Japan Beyond Tokyo and Kyoto: Explore The Takayama’s Timeless Streets

Japan Beyond Tokyo and Kyoto: Explore The Takayama’s Timeless Streets (Image: Canva)

And this is the first thing, when coming to the thought of Japan, everyone will think of two cities: Tokyo and Kyoto. However, outside of these two well-known cities, there is Takayama, a mountain city in the Gifu Prefecture that still captures the appeal of Japan as few other places do. Takayama in the Japanese Alps is a place that encompasses tradition, culture and nature and can provide a well-travelled person with a trip to the soul of Japan.

A Town Frozen in Time
Takayama is centred on its beautiful old town, Sanmachi Suji. The narrow streets are lined by wooden merchant houses, most of which are now craft shops and family-owned cafes without losing the historical essence. A stroll in Sanmachi Suji is like returning to the 17th century, when life was more leisurely and traditions were strong. The streets are not only a tourist attraction site but also living quarters in which craftsmen and traders carry on with their generations-old trades and businesses.

El mornado y El coco.
The morning markets are another treasure of Takayama, which is held every day along the Miyagawa River and near Takayama Jinya, which was the old government house. In this case, locals sell fresh produce and flowers of the season alongside handcrafted goods and pickles. It is cosy and warm, and it provides the traveller with the true picture of rural life in Japan.

Traditional Festivals.
Another well-known festival in Takayama is the Takayama Matsuri, which is ranked among the most beautiful festivals in Japan. Every six months, in spring and fall, the festival includes richly decorated floats full of mechanical dolls and traditional music shows. Lit at night, the floats make a spectacular scene in the background of the old town.

The town itself is a cultural treasure, but being situated in the Japanese Alps, it offers a great starting location to tour the countryside. The atmosphere of Takayama is what makes it really special it. Takayama is a place where one can explore at a slower and more intimate pace than Tokyo and its hectic lifestyle or Kyoto and its temple-goers.
Takayama is not merely a mountain town, but all of Japan at its most timeless and heartfelt.