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If you are visiting Takayama in 2025, make sure that you include a visit to the unique Hida no Sato Folk Village (Also known as the Hida no Sato Open air Museum).
This traditional praying hands Village has opened up as a Heritage Centre and open-air Museum where you can walk around, take photographs, explore the houses, and learn about the unique culture, history, and Heritage of the region.
If you’re planning to visit the Hida no Sato Folk Village, there are a few things that you need to know before you go. This article is a full and in-depth guide to the Hida no Sato Folk Village. We have included all of the important information such as transportation, prices, things to see and do, and top tips to help you make the most of your visit.
GET INSPIRED – Don’t miss the iconic Shirakawago – Praying Hands Village
GET INFORMED – Learn about praying hands villages – Which praying hands village is best?
GET EQUIPPED – Find out the Best things to do in Takayama
What is Hida no Sato Folk Village?
Hida no Sato Folk Village is an authentic and traditional praying hands village. With around 30 preserved Farmhouses, it is situated on the outskirts of Takayama. Hida no Sato Folk Village is now no longer a residential village (no one lives in this village anymore). It is now preserved and maintained as a Heritage site and open-air Museum.
In the village, you can see and go inside traditional thatched roof praying hands houses (In Japan, this style of construction is called Gassho-zukuri). You can learn about the history of agriculture, trade, and life in the village. You can watch demonstrations, and they also have Hands-On activities and workshops. This Village is a beautiful place to walk around and explore. There is also a small Japanese shrine situated on the hill in this village.
Why should you visit Hida no Sato?
If you are visiting Takayama but you do not have time to travel to Shirakawa-Go Praying hands Village (we recommend a full day to visit this Village), then we highly recommend you take a visit to Hida no Sato Folk Village. It is possible to explore the folk village in a few hours (it only takes around 15 or 20 minutes to travel to Hida no Sato from Takayama).
Hida no Sato Folk Village is one of the best rural village museums in the area. If you’re looking for a more in-depth learning experience, then this is the spot for you. Hida no Sato Folk Village is also very beautiful; this is a great place for photography if you are hoping to get some unique and iconic praying hands Village shots.
How much does it cost to visit Hida no Sato?
It costs 700 yen per person to enter the Hida no Sato Folk Village. It costs 200 Yen for kids from 6-15 years old. Kids under six years old are free of charge. Anyone 16 years or above needs to pay for a full adult ticket. There is no need to reserve tickets or pre-book; you can just buy your ticket at the ticket office when you arrive. Cash and bank cards are accepted.
Once you have purchased your ticket, you can stay for the entire day, and you can explore all of the houses and buildings in the village. There are no additional entry fees for exploring any part of the village. However, if you are interested in trying a hand-do-m activity such as learning local braiding, then you will need to pay an additional fee.
What is the best time to visit Hida no Sato?
The Hida no Sato Folk Village is open daily from 8:30 am – 5 pm. If you want to avoid larger crowds, we recommend arriving at nice and early in the morning around 8:30 am – 9 am.
How long should you spend at the Hida no Sato Folk Village?
We recommend allowing a few hours to explore Hida no Sato Folk Village. If possible, allow a full morning or afternoon for this experience. If you are short of time, it is possible to walk around the entire village in around 20 or 30 minutes and take a few nice photos. However, if you are wanting to learn about and connect with the heritage and culture of this village and explore in more depth, then we recommend allowing a few hours.
What is the best way to get to the Hida no Sato Folk Village?
Step 1 – Travel from Nagoya to Takayama – you can do this journey on the Hida Express Train – it is a very pretty journey. You can also use your JR Pass to cover this journey (Just remember you need to book your JR Pass online in advance – we recommend buying your JR Pass with KLOOK because they offer 7, 14 and 21 day passes and include a FREE guide to help you make the most of your trip)
Step 2 – Travel from Takayama to Hida No Sato
1 Walk from Takayama
The Hida no Sato Folk Village is situated in the southwest of Takayama, just outside of town. Depending on exactly where you are walking from, the walk is likely to take around 30 or 40 minutes from Takayama. The walk is relatively beautiful, and there are pedestrian footpaths most of the way (This is not always a case in Japan). The final kilometer of walking is uphill.
2 Take a bus from Takayama Central bus station
You can also take a bus to Hida no Sato from the Takayama Central bus station (which is situated next to the train station). On average, there are two buses an hour. The buses follow a schedule:
Takayama to Hida no Sato:
9:00 am, 9:45 am, 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 11:00 am, 11:45 am, 12:00 pm, 12:45 pm, 1:00 pm, 1:45 pm, 2:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:45 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:45 pm.
Hida no Sato to Takayama:
9:29 am, 9:54 am, 10:29 am, 10:54 am, 11:29 am, 11:54 am, 12:29 pm, 12:54 pm, 1:29 pm, 1:54 pm, 2:29 pm, 2:54 pm, 3:29 pm, 3:54 pm, 4:29 pm, 4:54 pm.
