Takayama & Kanazawa

These small villages are an ideal place to feel like you’ve stepped back in time.  The main attraction near Takayama is Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato). An open-air museum with preserved homes across different dynasties. Similarly, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are World Heritage villages that can be visited on a day trip from Kanazawa.

Most Recent Visit

April 2025

How to Get Here

Train is the ideal way to visit these locations but if you have rented a car that is an option as well. Keep in mind that you are heading into the mountains. When we visited in April there was still a LOT of snow in Shirakawa-go.

Trip Length

We spent 2 nights in each Kanazawa and 1 night in Takayama. 1-2 days in each of these locations gives you a good taste of their unique offerings as well as allow you to take day trips out to some of these historical sites.

Where to Stay

There are a range of lodging options around the country. For a budget experience, try a capsule hotel where you have a small ‘cube’ to sleep in and shared common areas. For a classic cultural experience, stay at a ryokan. Ryokans are traditional inns that offer a unique cultural experience, featuring tatami rooms, kaiseki meals, and typically hot spring baths. Ryokans were slightly more expensive during the time we visited but we plan to try one on our next visit. And of course, hotels ranging from budget to luxury are available. Staying true to our mid-range budget style, we chose ‘chain’ hotels that were located near the train stations (3–10-minute walks). While the rooms and beds were on the small side, we spent so little time in the rooms it wasn’t a problem for us. If you’re the type of traveler that likes to spend some time in the room decompressing or relaxing, you may want to look at more luxurious options. We paid anywhere from $59-$144/night USD (in 2025) and stayed at various Hotel Mystays, Sotetsu Fresa Inns, and APA Hotels (all booked through our Expedia travel agent site).

In Takayama, we stayed at Chisun Grand Takayama, a 5-minute walk to the train station. In Kanazawa, we stayed at Hotel Mystays Kanazawa Castle, also a 5-minute walk to the train station.