After Tokyo, we took a short two day trip to Takayama, a small town in the "Japanese Alps." We stayed in a small Japanese style inn. Takayama is picturesque and rural with an authentic old town and morning farmers markets. There are local artisans, woodcarvers, sake breweries, and farmers. A specialty of Takayama cuisine is Hoba Miso grilled Hida Beef, cooked on a magnolia leaf over a charcoal brazier. A highlight was a trip to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historic value. The village is noted for its old "Gassho-Zukuri" style houses with steep thatched roofs that resemble hands in prayer. On September 26th we arrived in Kyoto. We took a long walk through neighborhoods surrounding several temples including Kiyomizu-dera, Chion-in, Yasaka-jinja. For dinner on Sunday we went to an Okonomiyaki restaurant and on Monday we went to a kaiten sushi restaurant. Many more sights to see in only a few days. Here are more pictures!
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| Rice fields on the way to Takayama |
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| Our room at the Rickshaw Inn |
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| Our room at the Rickshaw Inn |
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| Yukata provided by the Inn |
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| Takayama Old Town. "San-Machi" |
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| Made to order Taiyaki with Azuki beans and Chestnuts |
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| Delicious Taiyaki |
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| Wood-working craftsman (over 50 years of experience) |
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| One of many Takayama bridges |
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| Nakabashi over the Miyagawa |
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| Homegrown chilli peppers rice stalks |
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| Seasonings being made at Takayama farmers market |
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| Delicious local ringo (apple) |
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| Sake at Suzuya Restaurant before Hoba Miso |
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| Hida Beef Yaki |
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| Hida Beef Yaki - Suzuya Restaurant |
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| Shirakawa-go |
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| Local chilli peppers |
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| Manual rice harvest |
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| Scarecrow pose |
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| Rice field ready for harvest |
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| Picturesque Shirakawa-go |
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| Above the Shokawa next to Shirakawa-go |
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| Yaki-udon, Sukiyaki style, at the Donguri Restaurant, Kyoto |
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| Okonomiyaki, Donguri Restaurant |
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| In Goeido of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-Ha |
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| Overlook at Kiyomizu Temple |
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| Peaceful walk down Ishibei-Koji |
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| Maruyama-Koen |
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| Maruyama-Koen |
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| Japan's largest bell at Chion-in |
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| Kaiten sushi, Kyoto |
