The city of Takayama is a popular sightseeing location, known for its beautifully preserved wooden buildings, temples, museums, and the colorful Takayama Festival which takes place twice a year in the spring and autumn. In winter Takayama is a popular destination for ski trips in the surrounding mountains. Takayama can be reached from Kanazawa by train, bus, or car. For most day trippers, the direct highway bus is the simplest option.
Takayama Old Town in the winter
The Main Attractions
Takayama Old Town on Sanmachi Suji is the old merchant district of Takayama. Its streets are lined with traditional wooden houses many of which date from the 19th century and serve as restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. Sanmachi Suji is a 12 minute walk from Takayama Station.
Nakabashi Bridge in Takayama
The Higashiyama Walking Course is a pleasant route of about 4 km along which you can see many temples and the castle ruins in Shiroyama Park. The course begins in Teramachi (“Temple town”) which is 9 minutes walk east of Sanmachi Suji via the Yasugawa shopping street.
Takayama Jinya is a historical former local governor’s office. The first office was built here in 1692, but the present main building was built in 1816 and remained in use until 1969. Free guided tours in Japanese or English may be available, but should be booked at the ticket counter or by telephone and depend on guide availability. Takayama Jinya is a 15 minute walk from Takayama Station. Entry is 500 yen for adults and free for visitors aged 18 or younger.
There are two lively morning markets in Takayama: one just outside Takayama Jinya and the other by the banks of the Miyagawa River. Both markets are open until around noon. Official hours are 7.00 to noon from April to November and 8.00 to noon from December to March, though it is best to go early because the number of stalls can drop in bad weather or winter. Stalls sell fruit, vegetables, pickles, crafts, sweets and souvenirs.
Takayama Festival Float Exhibition Hall exhibits four of the floats which parade in the city’s autumn festival. The floats are beautifully decorated with gold and lacquer-work and some floats also have puppets! The hall is located on the grounds of the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine and is a 20 minute walk or 9 minute taxi ride from Takayama Station. Entry to the hall is 900 yen for adults, 550 yen for Senior High Students, and 450 yen for Junior High Students and younger.
The Hida-no-Sato Folk Village is an outdoor museum with traditional thatched roof farm houses and demonstrations of local crafts and traditional farming life. Entry costs 700 yen for adults and 200 yen for children aged 6-15. The folk village is a 30 minute walk from Takayama Station or you can take a “Sarubobo” bus from Takayama Bus Center next to Takayama Station and be there in 10 minutes. The fare is 210 yen.
How to Get There
Takayama can be reached from Kanazawa by train, bus, and car. The fastest way to travel between these cities is by car. However, when you consider the cost of renting a car, taking a bus to Takayama is probably the cheaper option.
By Train
To travel from Kanazawa Station to Takayama Station by train, travel first to Toyama Station by shinkansen or by local lines and then transfer to the Limited Express Hida which runs on the Takayama Main Line. The Limited Express Hida takes around 90 minutes to travel between Toyama and Takayama. If you first take a local train to Toyama before transferring to the limited express, the journey will take around 2 hours and 40 minutes and cost from about 4,200 yen where ordinary unreserved seats are available. If you take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama first then the whole journey will take a little over 2 hours, but usually costs from about 5,800 yen and more if using reserved seats. Check JR timetable and fare information before travel, especially in peak periods when some Limited Express Hida services may be all-reserved.
The Limited Express Hida
By Bus
Hokutetsu and Nohi Bus jointly operate the reserved Shirakawa-go/Takayama highway bus route between Kanazawa Station and Takayama Nohi Bus Center. From Kanazawa, buses depart from Kanazawa Station West Exit bus stop #4. The journey to Takayama takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the one-way fare is 4,200 yen for adults and 2,100 yen for children. Departures vary by date, but the route has multiple daytime services, including useful morning departures for a day trip. Reservations are required.
The Hokutetsu bus for Takayama at Kanazawa Station
By Car
To travel from Kanazawa to Takayama by car you should take the Hokuriku Expressway, the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, and the Chubu-Jukan Expressway. The journey should take around 1 hour and 30 minutes in good conditions, plus tolls, fuel, parking, and the cost of renting a car. Check NEXCO’s route and toll calculator before setting out. For more information on local driving check our article on Car Rental in Kanazawa.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 03-Jun-2026.
