Hida-Furukawa, near Takayama, is one of my favourite places I’ve visited in Gifu Prefecture. It’s much quieter than Takayama and just as beautiful. It even has koi fish swimming in the canals! Since it’s only 15 minutes by train from Takayama, it’s a village you don’t want to miss.
When I stayed in Takayama for the second time, I was there for a full week. This gave me the chance to take a few day trips to nearby areas to get away from the crowds (because, believe me, Takayama is pretty well known nowadays and it gets very crowded during the day!). One of those day trips took me to a small, not-so-well-known town called Hida-Furukawa.
Despite being so close to Takayama, Hida-Furukawa was pretty much empty of tourists! If you’re also planning a small detour from Takayama, here is everything you need to know before visiting Hida-Furukawa.
Hida Furukawa Overview & Map
Hida-Furukawa is a beautifully preserved town in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, not far from Takayama. The region has a pretty long history, dating back over 1,300 years. One of the things it’s most known for is its high-quality timber and the carpentry skills that came with it.
Nowadays, wood and woodwork are still a big part of the region. The town itself gained a bit more fame having been featured in the very popular 2016 anime “Your Name”. Spots in the town were used as real-life locations in the movie, so some big fans do travel here to see them in real life.
But despite all this, the town is very quiet. When I visited during peak autumn foliage season, the streets of Hida-Furukawa were practically empty.
And that really surprised me, especially seeing how beautiful the main streets are, with koi swimming in the canals, next to the traditional wooden houses and local markets. It’s one of those places in Japan that feels right out of a storybook. Compared to the busy streets of Takayama, Hida-Furukawa is a perfect alternative to visit for a (half-)day trip.
When visiting Hida-Furukawa, we stayed in Takayama as our base. Because it’s so easy to get to Hida-Furukawa from Takayama on public transport, and there isn’t a lot to do here, having a base in Takayama worked better for our itinerary.
There are some accommodation options in Hida-Furukawa, but they are limited. If you want to stay here, it’s best to book it far in advance.
Best Things to Do in Hida-Furukawa
When spending the day in Hida-Furukawa, here are the best things to add to your itinerary:
1. Feed the Koi in Hida-Furukawa’s Canals
One of the biggest highlights of Hida-Furukawa is the small canals that run alongside Setogawa and Shirakabe Dozou Street.
Traditional wooden storehouses line the streets, and small willow trees grow on the side of the canals next to wooden lanterns. Across the canals sit small, stone bridges for people to cross. But the thing that stands out most is the thousands (yes, thousands!) of colourful koi fish that swim in the clear waters.
It’s not uncommon to spot koi fish in Japan; they are everywhere. But to see so many in the centre of a small town, in a street as beautiful as this one, is rather special.
You can see the koi between April and November. Outside of these months, the koi are moved to one of the ponds of Masushima Castle to keep them safe during the harsh winters.
Alongside the canal, you can find small deposit boxes where you pay ¥100 to get a bag of koi feed. Unfortunately, as I visited in mid-November, the feeding boxes were not available as the koi were going to be moved soon. But if you happen to visit in the spring or summer, it looks like a fun activity!
2. Coffee and Waffles at Kanokoya
One of my favourite things to do when travelling across rural Japan is finding local cafes and restaurants. While not very “Japanese”, the Belgian waffles at Kanokoya are hard to resist! You may smell them from the other side of the street (we did!), luring you in.
I grew up in the South of the Netherlands, very close to the Belgian border, so I’ve had my fair share of proper Belgian waffles. The ones at Kanokoya were fantastic! They really nailed the taste and texture. Plus, they have a lot of different flavours.
During our quick stop here, I went with the white chocolate waffle and a matcha latte, and my husband went with the regular chocolate waffle and a cappuccino. Delicious!
3. Check the Local Sake Breweries/Shops
Even though the town is quite small, there are two big sake breweries: Watanabe Sake Brewery and Kaba Shuzoujou. They have been part of Hida Furukawa for 150+ and 300+ years!
You can go shopping for local sake, or even take part in a sake tasting before buying them.
As water is one of the most important ingredients of sake, where the water comes from is very important for the taste and quality. As Hida Furukawa is located in the mountains, near the Northern Japanese Alps, the water is filled with special minerals.
Many of the storehouses in the town next to the koi canals were used by the sake breweries. They helped build this town up and are still a big part of the community.
You can even book a private tour of the Watanabe Sake Brewery in Hida-Furukawa, including a sake tasting!
4. Shop for Local Goods/Crafts
One of the things this area in Japan is most known for is its carpentry. The woodwork skills from Hida date back to the Nara Period, working in the capital cities. Even nowadays, the high-quality timber and masterful craftsmen combined make Hida one of the best places to buy some wood crafts.
According to the tourism board’s website, you can see unique black and white carvings under the roofs of the traditional buildings in the town. These act as a sort of signature of the carpenter.
After walking around near Hida Furukawa’s canals, I ended up at Santera Meguri Farmer’s Market. This small market is located near the large Ginkgo tree (and as we visited in November, we got lucky to see it fully yellow!). They sell lots of local goods, including fresh vegetables and woodwork. I ended up buying a small wooden cutting board for my kitchen at home, and I still love using it!
