living history

Head to the hills of Nagoya and step back in time

Japan’s a great destination with all the comforts of home but plenty of cultural differences to make the trip interesting and enjoyable. During a recent family holiday we visited the rural village of Takayama, approximately two hours by train from Nagoya.

Takayama has a population of about 65,000 and is situated in the Japanese Alps. The town has several streets of historical buildings dating back to the 1600s, which have retained their enormous charm and invite hours of wandering. Some of the more important buildings have been preserved and restored and are open to visitors. Inside are beautiful tatami (straw) mats, lovely courtyard gardens and displays of pottery, fans, woodwork and various utensils.

Ten minutes from Takayama is the Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum of traditional houses, dating back to the Edo Period (1603 –1867) and earlier. Many of these houses have been moved here from surrounding areas so as to preserve their heritage and display the traditional way the Japanese lived for centuries. Thatched roofs and massive rafters have withstood years of heavy winter snowfalls, and there are collections of sledges, weaving looms, woodcutting implements, kitchenware, lacquerware and woodcarvings.

Takayama also has multiple temples and shrines, all within easy walking distance of each other. The main temple is the oldest building in the city, constructed around 500 years ago – alongside is a massive gingko tree over 1,200 years old. All the temples are surrounded by tranquil gardens – it’s impossible not to feel peaceful while wandering the temple grounds.

There are two morning markets in the town – a tradition that started 200 years ago. Local farmers and housewives sell fruit, vegetables, pickles, fabric, handicrafts, sembei (rice crackers of various flavours) and flowers. The location alongside the river is particularly lovely.

Sharon Coles is a mum who lives
in North Queensland. This was
her boys first overseas trip.We stayed at a hotel with an onsen – communal sex-segregated baths filled with water from volcanic hot springs, both indoors and outdoors. The onsen experience was a highlight of the trip. Like most foreigners, we were a little hesitant about being in a communal bath and of committing an unwitting breach of etiquette! The main requirement is to bathe yourself thoroughlyprior to entering the onsen. Any self-consciousness disappears quickly as the atmosphere is relaxed and the Japanese obvio
usly love the ritual of bathing.

The wonderfully efficient train system allowed us to easily make our way to Tokyo after our visit to Takayama. We visited Disneyland and Disney Sea, a must for the kids!

Japan is a country we would love to visit again – the food was excellent and cheap, the culture fascinating and the people very welcoming. Mata ne!

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