Takayama and Shirakawa One Day
eight hours tour
Eight hours tour
Takayama and Shirakawa
Start & Finish: 8: 45 - 11 am /2: 30 - 5 pm
Lunch break: 12: 30 - 2: 30 pm
in a local restaurant in Shirakawa
Where: Takayama center and Shirakawa go
When: All year with exceptions*
How: On foot and by bus with Luca
Important : All businesses start closing from 5 pm. Tuesday is the closing day for many businesses in Takayama.
*For holidays including for example Christmas, New Year etc. increased rates are foreseen.
Takayama JR Station
Meeting point
This is where the two hour tour starts and finish
The bus
Adjacent to the JR station
The only way to reach Shirakawago. It takes about an hour and a half. (Time may vary depending on the road and weather conditions)
The possibility to use of the JR pass is the sole responsibility of the customer
Takayama
Old Town
From the station the tour include:
The morning markets, sanmachi suji, Nakabashi bridge, Takayama Jinya from the outside, Yamazakura Jinja, Kokubunji on the way back to the station to take the bus
Shirakawago
Bus terminal & resting area
Upon arrival at the bus terminal, lunch will be served at one of the many typical restaurants in Shirakawago. After the break we will walk through the village visiting some of the ancient houses open to the public. What was the village of Shirakawago and what does it represent today?
Lunch break
Traditional cuisine restaurant
Usually in Shirakawago you can taste zero-kilometer foods*
*Pictures shown are for illustration purpose only.
Wada house
The most important house in the village
Wada is the family name that represent the village for generations both from a historical and commercial point of view
Kanda house
Architecture
What is a Gasshō architecture? Where does it come from? Why does it have this shape?
In this house I will answer the secrets of this ingenious domus of the rising sun
Hachiman Shrine
The function of the sacred in the village
The origins of this temple have a long history, predating the Nara period. More than eight hundred years of history in this valley has been written, history between sake and gunpowder
The three houses
A photographic spot
Towards the end of the tour we will visit the outside of the famous three houses which have become a bit of the symbol of this wonderful village
Snacks in Shirakawa
taste during the walk
We will taste local snacks or have a simple coffee. In Shirakawago almost nothing is missing!
Important
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
The village is open to the public, a true open-air museum. Nonetheless, there are also homes and private properties. Please be careful using good manners and common sense for adults and children. Often inaccessible areas are not explicitly marked. Please be careful where you walk and do not litter as well. Waste in Japan is your responsibility, that is why you are not going to find any waste bins around. Collaborate with the guide in maintaining public nuisance and respect for the village in general.