Takayama, Mountain city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
Takayama is a mountain city in Gifu Prefecture with narrow streets lined by traditional wooden buildings and merchant houses from centuries past. The Miyagawa River flows through the central district, providing a natural boundary between different sections of the town.
During the Edo period, Takayama grew as a merchant town under direct Tokugawa shogunate control and became known for skilled carpentry. Economic prosperity from that era shaped the architectural style and craftsmanship traditions that remain visible throughout the town.
The Takayama Festival celebrates twice yearly with elaborate wooden floats featuring intricate mechanical dolls that move and perform. These parades remain central to local identity and show how the town honors its skilled craftsmanship heritage.
The area around Takayama Jinya and along the Miyagawa River offers morning markets where local vendors sell fresh produce and regional specialties. The town center is compact and walkable, making it easy to move between different sections on foot without needing other transportation.
The Hida Folk Village preserves around 30 traditional buildings with steeply pitched thatched roofs, relocated from surrounding mountain villages to form an open-air museum. These structures demonstrate how people once lived and worked in the surrounding mountain regions.
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