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If you’re looking for a free self-guided walking tour of Takayama, look no further. In this article, we’re going to share the best route around the town so that you can see and experience all of the main attractions and also see some unique hidden gems that other people miss.
As a family, we loved living in Takayama, and we explored the town extensively. We have used our own experience and research to pull this walking tour together. We have included a route map to help you find your way around the town.
It is possible to do this walking tour in a single day, or you could split it across a couple of days. The main walking tour is a 4.5 km loop of the town, including all of the top attractions. We have suggested starting with the morning market (because this is best early in the morning). This walking tour also has an additional section where you can visit the Hida no Sato Folk Village. This is a small hamlet that has been converted to a museum where you can see the traditional praying hands houses and learn about traditional life and agriculture in the region. If you have a couple of days in Takayama, we recommend seeing the Folk Village on a different day.
VISITING FROM NAGOYA? Don’t miss this awesome Takayama and Shirakawa-go Day Trip – it is actually fantastic value for money & includes all of the best bits of Takayama and the Praying Hands Village
STAYING IN TAKAYAMA? Check out the traditional, authentic & cozy Hostel Murasaki Ryokan – it is a great location and it has a lovely sociable vibe
Takayama Walking Tour in Brief
- Circular route: Takayama town 4.5 km
- Duration: 3 – 4 hours (not including Hida No Sato)
- Starting point: Kaji Bridge, Miyagawa Morning Markets (follow a clockwise route)
- Additional extension: 4.5 km to Hida No Sato (return trip) or use a bus from the station
Looking for more inspo? Don’t miss our full and in-depth guide for Things to do in Takayama (we include some activities and attractions that are not included in this free walking tour)
Is it better to book a tour online or do THIS self-guided tour?
Before you read on, we recommend you take a moment to think about whether you would prefer a guided tour with a local expert or whether you want to do this self-guided tour. There are some advantages to booking a guided tour. Firstly, you can explore with a local expert who can show you the best bits and give you some cultural context and history. Taking a guided tour is a great opportunity to get to know people. You can also relax; no need to worry about navigation or getting lost. Let your guide show you around the town and enjoy the experience.
Takayama City, Rickshaw Ride, & Funasaka Sake Brewery Half Day Tour on KLOOK
On the other hand, taking a self-guided tour allows you to explore at your own pace and stop when you see things that interest you. This self-guided walking tour is also free of charge, so you can save money on your trip. Consider stopping at a nice restaurant or enjoying some amazing food along the way because you’re saving money on a tour.
1 Miyagawa Morning Market
This beautiful self-guided walking tour starts at Kaji Bridge. Walk north of the river and enjoy the Miyagawa Morning Market. This market runs from 8 AM – 12 PM daily. You can experience a wide range of local street food treats and snacks.
Here are a few of our top picks: don’t miss Tamaten (made from egg white and sugar). It is super unique and very tasty. You can even enjoy a coffee in a cookie cup (yep, you read that right—drink your coffee and then eat your cookie cup). There are also a couple of stalls selling Japanese waffles and pancakes. Alternatively, keep your eye out for fresh croissants.
There are also several gift shops with dried fruits, pickles, and Japanese gifts. If you are traveling with kids, you can also buy fish food and feed the fish in the river. When you reach the end of the market, which is at Yayoi Bridge, turn right and follow the road for a few minutes. Watch out for a left turn leading to Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine.
2 Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine
Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine is a beautiful wooden shrine. If you have visited Japanese temples, you may mistakenly think they are all the same. This temple is very unique. It is crafted from local wood and surrounded by evergreen trees. You can explore the temple and shrines and even walk up to a beautiful viewpoint (around 400 meters up the steps). It is worth noting that this temple is a short detour from the circular route, and it will add around 30 minutes to your total walking tour. If you are not interested in visiting this temple, you could just continue straight along the road (there are more temples to visit on this route).
3 Higashiyama Walking Course
Keep walking east for around 5 minutes until you reach the Higashiyama Walking Course (this is a short detour around some pretty temples and should take around 20 – 30 minutes – unless of course you are like us and can’t stop taking pretty Japanese photos in this area!) There are 4 temples in this area (Unryu Temple, Kyusho Temple, and Higashiyama Temple and Daiou Temple). You can walk between the temples and enjoy beautiful views over Takayama town.
Complete your exploration at Daiou Temple, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens. This is a great place for some photography. After this, you can return to the main road. Walk west along National Route 158 back towards the river. If you are getting hungry, there are several restaurants along this route. Just before you reach the river, you will see the Takayama Traditional Heritage Street on your left.
4 Takayama Traditional Heritage Street
The Takayama Traditional Heritage Street is one of those must-see attractions in Takayama. The street’s name is Kamisannomachi Street. Along this street, you can see traditional wooden Japanese buildings. Many of the buildings are used as shops and cafes. Watch out for the Japanese water puppet (on the left along this street). We also recommend a stop at Ohnoya Homemade Miso, where you can try traditional homemade miso. If you are impressed, you can also buy some miso paste to take away.
