Hida Takayama Best Food and Places to Eat Handpicked by Local Residents

Hida Takayama is located in Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture, surrounded by the mountains.

The city has a population of 88,000 people and attracts 4.6 million tourists a year, and is famous for its old townscape and the Takayama Festival held in the spring and fall.

In this article, a writer from Takayama City, will guide you on a one-day tour of Hida Takayama.

It’s a great way to see the city, but it also includes some of the best restaurants that the locals want you to know about.

We’ll start from JR Takayama station in the morning.

Eat an Gohei Mochi at “Madoka” near Takayama station

As soon as you get off the train at JR Takayama Station, go to “Madoka“, a one-minute walk from the station, to eat a gohei mochi.

There are many shops in Takayama that sell gohei mochi, but most of them are mass-produced for the tourists.

However, for the locals, the most familiar gohei mochi is the aburae(sesame) flavor, and En is one of the few shops that offer it in aburae.

A shy but talkative grandmother bakes each and every one of them with care.

The reasonable price of 180 yen a piece is also a special feature.

It has a unique flavor that is different from regular sesame seeds, but it is easy to eat because it is fragrant and easy to eat, so it is recommended for children.

Aburae is also attracting attention as a health food.

Three Storied Pagoda at Hida Kokubunji Temple

When you’ve filled your stomach, stop by Hida Kokubunji Temple, a 4-minute walk from Madoka.

The ginkgo tree is over 1,200 years old, and you can see the powerful three-storied pagoda closely.

In autumn, the ginkgo trees turn brightly colored, making it one of the most popular power spots in Hida Takayama.

Feel Local at the Hida Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market

Five minutes on foot from Hida Kokubunji Temple, we are at the center of tourism in Hida Takayama.

Let’s enjoy the Hida Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market from 7am to noon.

The Miyagawa Morning Market has been held almost every day since the middle of the Edo period, selling local vegetables and folk crafts at the farmers’ market.

The energetic Hida dialect of the vendors flew about.

A famous person in Hida Takayama, “Everyone’s Tomato Store Manager,” was present at the festival.

It’s a rare opportunity to buy vegetables directly from farmers in a great price!

It’s also nice to see the faces of the producers.

At the Hida Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market, you can see a variety of other products.

Just taking a stroll around the market is fun!

Sake Tasting at Funasaka Sake Brewery

After enjoying the Miyagawa Morning Market, we will arrive at the “Old Town”, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hida Takayama.

Let’s take a stroll along the main street, Kamisannomachi.

In Kami-Sannomachi, the electrical wires have been undergrounded and the streets are still as wide as they were in the past.

Nostalgic for the distant past, let’s sample the sake “Miyama Kiku” at Funasaka Sake Brewery.

Funasaka Sake Brewery was established in 1703, and is the oldest of the long-established sake breweries.

Funasaka Sake Brewery offers free tastings, but for 300 yen, you can enjoy sake in a wooden box!

Plus, you can use the bar space in the converted brewery!

What a luxury……!

Hida’s sake is really good.

You can buy some snacks at the souvenir shop in the store, so you can enjoy Hida sake at a reasonable price.

It’s a great gift for souvenirs and gifts!

Lunch at Musashi in Shiroyama Park

Now, in a tipsy mood, our next destination is Shiroyama Park, a park built on the ruins of Takayama Castle.

We walked slowly up the walkway next to the Shinmei parking lot.

After 10 minutes on foot, we arrived at “Shiroyama Park”!

The spacious park is sure to satisfy even those with children.

By the way, there is a bronze statue of Nagachika Kanamori, the first lord of the Takayama clan, who was revered as a great ruler.

But we didn’t come here just to play in the park.

Let’s have yakitori(grilled chicken) and Ramen  at Musashi, a famous restaurant in Shiroyama Park.

Takayama Ramen is made with curly noodles in soy sauce-based soup.

Many ramen shops have simple ingredients, but Musashi’s adds wild vegetables as a stylish topping.

On this weekday, the restaurant was filled with Hida people who were enjoying a beer and grilled chicken (on a weekday).

