Takayama City

Located in Gifu Prefecture, and surrounded by some of Japan’s richest natural areas  just below the famous Northern Alps, Takayama is some what isolated and distant.  This isolation allowed the city to develop its own distinct culture that combines that of nearby Edo (modern day Tokyo) and Kyoto’s into a new and interesting way. It also has another connection to the aforementioned Kyoto, in that it is host to one of the three most beautiful festivals in the country, the Hachiman Festival About the Hachiman Matsuri The Hachiman Festival is believed to have started sometime between the 16th and 17th Century and is held annually on the 9th and 10th of October. Centered around Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine in the northern part of the old town, the festival signifies the coming of autumn after the heat of the long summer. With some 1,000 people taking part in the featival’s parade, the beauty of the Hachiman Matsuri comes in the form of the stunning ‘yatai’ floats. Dating from the early days of the festival, these floats are each etched with elaborate carvings and are decorated by the dozen local areas that they represent, and with Takayama renowned for its highly skilled carpenters and…