Hida Takayama (飛騨高山) is the Matsumoto’s neighboring city to the west and a popular sightseeing place for foreigners.
There are many traditional, private houses in Takayama. Throngs of people in the street near the houses sell lovely items like bags made with kimono fabric.
In the Jinja-mae Morning Markets, you will find unique handmade dolls called sarubobo, 100% apple juice, ornaments made with red peppers, and other crafty items.
Takayama Festival
You can visit the Takayama Festival Exhibition Hall by about a 20–30-minute walk from the traditional, private houses. The floats at the hall are used twice a year to celebrate the Takayama Festival. One of the festivals is in spring during the cherry blossom season. The other is in autumn during the fall foliage season. There are 23 floats, called yatai, in total which are decorated for the Festival. The streets are lined with the floats and they also parade through the streets. The hall exhibits four floats in rotation so that all of them can be shown throughout the year.
Hida Beef
Takayama is well known for its good beef. Croquettes fried with some of this beef mixed inside are a popular item to snack on.
Access from Matsumoto
There are six buses from Matsumoto to Takayama every day. It takes around two hours and twenty five minutes through the mountain roads.
If you also plan to visit Shirakawa-go, Kamikochi, Norikura, and/or Shirahone Hot Springs, the 4-day Shinshu–Hida Alps Wide Free Passport bus ticket might be cheap and convenient.