Mittwoch, 8. Januar 2020

Ichiban-Gai and other Snack Bar areas in Takayama


Ichiban-Gai  picture by marhas

How do middle aged men spend their nights in Takayama, if they are not at home? You may find them in so called snack bars (sunakku スナックバー), for example at Ichiban-Gai. They are "perhaps best-described as a toned-down, budget version of hostess clubs. For half a century they’ve offered mostly male patrons a whiff of nostalgia, a bit of female comfort and a home away from home", writes Japan Times. "For the uninitiated, these small, often windowless, bars cluttering narrow, seedy alleys or inhabiting lonely station fronts may seem somewhat intimidating. Once inside, however, visitors can expect to glimpse the role they play as places of communal gathering, somewhat akin to the British pub but in a more intimate setting", writes Alex Martin. Snack bars in Japan serve alcohol and employ female staff who are paid to serve and flirt with male customers.


Dienstag, 26. November 2019

Your Guide for Takayama 高山市 by #treasuresoftakayama

Your Guide for the Treasures of Takayama #treasuresoftakayama

See the locations on Treasures of Takayama Google Map by #treasuresoftakayama

Takayama 高山市 - More than just another Little Kyoto by #treasuresoftakayama

Selected Ryokans in Takayama 高山市 by #treasuresoftakayama

Train 列車 and Bus バス in Takayama 高山市

Day trip from Takayama: Gassho-zukuri houses 合掌造り in Shirakawa 白川村

Day trip from Takayama: The Magome-Tsumago trail - on the old way from Tokyo to Kyoto

Selected Ryokan and Onsen in Okuhida Onsen 奥飛騨温泉郷 by #treasuresoftakayama

Day trip from Takayama: Gassho-zukuri houses 合掌造り in Shirakawa 白川村

See the locations on Treasures of Shirakawa 白川村 Google Map



Shirakawago is best known for its Gassho-zukuri houses built in a traditional architectural style developped over generations. It is surrounded on all four sides by rugged mountains and experiences some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. Shirakawago was registered a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. It can be reached by Nohi bus from Takayama City. See Nohi bus timetable. if you have no reservation you sould queue up 20 minutes before the bus leaves.

Ogimachi is the largest village in Shirakawa. Nestled among rice fields and split between the flowing waters of the Sho River are a total of 114 thatched-roofed houses, some as old as 250 years. The straw roofs, made without a single nail, have been built at steep angles to withstand the vast amounts of snow in the winter. The houses face north and south, to minimize wind resistance. The shape of the houses resembles the hands of a Buddhist monks when pressed together in prayer, hence the name Gassho-zukuri, which translates in Japanese as “constructed like hands in prayer”.

Gassho-zukuri houses which are often between three and five stories tall have large open attics that were utilized for the production of silkworms.

You can visit Wada house and Kanda house. The Wada House is the largest gassho-zukuri building in Ogimachi village and Shirakawa-go. It used to belong to one of the wealthiest silk-trading families and village leader and dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868).

A short trek out of the village, the Shiroyama observation deck affords fantastic panoramic views of the area framed on both sides by mountains and thick forests.

On the outskirts of Ogimachi village, across the Sho River sits the open-air museum Gasshozukuri Minkaen made up of 26 Gassho-zukuri style houses that have been relocated from various areas in the region. Several other structures including a watermill, a shrine and a temple are well preserved here.





Stay in Shirakawa:

Bunroku 文六: A gassho style house with three rooms. Good review on tripadvisor.com.

Gensaku 源作: Friendly hosts, good food according to reviews on tripadvisor.com. Shared bathroom, where you cannot shower in the morning, but in the evening until 9 pm. Be aware that old houses let you hear your neighbours and people upstairs, so don't forget earplugs.



Dinner at Gensaku

Yokichi よきち: Delicious fresh food according to reviews on tripadvisor.com. See Japanese Guesthouses.

Koemon 幸エ門: Some mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com, some guests critisize the hospitality as insufficient.


Magoemon Ryokan 孫右ェ門: 6 rooms. Japanese culture at its finest according to reviews on tripadvisor.com. Bath times 6-7.30 am, 4-5.30 pm and after dinner till 9pm. See video von Youtube.







Yoshiro 与四郎: See pictures on Matcha and von Youtube.




Read more:
The Shirakawamura Times (白川村通信) on Facebook
Shirakawa-go Travel Guide 2019-2020 – Access, Things To Do, And Food


Sonntag, 24. November 2019

Selected Ryokan and Onsen in Okuhida Onsen 奥飛騨温泉郷 by #treasuresoftakayama

See the locations on Okuhida Onsengo Google Map by #treasuresoftakayama

Okuhida is well known for its hot springs, and especially for its rotemburo (outdoor baths) with views of the surrounding alps. Five onsen towns have developped along Okuhida's valleys: Hirayu, Fukuji, Shin-Hirayu, Shin-Hotaka and Tochio.


Hirayu Onsen 平湯温泉:

Hirayu onsen is known to be a spring where the daimyo (feudal lords) of the Hokuriku region used to visit.

Hirayu no Mori ひらゆの森: A public bath, gender separated, also private bathes and some lodging facilities, for example cottages with private bath.




See more pictures on Instagram


Hirayu Minzokukan 平湯民族館: A museum with hot spring bath, called Hirayu no Yu. The museum consists of traditional straw roofed farm houses with tools for rural lifen. The baths are outdoor, gender separated, no shower facilities.



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Takumi no Yado Miyama Ouan 匠の宿 深山桜庵:








Shin-Hirayu Onsen: On the eastern side of the Takahara River opposite Fukuji Onsen, at the base of Mount Yakedake.

Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake 奥飛騨ガーデンホテル焼岳: It has a large, mixed gender, open air bathing area with cave and waterfall baths. Special towels (which are provided) must be worn in the mixed gender outdoor baths. Segregated indoor baths. Opens its baths to non staying guests during the day.




Shin-Hotaka Onsen:
Suimeikan Karukaya Ryokan: Closed due to renovation (November 2019). It has a huge, mixed gender outdoor bath with panoramic views of the mountains. Hot water comes via a waterfall. There are also three private baths available for a small fee, as well as a women's only bath.

Yarimikan 槍見館:
Allows non staying guest to use their baths during the day. There are two mixed gender and one women's only out door bathes, that have views of Mount Yarimidake and the river that flows alongside. Indoor baths and private baths are also available for the guests of the Ryokan.






Fukuji Onsen:

While appearing quite old, most of the ryokan in Fukuji are rather new, but they are made from recycled materials from old farmhouses. That gives them a traditional feeling.

Kakurean Hidaji 隠庵 ひだ路: Most of the rooms with halfopen private bath.

Ryokan Sansui: Four private bathes.




Tochio Onsen:

The minshuku here are some of the more economical places to stay when visiting the region.