Get a deeper insight into the local history at the nearby Hida Folk Village, an open-air museum featuring more than thirty authentic Edo-period farmhouses and buildings carefully preserved in their original state. Venture inside to watch demonstrations of traditional local crafts such as woodcarving and lacquer-work.

There are several temples and shrines of note in Takayama, the oldest being the Hida Kokubunji Temple, a dark three-storied Buddhist pagoda built by Emperor Shomu beside a 1,200-year-old gingko tree. Those looking to see an outstanding example of Muromachi-period architecture should also pay a visit to the Shoren-ji Temple. Shiroyama Park, home to a 16th-century castle, is equally alluring with hundreds of blooming cherry trees in the spring.

Visitors can time their visit with the much-loved Takayama Festival, an event dating back to the mid-17th century. The parade, held in both spring and autumn, draws people from all over Japan with its wonderfully decorated floats and marionettes.