Help with Takayama and Gero portion of the trip

5 comments

1. We went to Takayama on our trip recently, spent three days there, it was too much. I could have easily skipped it and not missed it much. The scenery is nice but it’s just a tourist town full of tour buses and stores that hate tourists. The bus ride from Tokyo to Takayama was the best bit (other than the great company). We considered going to Gero but didn’t make it so not sure how good it is.

2. I’m going to disagree with the other commenter.

   We spent 3 very happy days in Takayama and they were probably the highlight of our trip. We stayed in a Ryokan there that did fantastic meals and also recommended some other great food spots. Morning markets were good fun, sitting by the river eating delicious stuff. The Higashiyama trail will give you more than enough temples and shrines. The Hida Folk Village is cool with an arts and crafts centre where you can do a bunch of things for quite cheap, make your own chopsticks etc. Takayama felt much quieter and laid back than a lot of the rest of Japan to me. We also did quite a lot of walking around to try various things.

   We actually ended up stopping in Gero on our way to Takayama from the Nakasendo trail. We were only there for about an hour. If you like onsen then it’s close to the best spot in Japan. I think it’s considered #2 by the Japanese. They have these cool public thermal footbaths everywhere and the actual onsens are giant resort like complexes. Reminded me of a modern day version of Spirited Away.

   Not sure how you like to travel but you could forward your bag from Takayama to Kyoto and just take a day bag to Gero. That would make the travel much easier.

3. I feel like the prevailing wisdom on reddit is to spend a lot of time in every single city of interest but to be honest a lot of the Japan Alps towns 1 night is usually fine (and I’m saying this as somebody who loves the region). Gero Onsen I felt 1 night was fine but everybody is different.

4. Just got back from a trip and we visited Takayama for 2 nights in a Ryokan. We liked it there but in all honesty, we did not think it was really worth the trip to there. Since we came from Yamanakako it took is more than 6.5 hours. 

   We had a cooking class one morning and walked around town, visited the 2 morning markets (this can be done in two hours), and walked along the water. The touristy district is about 2 to 3 streets with sake shops and breweries. One full day there is enough.

   Best things where cooking class, good restaurant (Izakaya Hidanosuke) along main street and Dons Coffee.

5. I think that’s fine – feel free to take time from the Gero day and put it into Takayama if you feel you haven’t seen everything. Gero is not a happening place, and you can sit in onsens just as well in the evening.