Our travel trip to Japan this time, we've planned to go to Shirakawa-go via Takayama. One of the historic village in Japan famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Departing from Tokyo to Kanazawa. We first stop at Toyama Station and transfer at Toyama to Takayama.
By using JR Pass Ordinary Car that can be ordered here. The cost required for a two-way trip from Tokyo to Takayama and back to Tokyo is about the same as the JR Pass. So we decided to buy a JR Pass that can be used while we're on Tokyo using the JR train.
Upon arrival, we actually reserved our seat for our trip to Takayama which can be ordered from JR office located at Narita Airport.
So we were given tickets from :
1. Omiya Station to Toyama departs at 7:46 am followed by,
2. Toyama Station goes to Takayama at 9:52 am
This is the best hour given by the officers and we also agree, because you will arrive at Takayama around lunch at 11:23 am and then continue the bus ride to Shirakawa-go and take a walk there some time.
Or maybe you can leave from Omiya Station to Toyama (point 1) earlier so do not rush to find the train location in Toyama. The earliest train from Omiya Station is around 6:42.
From Omiya, we boarded the Hokuriku Shinkansen train, a fast train in Japan that connects several cities in Japan. At least faster than using ground transportation such as bus/car. So a lot of Japanese people are using this transport.
From Omiya to go to Toyama, it takes about 104 minutes, depending on the type of train. There are several trains that have the same route but they stop in some stations so it takes a longer time than usual.
From Toyama to Takayama it takes about 89 minutes by JR HidaLimited Express train.
From Toyama to Takayama it takes about 89 minutes by JR HidaLimited Express train.
So fine, we admit that we walked a little relaxed that morning and never realized that we should really spare time to get to the destination station because we ended up on the wrong train. Also, lots of people passing by making us too difficult to walk, because we carry luggage and train stroller.
Do not underestimate the stations in Japan especially the big stations in Tokyo because every hour is always rush hour but morning and evening are the busiest.
Especially for those people carrying a baby with carrier / holding small children. They really do not really care, and will not give you priority to walk first or at least give way to pass. So you have to follow their pace if you do not to be bumped by everyone and also to cut the walking line.
So we found out we were on the wrong train when we were on the train. Actually, the intended destination is the same because it has the same route. The train that we rode had a lot of stops while the other train with the same line will just stop at a few stations.
As a result we were ten minutes late and that was very crucial for our next trip.
The train line we have to ride is: Utsunomiya Line
The wrong train line that we rode is: Keihintohoku Line
The officer actually asks us to go on the train track no 3 as we see at this link, but maybe we were lack of the information of the train that we rode.
So we got to Omiya station less than 5 minutes from the scheduled departure time, and actually, we could run fast and catch the train but somehow we got separated on the way up the stairs and we searched for each other. When we arrived at the train track, the train was not seen.
There are a lot of train schedules to Toyama station with the interval between 12 minutes to 1 hours. Train schedules can be seen here
Train Hokuriku Shinkansen actually originated from Tokyo station. We should be able to depart from Tokyo Station, but because we did not know before and have booked the reserved seat tickets from Omiya station.
After we were missed the train then, we also booked seats back through the ticket machine outside the stations, but we were only allowed to book seats for the train 1 hour from departure time.
Alternatively, we end up looking for free seats in the non-reserved train cars. There are a few of train cars that have non-reserved seats.
The train cars without reservations are usually located at numbers 1-4. But before that you can check on the TV screen or ask the officer.
This is what it looks like inside the train cars with free seats. If there is an empty chair you can quickly occupy the seat.
When we arrived at Toyama station, We had to get out of this Shinkansen train station to change to the JR HIDA train station. This is two different stations in the same area.
Entrance from JR HIDA train that we will be traveling from Toyama to Takayama is here.
Below is the entrance gate located next to South Gate counter at Toyama station.
Follow the direction above so we will take the train heading to Kanazawa (last stops) on train track 1.2.3.
Hida train schedule as seen below is Hida number 6,8,14,20
Hida train schedule as seen below is Hida number 6,8,14,20
Please follow the below directions.
