Takayama city has a population of 91 thousands and is called "small Kyoto in Hida region"
because KANAMORI, feudal lord constructed a city modeling Kyoto in the second half
of 16th century. Since then it has kept its atmosphere and tradition to date.
The city is surrounded by Japan Alps with heavy snow fall in the winter and very famous of
carpentry. Because many carpenters from there have constructed many famous temples and
shrines in Kyoto, Nara and other areas since the ancient times.

HISTORY;

  　747AD    National temple ( Kokubun-ji) of Hida province was completed.

  　1519AD　  TAKAYAMA, feudal lord constructed Tenjinyama castle.

　1586AD　　KANAMORI, feudal lord constructed a city like Kyoto.
.
　1692 AD　 TOKUGAWA shogunate started administrating directly the city with its governor.

Miyagawa river that runs down to Sea of Japan
Kokubunji (National) temple of Hida province
has its long history since 8th century.

The second floor for sericulture works and
implements
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Gasho style houses in the village
Getting down to Matsumoto we see bellow
Azusa river along the road.
One hour and half later we see the peak of Kasagadake
mountain of which height is 3,000 meters.
An hour later , we see ski slope and reach
Hirayu Onsen (hot spring) at the slope of .
the mountains at left.
A half hour after we left Takayama, we see
the mountains covered with snow.
Living room with a sunken fireplace
on the first floor
Festival floats in TAKAYAMA YATAI KAIKAN
Offices and corridor inside Takayama Jinya
Takayama Jinya, administrative office of
TOKUGAWA shogunate during the Edo era.

TAKAYAMA CITY, SHIRAKAWAGO AND JAPAN ALPS
Northern Japan Alps stands between Takayama and Matsumoto cities.
We take 2 hours and half crossing Northern Japan Alps by car. Following photos were taken
in March when we crossed the mountains of 3,000 meters high from Takayama to Matsumoto.
.
2, SHIRAKAWA-GO

Sannomachi old street
Morning market in front of Takayama Jinya

1, TAKAYAMA CITY
Shirakawa-go village with a population of 1,500 was registered as world cultural heritage
by UNESCO in 1995 and lies in a valley in about 45 minutes by express bus from Takayama city. 
It is said that soldiers and their families of HEIKE clan got away from their rival GENJI clan
after being defeated battles, and started settling there far away the human dwellings
among high mountains in the end of 12th century. They had lived on sericulture, forestry,
agriculture, etc. Accordingly their houses of gasho structure have 3 to 4 stories good for
raising silkworms and working inside in the long winter.
The gasho structure is a shape of united hands with which people pray for God.
So they have steep roofs made from reeds because it snows a lot there in the winter.
Generally the inhabitants live on the first floor,, raise silkworms and work on the second floor
and utilize the third and forth floor as storage of tools and so on. These days many foreign tourists
have kept visiting out there, above all, after its registration of world heritage.
3, Northern Japan Alps