Takayama City is located in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture (Hida region) and has the largest area of any municipality in Japan.
With the Hida Mountains to the east and the Ryohaku Mountains to the west, the central city is located in the Takayama Basin surrounded by steep mountains. Designated as an International Convention and Tourism City, the city has a traditional townscape, numerous ski resorts and hot springs, and is one of the most popular tourist spots in Japan, attracting many tourists not only from the Chukyo and Kansai regions, but also from the Tokyo metropolitan area and abroad.
At the heart of Takayama City lies the castle town (ruled by the Hida county governor since it became a shogunate territory) and merchant town that have been preserved since the Edo period (1603-1868). This area is dubbed “Hida’s Little Kyoto” because of the landscape that retains strong traces of yesteryear.
The city is also home to many other historic buildings, such as the Takayama Jinya, the only surviving Tokugawa Shogunate county and district governor’s office in Japan, and the Kusakabe Mingeikan, which is listed as “Hida Takayama” in tourist guides and attracts many visitors from not only all over Japan but also overseas every year.
Hida Takayama is also known as a popular tourist destination, having received three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan.
・Highway bus
Approx. 2 hours and 35 min. from Nagoya Meitetsu Bus Center
Approx. 5 hours and 45 min. from Shinjuku Bus Terminal
Approx. 5 hours and 20 min. from Osaka Station
・JR
It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes from JR Nagoya Station to JR Takayama Station by limited express “Hida-go”.
The Nobi Bus operates routes from the Takayama Nobi Bus Center (in front of Takayama Station) to Hirayu Onsen, Shin Hotaka Ropeway, Norikura, Kamikochi, Shirakawa-go, and other destinations. (Transfers to other routes may be required in some areas)..
From Okuhida Onsenkyo, nestled in the thick of the Northern Alps, visitors can take Japan's first double-decker gondola ride to an observation platform over 2,000 meters above sea level, where they can experience the great nature surrounded by stately mountains and scenery conveying the beautiful four seasons of Japan. The 360° panoramic view of Mt. Nishi-Hotaka, Mt. Yarigatake, Mt. Kasagatake, and other peaks of the Northern Alps seen from here has been introduced by the "Michelin Green Guide Japan" with a 2-star rating.