Takayama – Gateway to the Northern Japan Alps

Next stop, Takayama. We took a shinkansen (a Japanese bullet train) from Yokohama to Nagoya, then switched to an ‘express’ train from Nagoya to Takayama. An express train is slower than, and runs on different tracks than, the shinkansen, and usually has a few stops between major destinations.

Takayama is considered the gateway to the northern Japan Alps. We could see them but quite in the distance. Nagano, home to the 1998 Winter Olympics, is 2-3 hours away. The highest peak we could see in the distance stands at about 10,000 feet tall, with the more immediate peaks around this small city at about 4-6,000 feet.

The Japan Alps seen in the distance from Takayama.

Takayama was founded by the Kanamori feudal lord about 400 years ago, but for 1200 years has been an area known for its lumber and carpenters. In its earliest days (8^th century), the tax imposed on the area was to send 6-8 carpenters per village (about 50 families) to Nara, the capital, to build shrines and other buildings. In the Edo period (1603-1868), Takayama flourished as a merchant town. With only a population of 100,000, Takayama receives 4 million visitors each year. We imagine that most of the visitors focus on the “old merchant town”.

Takayama's merchant district — Takayama’s merchant district.

The merchants were responsible for creating Takayama’s unique culture, including its famous and cherished Spring and Autumn Festivals. The festivals were a chance to show with pride the high quality of work of the local artisans. The spring festival, Sannō Matsuri, parades a dozen yatai (floats), decorated with flamboyant carvings, metalwork, lacquerwork, colorful curtains, dolls and more. Some floats feature karakuri ningyō (marionettes) that perform amazing feats at the hands of 8 puppeteers manipulating 36 strings. The festival dates back to the 1650s and many of the floats date to that time also. They are stored in warehouses equipped with double-decker doors around the city and rotated through the Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall.

One gilded float represents a portable shrine.

This mannequin didn't look very Japanese to us! — This mannequin didn’t look very Japanese to us!

One of the four floats currently on display in the Exhibition Hall.

The Sanmachi-suji district of three main streets of merchants has been well-preserved. Ittobori (wood carving), Shunkei (lacquerwork), Yakimono (ceramics) and (lots of) sake are hawked here as they have been for centuries.

The 'sake' ball is green in November when sake brewing begins and brown in spring when the sake is ready — The ‘sake’ ball is green in November when sake brewing begins and brown in spring when the sake is ready.

Morning market outside the merchant district..pickled everything!

We visited the Takayama-jinya, a branch administrative office of the Edo government from 1692-1868. It is the only existing building of its kind in Japan. As we are reading Shogun while traveling in Japan, this tour brought alive for us the rich culture and history that is so unique to Japan, especially from its Shogun era. We felt like we were stepping into Shogun’s pages.

The warrior government wielded supreme power over Japan during the Edo era (1603 – 1868). 15 generations of the Tokugawa Shogun ruled from Edo (today’s Tokyo). The Edo Bakufu (government) directly ruled about 60 domains in various important areas of Japan and indirectly ruled an additional domains through feudal lords (called Daimyo). The Takayama area was one of the 4 mains areas ruled directly by the government and the Jinya was the ‘courthouse’, administering tax collections, finance, civil and criminal justice actions, forest management and more.

Different rooms and entrances depending on what 'level' of government you were — Different rooms and entrances depending on what ‘level’ of government you were.

...and separate toilets too.. don't want to poo where the riffraff doo! — …and separate toilets too.. don’t want to poo where the riffraff doo!

Those who were carried were obviously small.

Japanese gardens out the window of the head officer's room — Japanese gardens out the window of the head officer’s room.

Torture instruments for extracting confessions.

Rice storage 'barrels' - 60 kilos each and you'd better not cheat the shogun — Rice storage ‘barrels’ – 60 kilos each and you’d better not cheat the shogun.

April can be cold in the mountains! Original rice storage warehouse from the 1600s.. one of the largest of its time in Japan.

We toured a wealthy merchant’s house from the period.

Firepits warmed the house and heated water and food.

Family heirloom shrines were often on wheels so they could be quickly removed in the case of fire.

Looking stylish, I know, but I had to add every layer I had brought on the tour, plus buy a scarf and gloves...brrr! — Looking stylish, I know, but I had to add every layer I had brought on the tour, plus buy a scarf and gloves…brrr!

Our last stop in the Takayama area was the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shirakawa-gō (gō means village). The village is home to 110 Gasshō-zukuri style buildings. Gasshō means prayer and the shape of the roofs was thought to resemble hands clasped together in prayer. This little village of 600 people sees 2 million visitors annually.

Shirakawa-gō, home to 110 gasshō buildings. We recommend you go in June or January when the village is beautifully green or white.

The homes, many preserved for 200 years, gave us a glimpse of rural life in previous centuries. Winters here are unforgiving. Early inhabitants braved the elements long before the advent of propane heaters, electricity and 4WD vehicles. The gasshō-zukuri architecture is one visible symbol of the mountain dwellers’ adaptability to the harsh conditions. Sharply angled roofs prevent snow accumulation.

The gasshō houses have been beautifully preserved. The grass roofs are replaced about every 30 years at a cost of about $50,000. The government subsidizes about 90% of this in the interest of preservation.

They may be preserved, but they still have their satellite tv — They may be preserved, but they still have their satellite TV.

Pillars crafted from stout cedars lent extra support and earthquake protection. The pillars are lashed together; no nails or hardware. — Pillars crafted from stout cedars lent extra support and earthquake protection.

Larger gasshō homes were inhabited by wealthy families, with up to 30 people under one roof, whereas peasant families lived in huts so small that today they would only be considered fit for tool sheds. Fire was the greatest enemy of the all-wooden-and-thatch buildings and was omnipresent as the houses were (and sometime still are) heated by a fire pit in the center of the first floor. The Kanda home we visited has housed 7 generations of this family. It was built over a period of 10 years around 1800.

This home has been in the Kanda family for 7 generations. The curtain behind us was the bridal curtain for the 4th generation - great grandma — This home has been in the Kanda family for 7 generations. The curtain behind us was the bridal curtain for the 4th generation – great grandma.

Attic areas were ideal for silk cultivation. — Attic areas were ideal for silk cultivation, except for the smoke that wafted up through the slatted floors!

While the attic was used for making silk from the silkworms, underneath the floor, more money was being made. Soil, grasses, human urine, and silkworm excrement were mixed and allowed to ferment for about five years to produce the necessary ‘fuming nitric acid’ that could be used in gunpowder. Supplying gunpowder to the samurai was big business.

We just couldn’t handle one more traditional Japanese feast for dinner on our last night in Takayama. We were lucky to find Le Midi, a French restaurant we highly recommend.