In our trip through japan we wanted to include at least one day to visit Shirakawa-go and Takayama. Shirakawa is a town located in the Japanese Alps characterized by its wooden houses and thatched roofs. At the same time, its environment is unique and was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Next to the homes, the countrymen have their rice fields and flower gardens.
In addition, the surrounding landscape is made up of forests, snow-capped mountains and a beautiful river. We went in June and there was still snow! Below we tell you how we organized our trip to Shirakawa-go with a gastronomic stop and stay in Takayama.
How to get to Shirakawa-go and Takayama
First of all, we decided to sleep in Takayama the night before, since we were coming from Osaka (about 4 hours by train included in your JR Pass). To this we have to add the journey to Shirakawa-go, which can only be done by bus and takes one hour (not included in the JR pass). At the same time, Given all the visits it receives, it is advisable to reserve the bus in advance at the same station. The round trip price is no more and no less than €76 per person. We also recommend that you reserve the seats or choose the transfers that allow seat reservations. Otherwise, if the bus is full, you will have to wait for the next one.
What to see in Shirakawa-go and Takayama
✔ What to see in Shirakawa-go
Second, you should know that In 3 hours you can perfectly visit Shirakawa-go. Go up to the viewpoint, tour the village, visit at least one of its old houses and even get your feet wet in the river. There are some houses converted into museums, as well as other museums and cafes. We believe that visiting a house is enough to get an idea of its architecture.
The river and its surroundings are also beautiful. There is a paid bus to go up to the viewpoint with views of the entire village, but it is only a 15-minute walk. We assume that its use is recommended when there may be frost or snow. However, if the weather is good and you don't have mobility problems, you can do it on foot without any problems.
✔ What to see in Takayama
As we said, The day before we stayed in Takayama. Hida's meat paradise. That alone was worth coming to Takayama. We recommend the Maruaki restaurant. It is a bit touristy and expensive, but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. We ask for the Hida's sukiyaki that was spectacular.
Plus, it's entertaining because you have a kind of pan in the middle to cook it yourself. We pay about €30 per person, but you can't leave Takayama without trying that dish, order them with udon! Remembering it makes us want to take a plane just for that hehe.
Equally, Takayama is famous for being one of the towns that produces the best sake in Japan. There are various factories converted into shops where you can do a tasting. We got to try up to 11 types of sake and the price of the tasting included the shot glass.
Hotels in Takayama
In Takayama we stayed in the WAT Hotel & Spa Hida Takayama. It was the best hotel of our entire Japan itinerary without a doubt. The completely new rooms, a few meters from the train and bus station and, in addition, had its own onsen included in the room price. Some of them private.
It also has washing machines and dryers and free ice cream! Yes, what you read. Next to the Onsen there is a freezer with fruit lollies. Breakfast was buffet style, but nothing out of this world. And the thing is… there is nothing like a Spanish breakfast!
In Shirakawa-go there are also places to stay, although they are very few. Therefore the price is very high. You can consult here the Shirakawa-go hotels. Or better Guest Houses.
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