The Hida region has a unique culture, forged internally by its harsh winter climate and forested mountain environment, and externally by a fusion of the cultures of Kyoto and Edo (modern Tokyo): the former spread by the Kanamori family in the 16th century, and the latter since the region became a dependent territory of the Edo Shogunate in the 17th century.
Takayama, the city in the heart of Hida, is THE place to experience the fruits of this rich heritage. A myriad of local workshops and retail outlets remain, often family businesses of long standing, with the tricks of the trade passed down faithfully through the generations. These establishments sell both folk crafts, such as Sashiko patchwork and Hanga wood block prints, and also traditional crafts borne from ‘high’ culture, including intricate wooden carving and Shunkeinuri lacquerware.
In this tour, our knowledgeable guide will accompany you on your journey through these local craft shops while offering fascinating insights into the origins, history and production techniques of the skilled Hida craftsmanship you will encounter.
Ittobori (wood carving)
Hand-painted Japanese candles
Sashiko embroidery
A Sashiko storefront
Woodblock prints
Shunkei lacquerware
Shibukusa-yaki (pottery)
A Shibukusa-yaki storefront
Tour rate
12,800JPY/person It varies by number of the pax. please see "Notes" in this page.
- Included in the price
- Trained and experienced guide (in English/Japanese)
- Small group tour
- Tea break
- Not included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Meeting Point
Entrance gate of Takayama Jinya
1-15 Hachikenmachi, Takayama, Gifu, Japan
Note
Reservation
- No charge for small children who are 5 years old or under. If you have a small child, please let us know when you make a reservation.
- Reservation up to 365 days in advance is possible.
- If a tour already has 2 people booked, you can book it as an individual. Please check our current availability via “reservation”. If your requested date is unavailable, please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Cancellation
- If you need to cancel the tour, you will not be charged a cancellation fee up to 2 days before the tour date. Please click this link for more detail: Cancellation policy
Insurance
Please be sure to purchase appropriate travel insurance in advance.
Private Tours
We have private tours available upon request.
* Please note that we have no child rates for private tours.
- 1 person : ¥42,000
- 2 people : ¥22,500 per person
- 3 people : ¥16,000 per person
- 4 people or more : ¥12,800 per person
Private tour price in high season (Apr 1st – 20th, Jul 16th – Aug 20th, Oct 1st -15th 2020)
- 1 person : ¥55,000
- 2 people : ¥29,000 per person
- 3 people : ¥20,400 per person
- 4 people or more : ¥16,000 per person