Hida Folk Village (Hida no Sato)

I originally wanted to visit the folk village an hour away by bus, but since I didn’t have enough time, this reconstructed village turned out to be a perfect alternative. Several types of traditional houses from different eras are faithfully recreated here, and you can freely step inside each of them. Don’t forget to complete the stamp rally! (The stamp book is sold separately right after the entrance.) I had a great time in this park. It’s beautiful, especially in autumn at sunset: the light shines through the foliage, a few leaves fall with the wind, and the moment becomes truly magical. There weren’t many people during my visit. Just be careful with the bus schedule: there aren’t many buses, and the last one leaves at 5:09pm

Wonderful museum with a lot to explore. The village contains a beautiful lake, trees with autumn leaves, small rice farms, and several torii gates and shrines (including one with beautiful ceiling paintings), which add to the scenic atmosphere. Similar to Shirakawago, there are a number of thatched houses in the gassho-zukuri style. I personally preferred this museum as there are much fewer tourists than Shirakawago (especially those in big tour groups) and it feels quainter and more serene. Apart from the beautiful scenery, the museum is also highly educational. There are exhibits about numerous aspects of village life in the past, ranging from architecture, to traditional industries (e.g. straw & silk weaving, wooden sleds used for transportation, farming tools), food (types of crops eaten, miso fermentation), children's toys, and even ceremonies such as wedding rituals. The information panels generally have high-quality English translations and offer very detailed insights into village life. It was clear that a lot of effort and heart went into collating the exhibits and documenting their history, ensuring that such knowledge is not lost amidst modern technological advancement. You can either walk to the museum from Takayama, or take the Sarubobo bus from Takayama Nohi bus centre (bus ride is less than 20 mins). As IC cards are not allowed on the Sarubobo bus, you can buy a ticket from the bus centre for 210 yen (one-way).

Very beautiful small village. It was especially beautiful when we were there in Autumn with the autumn leaves changing colors. Got to see some traditional thatched houses and learnt about the living conditions in the olden days. Think ticket was about ¥700 and parking of ¥300.

This museum was absolutely stunning. Having done Shirakawago the day before, I will say while this was smaller, it was far more beautiful and also highly educational and less people around. Most houses you can go inside and there are various displays or stamps to collect. We were there in early Nov and they were doing their Illuminations event at night, and my pictures don't capture full beauty. I wish I would have come an hour earlier to see more of the museum before it got dark. Key advice: we left around 6pm (I think?) after the last bus, assuming we could use GoTaxi app to get a ride back into town, but no taxis were available. So we ended up with a several mile walk to our dinner reservations for the night. It was a nice, safe walk but something to anticipate if you're there late. Maybe there would have been a different way to call a taxi but we didn't look into it that closely

Note: Wood fires may be used on cold days, so please be aware in case of breathing difficulties (eg. Asthmatic individuals may wish to bring an inhaler and wear a face mask). Went early in the morning when there was less people. A lot of areas are inaccessible for those with mobility difficulties (no wheelchair access abilities in **some** areas, upper levels of houses may be too steep for people with ailling joints). There is a small counter at the entrance where you can purchase a stamp book and collect 7 stamps for a gift prize (¥200 for stamp book needed to get souvenir gift). You can purchase food for the fish (¥200 baguette type bread that you break up to feed the fish). There are descriptions in English and Japanese as well as 'guide books' available (I did not personally purchase one). There are little activities like wood puzzles, spinning tops, stilts, water pistols, etc at the arbour. Artisans are still keeping traditional arts alive such as weaving, woodworking, lacquering, etc and you can purchase from their stores or you can make some crafts there (like painting a beckoning cat). There is also a rest area with vending machines (including hot drinks like coffee, matcha, tea and hot cocoa) that you can sit down and rest. There are toilets throughout with western style toilets (bidet included) and traditional Japanese style squat toilets. It feels very serene and the village is mostly quiet (with the exception of the gong that visitors can use to pray with). Please be mindful of the historical and cultural significance and do not wear shoes on the wooden areas inside the traditional houses- additionally there are bins at the rest area so please do not litter. The staff were very polite.