Takayama, Gifu, Japan
Takayama (高山市; -shi) is a city located in Gifu, Japan.
As of August 1, 2006 the city has an estimated population of 96,374. The total area is 2177.67km². Takayama is a sister city with Denver, Colorado.
The city is fairly old, dating back to the Jomon period. Takayama is best known for its background in carpentry. It is believed carpenters from Takayama worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and on many of the temples in Kyoto and Nara. The town and its culture, as they exist today, took shape at the end of the 16th century, when the Kanamori clan built Takayama Castle. About a hundred years later the city came under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. However, the high altitude and separation from other areas of Japan kept the area fairly isolated, allowing Takayama to develop its own culture over about a 300 year period.
Takayama’s old town has been beautifully preserved. You can still see old buildings and streets from the Edo Period when rich merchants ruled the city. It is considered one of the busiest and prosperous city of the old world. On the streets of Sannomachi, you can see many beautiful buildings like coffee houses, old homes and sake breweries; some have been in business for centuries. So it might be a good idea to buy a nice bottle of sake there where its recipes is probably a couple of hundred of years old.
You can also get a rickshaw pulled tour if you want to get a better look and feel of the city. It goes for 6000 Yen for 2 person and the ride is for 30 minutes.
You can get to Takayama via the JR Train or Highway Bus. The old town is just a 10 mins walk away from the station.
Read more about Takayama HERE.
Source: Japan Guide; Wikipedia
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