Takayama

Now, it’s time to travel to the heart of the Japanese Alps – Takayama, a city located in Gifu Prefecture. It was a 5 hours bus ride from Shinjuku Expressway bus terminal to Takayama Nohi Bus Centre with several breaks along the way. The bus was so clean and comfortable. We also had a lot of snacks from the convenience store. Since we planned to do side trips to Kamikōchi and Shirakawa-go, we booked our accommodation very close to the bus centre. It was a good choice as the hotel room was so spacious (there was even a washing machine and dryer in the room) and walkable to see Takayama’s beautifully preserved old town. The old town has lots to offer in terms of street food (Hida Beef is a must try!) and sake tasting. You can check out the reel here.

The next day, we took an hour bus ride to Kamikōchi, a mountainous highland valley in the western region of Nagano Prefecture. At this point, I was glad I brought my quilted jacket and gloves (which I prepared for going back to Helsinki) as there was a drop in the temperature. Coming to Japan in October, I thought I will see Autumn colours but it was said that Autumn in Japan this year will be 10 days late than normal. So I was not expecting to see those beautiful trees full of vibrant colours, painting the mountains and forests. However, this day was a lovely autumn day. I was surrounded by foliage of gold, brilliant oranges, reds and yellows with Mount Hotaka in the background. To be honest, it was the most beautiful Autumn I have ever seen! You can check out the reel here.

The next morning, we visited Shirakawa-go which is located in the north-western part of Gifu Prefecture, in the approximate centre of Japan. It’s a village with Gassho-style houses and a World Cultural Heritage site. It is very pretty! It was here where I saw a persimmon tree for the first time with its beautiful fruits adorning the tree. It was also here where I tried the Hida Gyuman Honp bun. So yummy!

By midday, we returned to Takayama and enjoyed the street food again. We spent the rest of the day at Takayama Showa-kan museum which was lots of fun! You can check out the reel for the day here.