Takayama and the Japan I Was Looking For

I was tired of the crowds and the oppressive August humidity. I had heard Japan would be hot in August. I scoffed and thought, “I am from Vegas. I can do hot.”

Yeah, I was dead wrong.

Japan in August was the hottest I have ever been in my entire life. Sweat poured from parts of my body that I wasn’t aware even had sweat glands. Despite going out at sunrise and after sunset, it was impossible not to be completely soaked.

Coupled with the mass of humanity in Tokyo and Kyoto, it made for a challenging experience.

Don’t get me wrong; Tokyo and Kyoto are magnificent. But after days of navigating thousands of tourists, dodging higasas (the umbrellas explicitly designed for sun shelter) and watching people queue for long periods of time to photograph themselves pouring water at Otowa no Taki fountain at Kiyomizu-dera, I was craving something different. Not to relent and give up on the trip, I wanted something authentic. Somewhere that felt like Japan before it was a must-see destination. And for the love of Pete, I wanted to find anywhere with cooler temperatures.

Ok, I did experience the Otowa no Taki fountain at Kiyomizu-dera, but I lucked out with the line.

This desire to find a city or village that was authentic and not tourist-laden had more parameters. It had to be easily reached by train, somewhere picturesque enough to serve as a base camp for day trips, but without the tour buses and souvenir shops selling the same mass-produced items and engraved chopsticks. A town that still felt like itself. I love globe-trotting and discovering culturally authentic communities that are still homogeneous and have resisted the generic globalization that makes a destination look like, well, everywhere else.

Takayama turned out to be precisely what I was searching for.

Sanmachi Suji has three streets that date back to the Edo period, from approximately 1602 to 1864, the time of the Shoguns.

Nestled in the serene foothills of the Japanese Alps, this town of roughly 85,000 residents had somehow managed to stay off most travelers’ radar. The journey there via Shinkansen and regional rail was effortless, and as I stepped off the train, I had that immediate feeling. The more you travel, the more you realize the tangible feelings and vibes that locations have.

The old town is incredibly picturesque and authentic.

The old town, Sanmachi Suji, stopped me in my tracks. Sanmachi Suji has three streets that date back to the Edo period, from approximately 1602 to 1864, the time of the Shoguns. This wasn’t a reconstructed tourist attraction with actors in period costumes. These are actual businesses and homes, passed down through generations, still operating exactly as they had for centuries.

Walking those streets felt like stepping through a portal. The wooden buildings with their dark latticed windows, chōchin lanterns hanging out front, it was everything I’d hoped to find in Japan. The real Japan, not the one curated for visitors.

I was running regularly that summer, and running the Edo streets at sunrise provided a great way to get to know the city. Each morning, my jogs always ended at the bustling Miyagawa Market along the river.

The town actually has two daily markets. The Jinya-mae Market, situated in front of the Takayama Jinya, is smaller, with residents primarily picking up fresh produce for the day. I always say if you want to see the heartbeat of any community, find a market. The Miyagawa Market stole my heart. This bustling market offers a wide range of products, from fresh food and flowers to jewelry and artisanal crafts.

After my run, still sweating and catching my breath, I’d find myself wandering through stalls. Although my Japanese is terrible (honestly ridiculous), the vendors would smile and gesture, and somehow we would communicate. A market can transcend language. It is where you see the pride people take in their craft, the rhythm of daily life, the soul of a place that no guidebook can really capture.

I could have spent hours there every morning. Honestly, I did.

Takayama is known for Hida beef, and it lives up to the hype. This marbled, melt-in-your-mouth delicacy is unique to this region, and after trying it, I understood why the locals take such pride in it. I am not a purveyor of steak, yet even I knew it was incredible.

Sake factories abound in Takayama, and I created my own sake tasting tour by meandering from one distillery to the next. Although after a few stops, I thought, ‘Huh, I don’t care for sake,’ I really enjoyed the makeshift experience.

But it was the handmade soba noodles that surprised me most. Ebisu Soba Restaurant in the old town has been serving customers since 1898. They use a fifth-generation recipe to make the buckwheat noodles fresh daily. Sitting there, slurping these perfect noodles in a restaurant that’s been around longer than the aviation and automotive industries, I realized what an incredible opportunity it was to enjoy them.

Using Takayama as a home base opened up the surrounding area. A fifteen-minute train ride took us to Hida-Furukawa station, where we joined a bike tour with Satoyama Experience. Our guide, Nanami, was exceptional, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about her hometown. She showed us rice fields that seemed to stretch forever, led us through charming alleyways we never would have found on our own, and even made us a reservation at her favorite sushi spot. Those personal touches, the ones that come from a local who loves where they’re from? That’s what transforms a good experience into an unforgettable one.

We also took a day trip to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its Gassho-zukuri houses, which feature distinctive steep, prayer-like roofs. Buses run from Takayama several times daily, and the village is stunning. With buses, though, come throngs of tourists, which is what I was trying to avoid after seeing Tokyo and Kyoto. I wish I could have experienced Shirakawa-go at sunrise or sunset, after the day-trippers have left and the tour buses have rolled away, for a different perspective. Next time, I want to stay overnight.

Takayama reminded me why I love traveling in the first place. I love discovering places that still retain their authenticity. Where you can savor genuine culture, uncover culinary traditions perfected over generations, and experience the kind of hospitality that stems from genuine pride in one’s home.

This town gave me everything I was searching for when I left Tokyo’s crowds behind. Accessibility without the tourist rush. Beauty without the performance. Authenticity without the selfie sticks.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan and want to experience something beyond the usual circuit, consider making Takayama part of your itinerary. It’s a place that reminds you why you started traveling in the first place.

Perhaps it’s best not to tell everyone about it. Some secrets are worth keeping.

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Tips for Takayama

✅ Look for a place that is within walking distance of Sanmachi Suji. I stayed at the Mercure Hida Takayama, adjacent to the rail station.

✅ Hit the Miyagawa Market early, preferably after a morning run when you’re already awake and energized.

✅ Don’t skip Ebisu Soba Restaurant; the fifth-generation recipe in a restaurant from 1898 is not something you find every day.

✅ Book the bike tour with Satoyama Experience in Hida-Furukawa.

✅ If you visit Shirakawa-go, seriously consider staying overnight to experience it without the crowds.

✅ Create your own sake brewery tour. You may not be a sake lover, but you won’t find the local varieties anywhere else.