Can You Explore Takayama on Foot? My Experience Without a Car

If you’re staying around Takayama Station and mainly want to explore central Takayama, I don’t think you need to rent a car.

I spent about three months in Takayama without one, and I never used a bus or taxi to get around the city.

Most of the places I regularly visited were close enough to walk between, including the Old Town, Miyagawa Morning Market, Takayama Jinya and the temples and shrines around the centre.

I actually enjoyed getting around this way. Takayama was compact enough that walking wasn’t just how I got from one place to another. It was also how I found places I probably wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

I Never Used a Bus or Taxi Around Central Takayama

During my three months there, I got around central Takayama entirely on foot.

I was staying near Takayama Station, which made that particularly easy. There were supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants and other everyday shops within walking distance, so even outside sightseeing, I didn’t feel that I needed a car.

For visitors, the useful thing is that many of Takayama’s main sights are also concentrated around the centre.

I regularly walked between places such as the Old Town, Takayama Jinya, Miyagawa Morning Market, Hida Kokubunji and Sakurayama Hachimangu.

I wouldn’t normally think about how to get between them. I’d just walk.

Takayama does have sightseeing buses, so walking certainly isn’t your only option. The official tourism site publishes routes and timetables for the buses that run around the city. 

But for exploring the centre, I personally never needed them.

Walking Was Also How I Got to Know Takayama

On my days off, I often went out without much of a plan.

I’d walk through the Old Town, along the Miyagawa River or towards Sakurayama Hachimangu and the Higashiyama area. Sometimes I’d open Google Maps, notice a shrine or temple nearby and make a detour.

Other times I’d take a road simply because I hadn’t walked down it before.

That was how I ended up seeing more than just the main tourist streets.

If you’re only in Takayama for a short time, you obviously don’t need to wander around as much as I did. But I do think the compact size of the centre makes it a good place to explore on foot rather than trying to move between every attraction as quickly as possible.

If you’re interested in the temples and shrines I found while doing this, I’ve written about them separately in my Shrines & Temples in Takayama guide.

Hida Folk Village Is Walkable — But I Wouldn’t Recommend Walking There

I did walk from around Takayama Station to Hida Folk Village.

From what I remember, it took me roughly 30 minutes.

The later part of the walk is uphill, and unlike walking around the Old Town, you’re heading away from the main sightseeing area and through a more ordinary part of town.

I didn’t mind it. I like walking, had plenty of time and was interested in seeing parts of Takayama outside the tourist centre.

But that doesn’t mean I’d recommend the same thing to everyone.

If you’re visiting for a limited amount of time, I’d probably take the bus instead and save your walking for the centre. Takayama’s official tourism site also includes Hida Folk Village on its sightseeing bus routes from the bus centre beside Takayama Station. 

I’ve written more about the village itself in my Hida Folk Village guide.

One Longer Walk I Would Recommend: Hida Alps Sky Park

One place outside the main tourist area that I would consider walking to is Hida Alps Sky Park.

From what I remember, it took me around 20 to 30 minutes to get there.

The park is on higher ground, so there is some uphill walking towards the end, but I didn’t find it particularly difficult or long.

What made it worthwhile for me was the view.

After spending most of my time walking at street level, I could suddenly look down over Takayama and see the mountains surrounding it.

The official tourism site describes the park as sitting at around 570 metres above sea level, with views across Takayama towards the mountains of the Northern Alps. 

There weren’t many people there when I visited. I mostly remember people out for a walk, and I could take my time looking over the town.

Personally, I’d go after you’ve already seen the Old Town and the main sights rather than prioritising it first.

One caution if you’re visiting in winter: the official tourism site says the final road and car park are not cleared of snow and can become icy, and advises pedestrians to use appropriate footwear and take care. 

What About Shirakawa-go Without a Car?

I didn’t visit Shirakawa-go while I was in Takayama, so I can’t tell you what that journey is like from personal experience.

But you don’t need to rent a car just because you’re planning to go there.

Buses run from Takayama Nohi Bus Center, next to Takayama Station, to Shirakawa-go. The current operator information puts the journey at about 50 minutes, with some services requiring reservations. 

If Shirakawa-go is part of your trip, I’d check the latest timetable and reservation requirements directly with the bus operator rather than relying on an old timetable in a blog post.

Check the current Takayama–Shirakawa-go bus information

So, Do You Need a Car in Takayama?

If a friend told me they were staying near Takayama Station for two nights and asked whether they should rent a car, I’d say no.

For central Takayama, I don’t think it’s necessary.

I spent three months getting around the city centre without a car, bus or taxi, and most places I wanted to visit were close enough to walk between.

There are exceptions. Hida Folk Village is walkable, but I’d probably use the bus if I were visiting Takayama for only a couple of days. And if you want to explore much further outside the centre, having a car could obviously give you more flexibility.

But if your plan is mainly Takayama Station, the Old Town, the markets, Takayama Jinya and the temples and shrines around the centre, I’d be perfectly happy doing it on foot.

For the places I’d prioritise on a first trip, I’ve put everything together in my Takayama Travel Guide.

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