HIDA-TAKAYAMA

Why don't you come to Takayama and have a nice time?

Takayama in cool fragrant breeze

Hida ⾶騨 lies at the foot of, and to the west of the Japan Alps amid beautiful trees and

brilliant water.   The principal town of this district is TAKAYAMA ⾼⼭.

Along beautiful rivers, you can get to Takayama, the main city of a mountainous province, by train (Takayama-line) or by car (Rout 41, or Tokai-Hokuriku High Way) from both sides the Pacific Ocean and the Japan Sea.

Takayama is 683 meters above sea level, and has a population of 110000( in 2022).

About the year 1600, Kanamori Nagachika ⾦森⻑近 came to Hida by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊⾂秀吉 (The Imperial Adviser-Taiko) and built the Takayama-castle on Mt.Shiroyama. This is the beginning of Hida-Takayama city. Unfortunately this castle is not existing now. Takayama experienced Kyoto-Culture in the regime of the Kanamori Family for about 100 years, and after that the city became one of the territories under controlled of the TOKUGAWA Shogunate (Tokugawa-Bakufu 徳川幕府).

These territories were called “tenryo 天領”. In those days the capital city of Japan was Edo 江⼾ (Tokyo was called Edo during Edo era.). In this way, culture of Kyoto was mixed with that of Edo. In addition, great skills in the craft of the talented people who were born in this district were added to this mixed culture. We call these people “Hida no Takumi” ⾶騨の匠.

The Yamato Chotei ⼤和朝廷(Imperial Court) ordered them to work as carpenters or sculptors instead of payment of taxes. This work continued for about 600 years. Every year about 130 people with excellent skills in the craft had worked hard this work.

Although they left their families behind in home town, they were delighted to do their work, I think.  They were very proud of their working. Therefore Takayama has kept an original culture.

photos: Kami-sanno-machi 上三之町 

and Floats of Takayama Festival ⾼⼭祭り屋台

Takayama Tourism Association official website (English) This website is written in many other languages.