3 Rent a bicycle and ride
Renting a bicycle is a fun, fast, and convenient way to travel from Takayama to Hida no Sato. Bicycle rental in town generally starts around 200 yen per hour, increasing to around 1,000 yen for a day’s bicycle rental. You can often find bicycle rental at guesthouses and hostels in town. It is likely to take around 10 or 15 minutes to cycle to Hida No Sato.
Some highlights and things to see at Hida no Sato
There are lots of things to see and do in the Hida no Sato Folk Village. This Village has around 30 preserved farmhouses, many of which you can walk inside and explore. Here are some of our top pick highlights from the village:
1 Traditional “Ichii Ittobori” one knife wood carving
If you’re interested in traditional crafts, you can visit the wood knife carving demonstration. You can watch a local specialist carving sculptures from the wood from Ichii trees, a species of local evergreen tree. The craftsman is both skillful and friendly. He explains and demonstrates the skillful craft which has a long and significant history in this region.
2 The silkworm display
Don’t miss the silkworm display in Nishioka’s House. You can see silk displays and learn about silk production and silk trade in the region. You can also see a display of traditional attire from the village.
3 The Goami pond and water wheel
There’s a beautiful pond situated at Hida no Sato. You can feed the fish, walk around the pond, and observe a working water wheel at the rear of the pond. The side of the pond is also a nice spot for a picnic. The pond was built in 1931 to irrigate rice paddies in the area.
4 The Bell House
Don’t miss the Bell house which is situated next to Hozumi’s House. There is a large traditional Japanese Bonsho. This bell produces a deep eerie sound. It’s traditionally used in Japanese Buddhism to call monks to prayer.
5 Hands-On traditional craft activities
If you’re looking for a practical engaging experience, you can try out the Kumi Hida experience class. You can learn traditional Japanese braiding. It costs 2,200 yen for a 20-minute class. You can take a class between 10 am – 3 pm at Tomita’s House.
Is Hida no Sato suitable for families?
Hida no Sato Folk Village is a fantastic family-friendly attraction. There are plenty of things for kids to see and do in the village. As a full-time world schooling family, we are particularly impressed with Hida no Sato Folk Village. Firstly, make sure that you purchase a kids stamp book from the reception desk when you arrive; it only costs 100 yen and it is a great way to help kids engage with the attractions. It is a relatively safe open space for young kids to run around.
Kids can feed the fish in the pond, demonstrations, and hands-on activities which are great for kids. Kids can also have a go at playing with traditional Japanese toys. The toys are made from wood and they are designed to develop children’s coordination, dexterity, and skill. Also, don’t miss the silkworm display in Nishioka’s House. This is a great spot for kids to learn about traditional silk production in Japan.
What facilities are available at Hida no Sato Folk Village?
Hida no Sato has reasonably good facilities, public toilets on-site. As an open-air Museum, there are a lot of displays and signs with information in both Japanese and English language. There are sheltered indoor areas (so you can take cover in the event of bad weather). There are also several nice places to sit down and take in the view. Hida no Sato Folk Village has some vending machines where you can get a selection of drinks.
There are not any cafes, shops, or restaurants on-site so if you are planning to visit the Folk Museum over a mealtime we recommend bringing along some food. There are a few restaurants situated outside the folk museum so there is a little bit of food in the area. We recommend bringing along some nice drinks and food (There are plenty of 7-Eleven and Family Mart convenience stores situated in Takayama). There is a lovely area for a picnic just in front of the lake close to the main entrance. It is absolutely fine to bring food and drink with you. Just remember to bring a bag for your own rubbish because there are not many bins around so you will need to take your rubbish home.
Hida no Sato Folk Village vs Shirakawa-Go praying hands Village
If you are interested in seeing the iconic praying hands houses of Japan, the great news is that you can either see them at Hida no Sato or Shirakawa-Go. Both villages have traditional praying hands houses, and both villages are very picturesque. Each Village has its own unique character, charm, and style and if you do get the chance to visit both villages we would highly recommend this. However, if you are short of time on your itinerary, you may want to pick one of these Villages.
In our opinion, Shirakawa-Go is a more beautiful Village, it is surrounded by stunning mountains. And the layout and style of the village are very scenic. What’s more, Shirakawa-Go also feels more authentic. It is genuinely a residential Village (even though it’s also a popular tourist spot). On the other hand, Hida no Sato Folk Village is the best place to learn about the history, culture, and Heritage of the Hida region. Although it is free to enter Shirakawa-Go Village, you do need to pay to enter house museums (400 yen for an adult) and you also need to consider the cost of transportation. The bus costs 2,600 yen each way. On the other hand, it only costs 700 yen to enter Hida no Sato Folk Village.
LOOKING FOR A TOUR? Don’t miss this epic Shirakawa-Go on KLOOK
