Takayama is one of those towns in Japan that has managed to retain most of the old school charm. It is located within the mountainous Hida region in the Gifu prefecture.
We stayed at the Takayama Station Hostel for 3 nights. One of the biggest mistakes we made was underestimating the weather at Takayama. Unlike Emblem Hostel, Takayama Station Hostel did not have a central heating system. This meant that the common corridors were all freezing cold. Adding on to that was that the shared showing facilities were only available on one of the six floors. It was a dread trying to make our way down to the showers and going back up to our rooms after that.
The room we stayed in was a Japanese style room with tatami flooring and futons as our beds. The tatami flooring was not in a serviceable condition. It was impossible to sit on the tatami flooring without getting any splinters on our pants.
There are two morning markets in Takayama. We visited the Miyagawa Market ( 宮川朝市 ). Miyagawa Market is an open-air market located along the Miyagawa River. Makeshift stalls line up along the side of the river selling local produce & goods.
We stopped by one of the stalls and bought an Owara Tamaten. Owara Tamaten some kind of grilled egg that tasted a lot like a toasted marshmallow.
“Owara Tamaten: I pass when it beats an egg white and enter and cut the honey which came to the boil of sugar and agar to a pip after cooling it and soak it in the liquid which added sweet sake to and egg yolk, and it is the Japanese sweet that it is unusual which baked 6.”
Miyagawa Market
宮川朝市
Shimosannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Prefecture 506-0841, Japan
We found a ramen stall at the end of Miyagawa Market and we stopped there for breakfast. Takamine serves Chinese styled ramen noodles. I ordered the よくばりセット set. The set comes with a small portion of ramen, chicken karaage and beer.
Takamine
食べ処 高峰
56 Shimosannomachi, Takayama-shi, Gifu-ken 506-0841, Japan
+81 577-34-9332
http://www.takamine-takayama.jp/
0900hrs – 1400hrs
We attempted the Higashiyama Walking Course. The Higashiyama Walking Course brings you through the “temple town” of Takayama. We started near the Takarabashi Bridge. The walking course wasn’t very well marked and it was tough to stay on course. Certain parts of the course will bring you through a temple and you will have to walk through it to find the path. The snow on the course added a lot of challenge to an otherwise easy hike. Slippery snow covered parts of the path and it was very hard to walk on especially on the slopes & steps. We didn’t manage to complete the whole Higashiyama Walking Course. We left the course mid-way and returned back to the old town area.
We chance upon Coffee Don when we were wondering around Takayama. Coffee Don is one of the best cafes that we visited in Japan. It is a kissaten (喫茶店) or traditional Japanese tearoom owned by an old Japanese couple. The handwritten menu features an extensive choice of drinks & food. We ordered a cup of hot mocha, areopress brewed coffee, and egg pudding. The cafe was a nice getaway from the busloads of tourists that started stream into the town. We sat by the window watching the world go pass us while listening to old-school jazz music playing from the speakers.
Coffee Don
2 Chome-52 Honmachi, Takayama-shi, Gifu-ken 506-0011, Japan
+81 577-32-0968
https://www.coffee-don.jp/
0730hrs – 2130hrs