Ultimate One Day Takayama & Shirakawa-go Itinerary
Best Way To Uncover The Hidden Gems of the Japanese Alps
Nature
Culture
Gourmet
Volume
Takayama (高山) and Shirakawa-go (白川郷) are beautiful small towns located deep in the Japanese Alps. Each of them are perfect for a half-day trip, making both of them together a perfect full-day itinerary. Takayama is typically more buzzing in the morning with the Miyagawa Morning Market (飛騨高山宮川朝市, Hida-Takayama Miyagawa Asaichi), making it the great place to start off the day with, followed by a visit to Shirakawa-go in the afternoon.
Itinerary Details
Start off at Takayama Station
Recommended Time:
08:15
高山駅
Takayama Station
CG
25
高山本線
Takayama Main Line
Head over to the morning market
Est.
08:15
13 mins
13 mins
1km
Takayama Station
to
Miyagawa Morning Market
Est.
08:30
45 mins
Miyagawa Morning Market (飛騨高山宮川朝市)
Snack along the street
There are two main morning markets in Takayama, the Miyagawa Morning Market and the Takayama Jinya Morning Market.
Est.
09:15
45 mins
Sanmachi Suji Historical Area (三町筋)
Take in the old town
The Sanmachi Suji Historical Area is sometimes known as "Little Kyoto (京都, Kyōto)" due to its Edo Period (1603-1867, 江戸時代, Edo-jidai) appearance, with pedestrianized streets lined by machiya (町家, Traditional wooden townhouse) shops on both sides.
Est.
10:00
15 mins
Hida Kotte Ushi (こって牛)
Try out some Hida Beef Nigiri Zushi
Takayama (高山) is well-loved not only for its architecture but also its amazing street food. Especially within the Sanmachi Suji Historical Area (三町筋, San-machi-suji), you'll find store after store of delicious food including many Hida Beef (飛騨牛, Hida Gyū) options, the most famous of which is Hida Kotte Ushi. Located right in the centre of the Sanmachi Suji area, you'll often find long snaking queues outside their shop. Hida Kotte Suji serves up one of Takayama's most iconic and unique street foods, the Hida Beef Nigiri Zushi (握り寿司, Hand-pressed Sushi) on a little senbei (煎餅, Rice cracker) plate. The glistening and beautiful deep red of the medium rare Grade A5 (A5級, Ei-go-kyū) Hida Beef, glazed with a shiny layer of shoyu (醤油, Shōyu, Soy Sauce) tare (たれ, Sauce), atop a beautiful pink senbei (煎餅, Rice cracker). This Hida Beef Nigiri Zushi has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing (and Instagrammable) street foods that you can find in Japan and also pays testament to how much attention the Japanese pay to detail and presentation.
Est.
10:15
45 mins
Takayama Jinya (高山陣屋)
Enter Japan's last Edo Period Governor's Office
The Takayama Jinya is the only remaining original Governor / Magistrate's office from the Edo Period (1603-1867, 江戸時代, Edo-jidai). Built in 1692, it served as the local government office through the Edo Period until Modern Japan in 1969 when the government office was relocated.
Walk over to Hidagyu Maruaki
Est.
11:00
9 mins
9 mins
600m
Takayama Jinya
to
Hidagyu Maruaki
Est.
11:15
45 mins
Hidagyu Maruaki (飛騨牛 丸明)
Grill some melt-in-your-mouth Hida Beef
Hidagyu Maruaki is one of the best Hida Beef (飛騨牛, Hida Gyū) yakiniku (焼肉, Japanese barbecue) restaurants in Takayama (高山), and is also one of the most popular in the area. Their shop doubles as both a yakiniku restaurant, and a Hide Beef Butchery, making sure that you can get some of the best farm-to-table quality meats in the area. For those looking for more affordable Hida Beef options, Hidagyu Maruaki serves up a variety of lunch specials as well as yakiniku platters consisting of the cut-ends of Grade A5 (A5級, Ei-go-kyū) Hida Beef, allowing you to get the melt-in-your-mouth quality at affordable prices.