Another popular Hida-Furukawa craft shop is the 240-year-old candle store in town. Mishima Candle Shop is currently run by the 7th generation in the family.
Handmade from wax tree fruits, the candles that are made here flicker without needing any wind. As they are 100% organic and plant-based, they used to be used in Buddhist temples. The shop owners still hand-make the candles, and you can even buy some to bring home.
5. Visit Keta Wakamiya Shrine
On the edge of Hida-Furukawa, you can find one of the town’s most important and beautiful shrines: Keta Wakamiya Shrine (also known as Sugimoto-sama).
The stairs leading up to the shrine and the shrine itself have both been featured in the popular anime “Kimi no Na wa” or “Your Name”. I go into more detail about how the town and the movie are connected in the next point in this guide.
From Hida Furukawa Station, it’s about a 10-minute walk to get to the stairs leading up to the shrine. It’s very quiet in this part of the town, and walking towards the shrine felt so peaceful. It was one of those moments where I could imagine living in a town like that, especially since there seemed to be no other tourists around.
It’s a beautiful shrine, especially in autumn when I visited, when the leaves were yellow and red.
6. Spot all the “Kimi no Na wa” Locations
“Your Name” (“Kimi no Na wa” in Japanese) came out in 2016, turning into a world-famous movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely worth a watch! I remember watching it for the very first time at my best friend’s house in 2017, before I ever visited Japan. At the time, I had no idea that so many locations in the movie were based on real-life locations in Japan!
Hida-Furukawa was one of these locations, being the hometown of one of the main characters. And quite a few spots are shown in the movie exactly as they are in real life!
When I visited Hida, I managed to visit quite a few (see the pictures below). When stopping by the Hida Furukawa Sakura Gift Shop, we noticed a full display with all the locations and pictures of them!
There are quite a few places in Tokyo used in the movie too! Including the stairs at Suga Shrine, the National Art Centre, and more. You can find them here.
From the Hida Furukawa Sakura Gift Shop, make sure you walk a little further to cross the Imamiya Bashi Bridge for some lovely views. Especially in autumn, the colours are incredible! Next door, you can also find Shinsō-ji Temple, which is worth stopping by.
7. Write in the Guest Notebook at Hida-Furukawa Station
Before heading back to Takayama, head to the train station to find the town’s guest book. For such a small town, it’s so lovely to see so many different people from all over the world visiting.
I assume they change the books over whenever they’re full, so you may not be able to find my note in there, but please let me know if you do!
How to Get to Hida-Furukawa From Takayama
Hida-Furukawa is very close to Takayama, so adding it as a (half-)day trip is a great idea. Getting there is very easy, but your route depends on your choice of transport:
- Train: The easiest way to get to Hida-Furukawa from Takayama is by local train. It only takes around 15 minutes, but there is only one train every 1–2 hours, so it’s important to check the train times before your day out.
- Bus: From Takayama Station, you can also get the Nohi Bus to Hida-Furukawa. It takes around 30–40 minutes to reach Hida-Furukawa and runs once or twice per hour.
- Car: From Takayama, it’s about a 20-25 minute drive to Hida-Furukawa (around 15km). There are multiple parking spots in the town too.
On my visit to Hida-Furukawa, the train times didn’t line up, so I took the bus to Hida-Furukawa and took the train back. I’d definitely suggest checking the train times ahead of time, so you can use the train, as it’s by far the easiest and quickest way to get there.
From Hida-Furukawa Station, everything is reachable on foot, so there is no need for a rental car (unless you’re using the car to get to other places afterwards, or are on an onward road trip).
Hida-Furukawa FAQ
How Long Do You Need to Visit Hida-Furukawa?
Half a day, or one full day, is enough to explore Hida-Furukawa. It’s a great (half-)day trip from Takayama, as it’s easily accessible. The town isn’t very big, so one day is more than enough.
How to Get to Hida Furukawa From Takayama
You can either take a train from Takayama to Hida-Furukawa, which takes 16 minutes. As the train doesn’t run very frequently, you can also get the bus from Takayama Station to get to Hida-Furukawa, which takes 45 minutes.
Should You Visit Takayama or Hida-Furukawa?
Both Takayama and Hida-Furukawa are worth visiting. They have a very similar atmosphere, but Takayama is bigger and has more to see and do. However, Takayama does get very busy during the day, whereas Hida-Furukawa is still very quiet. If you want to avoid the crowds, Hida-Furukawa is a better choice.
Final Thoughts on Hida-Furukawa
Hida-Furukawa was probably the biggest surprise during my time in Gifu Prefecture. I liked Takayama, but I’m very happy that we had extra time to also go see other places like Hida Furukawa.
I actually much preferred Hida Furukawa over Takayama because it was so much quieter and it felt way more authentic. The traditional streets in Takayama have been transformed into souvenir shops, catering mainly to tourists. While I understand there is a demand there, I liked the original feel of Hida Furukawa much better.
The Japanese Alps are some of the most beautiful spots in Japan, and if you’re planning to visit this area, also check out my Kanazawa itinerary and guide on visiting Shirakawa-go. Or, if you want to add a more active activity to your itinerary, you should consider hiking part of the Nakasendo through Gifu and Nagano Prefecture!