Feeling the gentle breeze through the restaurant, we enjoyed our lunch while looking at the city of Takayama.

Is there anything in the world more appetizing than Musashi’s yakitori with sweet sauce?

With reasonable prices for yakitori (500 yen) and Chinese noodles (600 yen), this restaurant is an oasis for the locals that has never wavered.

Learn about History at the Hida Takayama Town Museum

When you are satisfied with your body and mind, go through the alleyways to the old streets again.

This is one of the pleasures of walking through Hida Takayama.

Please don’t want to disturb the local residents.

After descending the mountain safely, the next stop is Kamiichnocho.

Let’s visit the Takayama Museum of History and Art.

Admission is free, and visitors can learn about the history of the Takayama Castle Town and admire the displays of traditional culture and arts and crafts.

Unfortunately, due to the protection of the exhibits, photography was not allowed inside the museum, so you are welcome to stop by on your own.

It will definitely change your perspective on exploring the town.

Japanese parfait at Fukyuan

It’s time for a snack.

There are many stylish cafes in Hida Takayama, but the road from Kamiichnocho goes north through the old streets of the town and through the alleyways of Shimoichnocho.

At the end of an alleyway, there is the hide-out cafe “Fukyuan“.

You can already tell that it’s a famous restaurant by its appearance.

Let’s have their famous “Fukyu Parfait”.

It’s a special parfait with a variety of Japanese sweets including soybean flour soft drink, green tea ice cream, warabi mochi, anko (sweet bean paste), and white egg!

In addition to table seating, the restaurant also has a Japanese-style tatami room.

You can enjoy the slow flow of time here.

It’s a great place to stop by when you’re tired from walking around town.

After eating some Takayama sweets, we headed to our next destination, Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine.

Here’s a point of reference for Hida Takayama sightseeing

If you occasionally look back, you’ll see a new view!

At the tip of the town that stretches out in a straight line is Shiroyama Park, where we stopped for lunch, and I wondered if the “Takayama Castle” could be seen from the town in the Edo period, and I thought back to the distant past.

It is a pleasure to visit the castle town, which is well laid out like a grid.

Visit Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine in Hida Province

We’ve walked quite a distance, but a visit to Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine in Hida Province is a must.

The annual festival, held on October 9 and 10, is called the “Takayama Festival of Autumn” and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors on both days.

The beginning of the year for Takayama residents begins with a visit to Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine.

I love to purify myself in the solemn atmosphere, pay a visit to the shrine and take a deep breath.

Relaxing with a Glass of Hida milk along the Miyagawa River

On the way back from Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine, we take a break along the Miyagawa River, which runs through Hida Takayama.

The bustling Miyagawa morning market is closed in the morning and the sound of the river becomes a relaxing stroll in the afternoon.

This is a great way to experience the beauty of Hida Takayama.

The Miyagawa River is a beautiful river with a clear view of the riverbed.

After descending to the riverbank, let’s relax and enjoy a glass of Hida milk.

The lineup of the milk is a bit of a mystery, but I can assure you that it is delicious.

You can buy Hida milk at all convenience stores and supermarkets in the Hida area.

I recommend this for children.

Eat Chitose’s Yakisoba, the Signature Food of the Hida

This is the end of the day trip to Hida Takayama.

The last stop is Chitose’s yakisoba, which is the signature food of the locals.

It’s no exaggeration to say that all Takayama residents grew up eating Chitose-style yakisoba.

If it’s your first time, be sure to try the meat and egg yakisoba (570 yen).

There’s no need to explain how delicious it is, as you can tell from the pictures alone.

It’s quite a large, but you’ll eat it up.

After filling your stomach, you go home with a happiness.

The tour of Hida Takayama will continue until you return home.

Be sure to take the train or bus at the right time.

A day trip to Hida Takayama is fun, but ……?

The tour of Hida Takayama was well worth it, even for a day trip.

However, I introduced only a one of the Hida Takayama’s sightseeing spots!

MAP