TOP5 Rankings in Hida Takayama, Gifu
Hida Takayama in Gifu Prefecture is an easily accessible and wonderful year-round tourist destination, although it takes about 2.5 hours from Nagoya Station, 3 hours from Osaka, and 4.5 hours from Tokyo. The townscape and historical buildings retain the atmosphere of an old castle town, the dynamic and beautiful nature attracts mountain climbers, the hot springs offer excellent hot spring water quality, and there is a wide variety of local cuisine, such as Hida beef, rice cake with miso called goheimochi, local sake, etc. Even for me, a Tokyo resident, it is a place overflowing with charm that makes me want to go all the way from Tokyo to visit.
Where to stay in Hida Takayama, Gifu
Hida Takayama is mainly divided into the following areas: Gero Onsen, the Takayama station area, Hirayu Onsen, and Fukuji Onsen, etc. Gero Onsen is about 1.5 hours from Nagoya Station by express train. Gero Onsen Town is small and cozy, with free footbaths here and there, and ryokans scattered throughout the onsen town where visitors can enjoy a hot spring hopping tour. The entire onsen town has a nostalgic atmosphere, making it an ideal place for a stroll. In particular, Shogetsu and Suihoen in Gero Onsen are luxury ryokans worth staying at.
The area around Takayama Station, about an hour by train from Gero Onsen, is an exciting place to walk around, with its old Hida Takayama townscape, historical museums, unique restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and traditional craft stores, etc. Also, wonderful luxury ryokans Hidatei Hanaougi, Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, and Wanosato are located near Takayama Station.
If you want to enjoy hot springs with a view of beautiful and breathtaking nature, you may want to stay at Hirayu Onsen or Fukuji Onsen. There are several nice, upscale ryokans that are well worth the trip. Mozumo, located in Hirayu Onsen, was a wonderful ryokan. Also, I would recommend Hidaji, Katsuragi no Sato, and Yamazatonoiori Soene in Fukuji Onsen, which are located in the countryside, but have a sophisticated ambience. They are also great places for those who enjoy mountain climbing, hiking, and skiing. The above onsen resorts are about a 70-minute bus ride from Takayama Station.
When to the best to visit Hida Takayama, Gifu
Hida Takayama is a spectacular place to visit any time of the year, but you can make your stay even more unforgettable if you visit during an event.
During the spring season, the cherry blossoms in Hida Takayama are breathtakingly beautiful. At night, the entire town takes on a magical atmosphere as the surrounding area is lit up with lights. The Cherry Blossom Festival is held annually from late April to early May. If you are staying during the cherry blossom season, you may want to stay in the Takayama Station area.
As the cherry blossom season ends and the early summer season begins, the weather is beautifully green and refreshing everywhere. I often travel during this season. During the cherry blossom season, it is crowded everywhere, but from the second week of May to the beginning of July, it is not so crowded.
From late July to late October is the mountain climbing season, so Hirayu Onsen and Fukuji Onsen were more crowded than expected. Because of the high altitude, mornings and evenings were very cool. On the contrary, from July to mid-September, the area around Takayama Station and Gero Onsen would not be recommended because it is hotter than expected.
Then, in October, when the autumn leaves are beautiful, many tourists visit the area. Especially on October 9 and 10 every year, there is The Takayama Festival, which is the most exciting time of the year with its gorgeous golden floats and karakuri dolls.
In December, the weather is freezing cold and snowy. Visitors can enjoy hot springs while viewing the snowy scenery. Also, worth seeing is Aodaru illumination at Fukuji Onsen in February. Then Gero Onsen is not a heavy snowfall area, with only occasional snowfall from January to March.