Step into the Edo period! A day trip to Hida Takayama Old Town in Japan
This time I visited Hida Takayama Old Town in Gifu Prefecture, and I was seriously blown away as soon as I walked in! The entire street is lined with dark wooden old houses, and clear water flows through the small roadside canals. It feels just like stepping into a cartoon or movie set in ancient Japan.
Besides the unique houses, the best part of the old town is all the great places to eat and shop:
Food to enjoy while walking around: There are soy sauce dango grilled until fragrant and slightly charred, with a soft and chewy texture. There are also the famous Hida beef skewers and beef nigiri. The meat is very tender, and the delicious smell fills the street.
Unique souvenirs: The stores have lots of cute “Sarubobo” dolls. I heard they are lucky charms for safety. Their round red appearance is very charming, and they make great gifts for friends.
Traditional long-established stores: There are lots of sake breweries and miso shops that look like they’ve been around for hundreds of years. Large cedar balls hang outside, creating a strong atmosphere of old Japan.
Taking your time strolling around and eating snacks here is very relaxing. You can take a great photo just by standing in front of any wooden window. It’s a fun place with a real sense of history!
Hida Takayama Old Townscape | Review by Eddie
Other Reviews by Eddie
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Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line)
Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) is beloved as the only remaining Toden tram line in Tokyo. It runs from Minowabashi Station in Arakawa Ward to Waseda Station in Shinjuku Ward, connecting 30 stations over 12.2 km, and it continues to be an important presence that supports local transportation. In FY 2024, it was used by an average of about 51,000 people per day, and it is also known for being well established as a line used for daily travel.
On this trip to Tokyo, I made a special point of visiting Minowabashi Station. I’ve always felt that Japan’s streetcars have a distinctive charm, especially stations that retain the atmosphere of old Tokyo. They always make me want to stop and take it all in.
Minowabashi Station is one of the terminal stations on the Toden Arakawa Line, Tokyo’s only remaining publicly operated streetcar line, now also known as the “Tokyo Sakura Tram.” Arriving at the station, it really felt very different from the modern Tokyo I had imagined. There were no towering buildings or the hurried pace of a subway station. Instead, there was an old-fashioned platform, streetcars slowly pulling into the station, and surrounding streets that showed their age.
Standing beside the platform and watching the streetcars slowly arrive, stop, and then depart with passengers felt especially relaxing. There weren’t many elaborate decorations, but it had a very natural sense of nostalgia. I couldn’t help taking several more photos to preserve this scenery, so different from Tokyo’s bustling downtown areas.
Sometimes travel doesn’t necessarily mean rushing around to lots of famous attractions. Taking a slow walk somewhere like this and observing the daily lives of local people can actually give you a better sense of what a city is really like. There are also old streets and shopping streets near Minowabashi Station where you can browse the shops and experience a more everyday side of Tokyo.
If I have the chance to visit Tokyo again, I think I’ll still be drawn to places like this. There’s no pressure from a packed sightseeing schedule, and there’s no need to deliberately plan anything. Simply watching the streetcars come and go already makes for a wonderfully atmospheric travel experience.
📍Tokyo, Japan | Minowabashi Station (Minowabashi Stop)
🚃 Toden Arakawa Line (Tokyo Sakura Tram) -
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Mojiko Retro
Moji Port was opened in the early Meiji Period and prospered in international trade. Nostalgic architecture, built from the Meiji into early Showa Periods, are still standing today. It is a fun area to meander.
Arriving at the Sikong Mountain Retro Area felt like stepping into another era. There aren’t many modern buildings here. Instead, quite a few streetscapes and architectural features from earlier times have been preserved. As you walk around, you can slowly take in the surroundings and get a sense of how local people lived in the past.
Compared with busy tourist attractions, I prefer places like this where you can casually stroll around and take photos. You can look at the old buildings and small details along the streets without rushing or having to plan any particular itinerary. Just wandering around slowly offers a different kind of travel experience.
If you happen to be nearby, you might want to set aside some time to walk around. It may not be a major attraction that leaves you amazed, but a nostalgic place like this can give you a different kind of travel memory.
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Yokohama Landmark Tower
Standing 296 meters tall with 70 floors, Yokohama Landmark Tower is the famed symbol of the Minato Mirai district where you’ll find offices, a hotel, and full-scale shopping mall. Inside the Landmark Plaza shopping mall, you’ll find around 160 stores, including popular domestic and international fashion brands, lifestyle goods shops, anime character stores, and even a post office.
The afternoon breeze carried a slight chill as it swept through the open streets of Minato Mirai.
Standing at the edge of the terrace and looking out, the 296-meter-tall Yokohama Landmark Tower rose prominently in the center of the view, like a steadfast anchor for this port city. Without the pressure of large crowds, gazing at its geometric lines cutting straight into the sky from a distance brought an added sense of ease and tranquility.
The most comfortable moments of a trip often aren't about rushing to check off attractions, but about occasionally stopping like this, feeling the breeze on a terrace, and quietly taking in the modern, clean-lined cityscape before you. -