It is important to recognize that the Takayama Traditional Heritage Street is a very popular attraction and tends to be very busy throughout the day. If you’re hoping to get some beautiful empty shots of this street, you will need to arrive quite early (ideally around 7:00 AM or earlier). After exploring the Heritage Street, keep walking south for around 5 minutes to get to the Nakabashi Red Bridge.
5 Nakabashi Red Bridge
This is one of the most beautiful and iconic spots in Takayama (and a top Insta spot). Many people travel to Takayama to get their classic Japan shots at this bridge. Take a little time to enjoy the scenery and get some photographs. Also, if you are visiting during blossom season (which is slightly later in the mountains), there is a nice cherry blossom tree on the southeast of the bridge. You can get nice photos including the blossom tree and the bridge from this spot. Once you have finished photography, cross the bridge and walk to the Takayama Jinya (which is situated just on the other side of the bridge).
6 Takayama Jinya
We now recommend that you take some time to explore the Takayama Jinya. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the culture and heritage of Takayama and explore a traditional building (which is not actually a temple or religious building). Takayama Jinya is a traditional government building. This is a great place to learn about the samurai culture and history of the region. Takayama Jinya has been developed over the years. Here are a few significant dates to help give you some context and background:
- 1600s, this building was used as the largest (and oldest) storehouse in Japan.
- 1832: Front gate built.
- 1816: Main buildings constructed.
The staff at Takayama Jinya are very friendly and love to help you learn about the history of the building. Entry costs 440 yen for adults. High school students and younger are free of charge. Takayama Jinya is open daily from 8:45 AM to 5 PM (April to October) and 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM (November to March). It is closed from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January. After exploring, walk for around 5 minutes to reach the Utopia Inari-yu Onsen.
7 Inari-yu Onsen – (Tattoo Friendly Japanese Public onsen)
If you want a classic Japanese experience, we highly recommend that you visit an onsen. This is a public Japanese hot bath where you bathe naked (unisex baths), so if you are uncomfortable with the idea of getting your kit off around strangers, you may want to skip this activity. The Utopia Inari-yu Onsen is a tattoo-friendly onsen (which is actually pretty unique in Japan). It is also surprisingly affordable, costing only 460 yen for adults, 180 yen for kids from 6-12, and for kids under six, entry only costs 100 yen.
All the onsens are indoors, and three baths are available. This onsen is open from 2:30 PM until 10 PM and is closed on Tuesdays. You can buy shampoo or body soap at the front desk or bring some along. Towel rental costs 100 yen for a big towel and 50 yen for a small one. You can also visit the Ipponsugi Hakusan Shrine, which is right next to the onsen.
8 Hida no Sato Open Air Museum
At this point, you have an option: you can either continue with the loop walk or you can walk west to reach the Hida no Sato Open Air Museum. It is important to be aware that this adds an additional 4.5 km to the route, and it is likely to take a few hours. If you are staying in Takayama for a few days, you may want to leave this attraction for a different day. Alternatively, if you’re tired of walking, you can also take a bus to Hida no Sato from Takayama Central Train Station.
Hida no Sato is an open-air museum (also referred to as the “Hida Folk Village”). One entry ticket includes access to the whole site and it only costs 700 yen. Allow an hour or two to explore the village. Learn about traditional agriculture, crafts, and domestic life in a traditional village. You can explore a collection of traditional wooden houses with the iconic praying hand roofs. They also have craft demonstrations and hands-on activities. There is lots of information (including English).
9 Try Fresh Homemade Ramen
If you continue the loop walk, we recommend stopping at Le Midi Ramen Restaurant. This is one of the most affordable and authentic ramen restaurants in Takayama. Prices range between 700 yen to 7,800 yen for a delicious bowl of fresh homemade ramen. This restaurant has a lovely local feel, giving you that authentic Japanese “hole in the wall” experience. After filling up on a tasty bowl of ramen, keep walking north until you reach the Ninja Cafe.
10 Ninja Cafe
If you’re looking for a fun, quirky, and unique Japanese experience, we highly recommend that you stop by the Ninja Cafe. They offer a range of food, drinks, and experiences. You can either buy food and drinks a la carte or you can get packages that include food and drinks with a ninja experience.
For example, it costs 2,750 yen for a costume and drink. Alternatively, you can pay 4,950 yen for training, drink, and costume. If you just want something to eat or drink, prices range between 600 – 1,600 yen.
11 Hida Kokubunji Temple
And last but definitely not least, pay a visit to Hida Kokubunji Temple. This is a beautiful temple with a prominent three-tiered pagoda which dates to the Muromachi period. It is an ancient 1,200-year-old temple. You can also see a large and very impressive ginkgo tree.
Don’t Miss This…
And Finally, if you’re staying in Takayama don’t miss the superlative Shirakawa-go Praying Hands Village (around 1 hour from Takayama by bus). This is a very beautiful traditional praying hands village in the mountains – with open house museums. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site – which means it is both AMAZING but also very popular – so make sure you read our in-depth Shirakawa-go article and plan your visit carefully! If you love exploring independently – We even have a free self-guided walking tour for Shirakawa-go.
