Takayama. Tip Top of the Crop.

What. a. day. A short little ひがえりto Takayama to make the most of our first Sunday since school started! So, the whole seed of the trip was planted Thursday as I was video chatting with my mom. I couldn't hear much of what she had to say since the sound broke off, but the one thing I heard was, "You must go to Takayama." Powerful words of the wise. 

To be honest, I was actually pretty nervous about this day trip. With a couple pages torn out of a guide book and a little research on regarding the train stops, I ended up organizing the trip, so I was feeling the pressure to make sure the travel and logistics went smoothly! I didn't want to be responsible for making me, Aidan, Emmy, and Marina lost in the middle of some random train station in Japan! 

Luckily, the travel to and from Takayama went without any troubles at all! 

On all of my previous travels, my dad was pretty much the tour guide, booking all the reservations, buying all the tickets, reading all the signs, maps, and guide books. 

It was my turn to step it up! Game on. 

To start the day off, I woke up around 5:45 am to get to the train station by 6:30. With our tickets purchased ahead of time from the Eki using my broken mix of English and Japanese, we met up and went to the track on my travel itinerary...and there it was. Our first JR train, taking us one step closer to our  destination! Woooo! Here was the break down of the travel: 

Kanazawa --> Toyama (72 min) --> transfer

Toyama --> Inotani (51 min) --> transfer

Inotani --> Takayama (67 min) やった！

Early morning view from the train. wowzas. 

Each way, the train cost 2520 円、for a round trip total of 5040 円 (about $66). Not only was this very reasonable, but the train ride was one of the many highlights of the day! The views exceeded anything I ever imagined seeing from the train.  It. was. GORGEOUS. 

For the last leg of the train ride, we pretty much had the entire train to ourselves, so we were running back and forth between sides, taking pictures of everything! I'm pretty sure there was an "Ermahgod. so beautiful!" and "Where's my camera! I need it now!" per minute. It was ruh-diculous. 

Aidan deep in thought. He started thinking about living in rural Japan. truth. 

After the most amazing train ride EVAAAA we arrived in Takayama at 10:18 am! The sun was coming out too! So lucky. 

After getting a map at the information center, we headed over to the Takayama Jinya to visit the daily morning market in front of the historic government house. 

 We stopped below the Ikadabashi Bridge on our way to the market!

See the red bridge? That's the Nakabashi Bridge. It's pretty. I like it. 

It was actually pretty fun to ask people to take our picture, since we just learned how to politely ask people for favors! 

We were studying our vocab on the train, and one of the words was はし (bridge), which also came in handy when asking them to get the bridge in the background! Score. I'm learning something. 

Just across the bridge was the market! 

One of the many things that Takayama is famous for is their miso! Since my host mother has been incredibly gracious and accommodating (どうもありがとう　おかあさん！), I bought some Yuzu miso paste as omiyage! I had a sample. Clearly it worked. 

As the market was closing at noon, we decided to walk through the Jinya, a collection of buildings (aka a sweet mansion) for the officials of the Tokugawa shogunate who administered the Hida region for 176 years. 

To be honest, I didn't really plan on going in because I thought it would be boring. 

I was wrong. It was awesome. 

Get mah zen on. In the water boiling room. Hot yoga?

After the Jinya, we crossed back over the bridge into the Old Town!

The old town (below) is lined with lots of shops and restaurants in some beautifully preserved buildings dating back to the Edo period between 1600-1868. 

Between the stores, selling everything from Mango Honey to traditional lacquer boxes, were many food stalls! Everytime we passed by one, we just stared. and smelled. Hand grilled rice crackers, mochi dango, and soft serve in flavors like Yuzu, Matcha, and even soy sauce! I was VERY tempted. 

Below, a man was making baby taiyaki (sweetened waffle like cake shaped like a fish, filled with red beans and black sesame!). He was flipping them over and making them so fast it was difficult to get a picture!

All the amazing smells and sights made us hungry! 

So, we settled upon the pillows inside a Soba and Udon restaurant! 

Since we were fortunate to get warm weather, I order the cold buckwheat soba noodles with Mountain Vegetable tempura. I'd give it a thumbs up. Or a nose tap. 

With our bodies refueled, we continued to walk and shop a bit more!

We hit the tourist picture jackpot. A giant chair, PLUS a face in hole Sarubobo. 

はい！チーズ！

In Takayama, Sarubobos are everywhere in all the shops: on keychains, food labels...everywhere. These "baby monkey" dolls are a symbol of good luck, and are particularly associated with Takayama. They are cyooot. 

Look at the view from this Kajibashi Bridge. Is that real?! 

Rub mah BELLY!!!

By the time we finished walking around the main town, we realized that it was too late to visit the famous Hida Folk Village, a 30 minute walk away. So, with my handy dandy guide book, and a little hike up the mountain, we visited the Shiroyama Park! 

I can't even describe the view from the top. It was just too much. 

What up, Takayama!!! We in da hiz-ouse!!!

I am so glad we went to the park. 

It was such a tranquil respite after a long day of walking and tourist-ing! We only saw one old man sitting on a tree stump the whole time in the park!

Ah. Old wise man once told me: Must find Chi. Center self for ultimate prosperity. 

Be one with grasshopper pose. 

Or just chill like dem Twilight vampires. 

Do you see me sparkle?! I can't help it in the sunlight. 

Still trying. Hey, if Kung Fu Panda can do it...

For our last stop, we visited the Shorenji Temple. 

No one was around. It was so. cool. 

Alas, it was approaching 5:52 pm, and we couldn't miss our trains back to Kanazawa! It was still light out on our way back, so we got to see some of the scenery once again. The sunlight hit the trees and hills so differently from the morning that it was like seeing it for the first time! Unfortunately, all of our phones and cameras died from taking ちゃしんall day since 6:30 am. 

The trip to Takayama truly exceeded my expectations. It was so cool to be able to go shopping in the sparkling department stores of urban Katamachi District yesterday, then travel a few hours away into a remote country side the next. This side trip made me so thankful for the opportunity to travel abroad with great friends, learning the language and seeing things I never knew existed! With only one full week complete, I am already overwhelmed by all the things I have already seen and done. So happy! (and also proud of getting us back to Kanazawa safely before 10 pm!)

What a day indeed.