Rural area

There is a nothing better than a clear blue sky to start a new day. My hotel is more than 3 km away from the town center but I actually really enjoy riding along that river everyday.

Takayama rituals. Riding a bicycle is a meditation. I really enjoy doing that especially in Japan. The landscapes are beautiful and the people are respectful. It feels safe and good 🙂

In Takayama there is two morning markets. I wanted to check the other one , the Miyagaya morning market.

Miyagaya moning market along the river. This one looks much bigger than the Jinyamae.

There is no doubt this market is popular.

Crowded market but in a very nice atmosphere.
Japan is a quiet country and you can feel that almost everywhere. I have never felts oppressed despite the masses around me. Japanese style.

This market had a lot to offer. From craft shops to local veggies / fruits and some mouth watering food stalls. It was time for breakfast.

Takoyaki !

Taiyaki , my favorite sweet in Japan. Theses are small fish shapped waffles with a filling inside. I tried sweet potatoes , chocolate and my favorite one , custard.

In Japan if you want to know where are the good places to eat simply look around. The longer the queue the more chances to find amazing food. I spoted a long queue from the distance , what can than be ?

After 10 min of waiting there you go , homemade caramel pudding. The rules about the queue really worked out , this tasted awesome.

Another long queue , what can that be this time.

Expresso coffee cookie food stall. Here you could buy a cup of expresso made out of … “biscuits” !

I wanted to give this a try. The biscuit had an inner coating of sugar. You had to wait a few seconds that the mixture melts before drinking it. The coffee was a blend of 6  different beans from all over the world. The owner was passionated about it.

Sugar and caffeine. What a great way to start your day Greg.

Eating the cup was fun , also the owners will fill up your cup with “chantilly”. This was a nice experience, I had so much energy after that. I have find something that will canalize my energy in a good way.

In Takayama there is two walking course advertised on the “official map for tourists”. The one i’m doing this morning is called the “Higashiyama walking course”. It’s said that you can do it in 2 hours. During this walk you’ll go throught nice temples and toward a more rural area of Takayama. It’s a great way to discover that little town.

After a fews temples the walk will lead you toward nice rural places. This walk is so enjoyable.

Entrance of another temple. In Japan I have noticed a strong connection between temples and nature. It all feels harmonious and somehow very inviting.

From there you could spot some white mountains.

The second part of the walk will lead you in the heart of rural Takayama. I enjoyed taking my time there. This chilled atmosphere felts right to me. If you take 1-2 days in a place your mind wont be as receptive as if you take more time. Quality rules over quantity. More times means being more open to the overall experience. It means allowing more input coming to you. The experience feels richer as a result. Takayama feels like a gift right now.

Rural Takayama , a different pace of life. The simple way of living.
The walk was meant to last 2 hours according to the map but I didnt wanted this walk to stop. I might have spend 3 hours there.

The recipe of happiness : time , space and love.

The last part of the walking course was going throught a nice wood which turned out to be a park.

Mountain views.

Takayama is surrounded but theses white mountains. On a clear blue sky like today you could really notic them. This walk is a must do in Takayama. It will give you a good feel of rural Japan while enjoying good nature and temples along the way.

It was time for a late lunch and I already knew where to go. My eyes always remain wide open when I dive in a new city. If you look around you might spot nice restaurants or cafés. Today i’m going to try “Tomy muesli”.

After many conversations with Tom the owner I got to understand this place better. Tom is born in German-Swiss but lives in Takayama since 30 year now. Him and her Japanese wife created this restaurants which have many attractive vegetarian food on the menu. Let’s order something.

Veg dry curry.

All the products from this dish were from Tom’s farm. All organic and super yummy. It’s the first time I ate kale in Japan. For dessert I tried a Swiss speciality called “Engadiner Nusstorte”. Behind that rought german name lies a heavenly good walnut cake. The inside was made of this wallnut paste which gave a rich nutty flavor. I’m glad I tried it. This restaurant stand out quite a bit in Japan. It feels different but I really enjoyed that vibe. Fusion cuisine always is interesting.

The good thing about having an “electrical” bicycle is that distance doesn’t put you off. I heard of an impressive exhibition hall far away from the city center. With the good old bike you can easily reach your destinations. You might even catch some sweet sceneries on the way.

The freedom that gives you a bicycle is just like this picture. Spacious and beautiful.

After a 30 min ride I have reached the museum I wanted to go to. Located outside of Takayama’s city center, the Matsuri no Mori (“Festival Forest”) showcases the key aspects of the Takayama Festival, which takes place for two days each spring and autumn. The festival is known as one of Japan’s three most beautiful.

At the main exhibition space, a number of magnificent, life-sized replica floats are displayed, offering visitors a close view at their elaborate designs and decorations.

The replica of theses floats were stunning.

The hall as a special vibe to it. It’s actually located under the ground. Take a look at the map.

Matsuri no Mori hall.

This exibition wasn’t a place you’ll spend hours. There is 6 main floats showcased in the main room. This was nice but I felt this was too short. It gave me glimpses of this Takayama festival. This must be an epic moment to experience. The weird thing about this museum is the “puppets shows” that take place every 10 minutes. The museum uses machine-operated ones for demonstration performances. To me it all felt a bit strange nevertheless funny. It gave me the inspiration to come back to Takayama to experience this festival (with real human being this time).

The museum being quite far and fairly limited I will not recommand it to people. I enjoyed it but partialy because I really enjoyed the bicycle part ^^ Try to go the actual Festival instead. If you cann’t , just rent a bicycle !

Time to head back home before it gets too dark. On the way back the mountain summits were turning into pink. What a gorgeous show but my camera could’nt get good pictures.

On the way back my all attention got lost in front of a souvenir shop name. I had to stop and figured out … why ?

If you speak French you might laught with me ^^ I’m sure this name sounds very elegant in Japan but put that shop name in France .. Excuse my lack of maturity 🙂

Takayama and his “Châteraisé” souvenir shop feels perfect right now . This town has a human scale size and there is plenty to do here therefore it makes it an ideal destination. In Takayama you can relax while discovering the Japanese culture. I also really enjoy the fresh air of the mountains. This place feels very different to what I’ve seen so far. It’s a place every “Japan first timers” should go to. I loved Japan’s big cities but I’m enjoying even more the smallest town. in smaller towns you’ll still get good proximity with nature. More proximity with the earth also means more connection with the people around. It all feels more organic to me. This is of course very subjective as we are all different when it comes to preferences.

For the next day I’m planning to go a smaller town that retains a similar feel than Takayama. The nearby Hida-Furakawa.

Peace