Head to Takayama Station
Est.
12:00
5 mins
5 mins
400m
Hidagyu Maruaki
to
Takayama Station
Head over to Shirakawa-go
Est.
12:05
1h 7m
The fastest and cheapest way to travel between Shirakawa-go and Takayama is by highway bus operated by Nohi Bus. There are no train stations in Shirakawa-go, so it can only be accessed via car or bus.
A bus route traverses Takayama <-> Shirakawa-go <-> Kanazawa, and that route is the most convenient way to get between these three places.
A one-way fare is ¥2,600, while a round-trip fare costs ¥4,600. Most buses require a reservation, which can be done online. Round-trip online reservations have to be made via the Japanese reservation site.
1h 7m
¥2,600
Recommended Time:
12:10
Takayama Station
to
Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal
Take the shuttle bus up to the observatory
Est.
13:25
10 mins
A shuttle bus runs between the observatory and Ogimachi village. The journey takes 10 minutes, costs ¥200 one-way, and runs at 20 minute intervals.
10 mins
Hakusuien
to
Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observation Deck
Est.
13:45
40 mins
Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observation Deck (城山天守閣 展望台)
Get a bird’s eye view of the village
Almost every bird's eye view picture of Ogimachi village is taken from this observatory. Located on the ruins of Ogimachi Castle (城, Shiro), the observation deck (展望台, Tenbōdai) is named after the tenshu (天守, Main Keep) that was located at the same spot.
Est.
14:45
30 mins
Ochiudo (落人)
Take a coffee break by a fireplace
Located within one of the Gassho-zukuri houses, the Ochiudo cafe is one of the most popular spots for locals. The interior mixes decor between a kissaten (喫茶店, Traditional Japanese Cafe) and that of a Gassho-zukuri (合掌造り, Gasshō-zukuri), with the center of the cafe being a large irori (囲炉裏, Sunken hearth), a sunken hearth with a charcoal fire at the centre for boiling things in a pot or kettle.
Est.
15:15
30 mins
Wada House (和田家住宅)
Explore the largest Gassho-zukuri house in the village
One of the Japanese designated cultural properties within the village is Wada House, at over 300 years old, it is the largest remaining Gassho-zukuri (合掌造り, Gasshō-zukuri) house in the village with its surrounding waterways, hedges, and fields all remaining intact.
Est.
15:45
15 mins
Ogimachi Suspension Bridge (荻町の吊橋)
Get some panoramic views from a suspension bridge
The Ogimachi Suspension Bridge connects the village of Ogimachi with the main carpark across the Shō River (庄川, Shō-gawa). The bridge boasts great views of the surrounding Japanese Alps (日本アルプス, Nihon Arupusu), as well as great shots of the river that flows below it.
Est.
16:00
1 hour
Ogimachi (荻町)
Roam freely around the village
Take the bus back to Takayama
Est.
17:00
1h 7m
The fastest and cheapest way to travel between Shirakawa-go and Takayama is by highway bus operated by Nohi Bus. There are no train stations in Shirakawa-go, so it can only be accessed via car or bus.
A bus route traverses Takayama <-> Shirakawa-go <-> Kanazawa, and that route is the most convenient way to get between these three places.
A one-way fare is ¥2,600, while a round-trip fare costs ¥4,600. Most buses require a reservation, which can be done online. Round-trip online reservations have to be made via the Japanese reservation site.
1h 7m
¥2,600
Recommended Time:
17:20
Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal
to
Takayama Station
End off at Takayama Station
Est.
18:15
You can choose to stay the night in Takayama, or take the train to Toyama or Nagoya.
高山駅
Takayama Station
CG
25
高山本線
Takayama Main Line
© 2023 Ki Creative. All Rights Reserved.
Due to changing circumstances, readers are advised to do their own additional research. All information on this site is purely for reference only.
Privacy