Charming Edo Era: The Tale of a Little Kyoto Street::Takayama Old Town

By Lai Peixuan | Photography by Chi Binghui

Want to experience the Edo period from a historical drama? Do you dream of walking down streets lined with wooden low-rise buildings, brushing shoulders with samurai and street vendors, hearing the crisp sound of geta (wooden clogs) beneath your feet, and thinking to yourself, “This must be the distant Edo era!” Although time travel may seem impossible, visiting Takayama’s Old Town—known as “Little Kyoto”—feels as if time has forgotten this place, capturing the essence of centuries past. It’s as though you could turn a corner and witness history itself, letting out an exclamatory “え～” (Wow!).

Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, features its Old Town as a traditional buildings preservation district. Particularly well-preserved is the southern half of the Old Town (Kamimachi San-no-machi), where many old houses, shops, and cafés can still be found, some of which have been in business for several centuries.

During the Edo period (1600–1868), this area was the “jōkamachi” (castle town) of Takayama Castle, serving as a bustling merchant district. Thanks to the gathering of wealthy merchants, the city flourished, and even the architecture was crafted by the finest carpenters of the time from the Hida region. The thick timber and meticulous craftsmanship have allowed this quaint old castle town to maintain its classic and refined charm.

Today, a few buildings in the Old Town have been converted into museums open to the public, displaying local handicrafts that allow visitors to not only admire the exteriors but also catch a glimpse of the lives of merchants from the past. Nearby attractions include the Takayama Jinya, once an Edo-period government office; the famous Takayama Morning Market; traditional sake breweries; the Fuji Arts & Folk Crafts Museum; the Hida Folk Village Archaeological Museum; and the Hirata Memorial Museum.

When visiting Takayama’s Old Town, besides exploring on foot, taking a rickshaw ride through the streets is another great option. A 30-minute ride for two costs around 6,000 yen, and the rickshaw driver can also double as a guide, sharing insights about the area’s culture and history. Additionally, the “Takayama Matsuri” (Takayama Festival) is held twice a year—in April and October—for the spring and autumn celebrations, and is renowned alongside Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and Osaka’s Tenjin Matsuri as one of Japan’s most magnificent festivals, highly celebrated among locals and tourists alike.