The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

WoWasis visits the Hida Folk Village (Hida No Sato) in Takayama, Japan

Written By: herbrunbridge - Jul• 13•13

Noshioka house and mill

Noshioka house and mill

The hillside and lake-situated Hida Folk Village historical park in the city of Takayama, Japan, isn’t to be missed, and is worth a visit if you’re anywhere close to Takayama. Opened in 1971, the site consists of more than thirty buildings from the Hida area, moved here to preserve them from destruction. Architectural styles include Gassho-style thatched , and shingle-roofs. There are a number of displays of traditional Hida crafts in several of the houses, including our favorite, the wood-carrying sleds found in Hozumi’s house.  Also on the site are artisans working on traditional crafts such as wood carving and lacquerware.

A woodcarver displays his craft at Hida Folk Village

A woodcarver displays his craft at Hida Folk Village

The grounds are magnificently laid out, with wonderful sightlines around every corner. A sign is posted outside of each house, describing in English the type of person who lived in the house (merchant, framer, etc.), what daily life was like for the inhabitants, and highlighting important architectural features.

The main site is concentrated around Goami Pond, and plan on about 1.5 hours to see everything. There is an adjacent site a few meters down the road which contains an additional house and the Museum of Mountain Life (ask for a map and direcions to the Museum at the main ticket window, as getting to the adjacent site is confusing).

An ancient torii gate marks the path to a shrine

An ancient torii gate marks the path to a shrine

The Hida Folk Village is essential for visitors wishing to get to know more about traditional Japanese architectural styles. It’s easily visited by bus from the bus station right next to the train station. For 900 yen, you can buy a ticket that will get you entry into the park along with a round-trip bus ticket.

Hida Folk Village (Hida No Sato)
1-590 Kamiokamoto-machi, Takayama-city, Gifu 506-0055
Phone: +81-(0)577-34-4711
Open daily: 8:30-5:00

www.hida.jp/hidanosato
GPS: N36°07’56’’  E137°14’05’’

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