JR Hida's train that we took comes faster about half an hour from the scheduled time. So if you are looking for a seat without reservations, you can come earlier from your departure time.
This time we sit at the seat number that we had reserved before.
There are two seats available for a passenger with a wheelchair. These seats are in the reserved train cars.
There are two seats available for a passenger with a wheelchair. These seats are in the reserved train cars.
Toilet inside JR HIDA trains. available in between the cars.
The view outside from our train seats is very beautiful. We passed many mountains as well as rivers with covered with snow. So here below is when we arrived at Takayama station.
If you want to continue your journey to Shirakawa-Go using Nohi Bus please head to East Exit at Bus Terminal below. I will post our trip to Shirakawa-Go at the next post.
Takayama during the daytime. Takayama's old town has been beautifully preserved, with many buildings, houses coming from the Edo Period (1600-1868) when the city grew as a rich merchant town.
Takayama at night also displays his own charm. Most local diners, restaurants, and shops will be closed early. Around 8:00 pm that time when we were looking for food, most were closed. The streets are also not too crowded with people and cars, just seen only tourists passing by at night.
If you are in Takayama, please try HIDA beef. That time because it was too late, we did not get to taste it because most of the restaurants there are closed early. We had passed one of the restaurants selling Hida Beef around 8.15 and they did not receive any more customers. So make sure if you want to try the HIDA beef, try to come early at dinner.
You may consider restaurant below for their Hida beef
1. Hida Steak Meal at Butchers table
2. Kitchen Hida
3. Ajikura Tengoku
4. Yakiniku Hida Hormone
5. Cafe Dining & Bar Sasuke
6. Manpuku-tei
7. Gyuman KihaChiro
8. Original Hida Gyuman Honpo
9. Rengakan Jasmine
10. Kotte Ushi
11. Sakaguchi-ya restaurant
Eventually, we just walk into any of the open restaurant/diners that night. We found one of the small diner at the corner. This is family business diner run by the old man and woman assisted with her daughter. But do not underestimate this small diner because the food is also tasty.
Look at the food below:
If you want to get around Hida Takayama, you can go to places of interest below.
You may consider restaurant below for their Hida beef
1. Hida Steak Meal at Butchers table
2. Kitchen Hida
3. Ajikura Tengoku
4. Yakiniku Hida Hormone
5. Cafe Dining & Bar Sasuke
6. Manpuku-tei
7. Gyuman KihaChiro
8. Original Hida Gyuman Honpo
9. Rengakan Jasmine
10. Kotte Ushi
11. Sakaguchi-ya restaurant
Eventually, we just walk into any of the open restaurant/diners that night. We found one of the small diner at the corner. This is family business diner run by the old man and woman assisted with her daughter. But do not underestimate this small diner because the food is also tasty.
Look at the food below:
It is a village of old people. We can see where and how they live.
One of the historic streets that have buildings that still look original from the Edo period.
Teddy Bear Museum has a teddy bear from around the world. This museum also allows us to take pictures with a teddy bear.
In this park, there are 100 bears with the different personality. There are Bear from Asia, Brown Bear. Visitors can feed the bear and take photos with baby bear.
This is one unique way of cycling. Which combines mountain bikes and railways. So we will ride on the tracks. There will be one pair of bikes, and we will be cycling while enjoying the weather and the beauty of nature.
For hot spring fans, this is one hot spring that has a large area with beautiful scenery.
We stayed at the budget hotel near JR Takayama station called Super Hotel
Upon arrival, they asked us to fill in the arrival card.
They do have hotspring separate for ladies /man.
The bed is a bunk bed. Although a small room but can accommodate 3 people.
We stayed at the budget hotel near JR Takayama station called Super Hotel
Upon arrival, they asked us to fill in the arrival card.
They do have hotspring separate for ladies /man.
The bed is a bunk bed. Although a small room but can accommodate 3 people.
We actually wanna explore more at Takayama on day 2 during daytime till afternoon and take the train back to Tokyo. But because of the weather, all the JR Hida train scheduled was canceled on that day. We were shocked and actually not prepared.
Lucky that we checked the train earlier, so they have another way to reroute us to go to Tokyo via Nagoya. And the train we took is actually the last train of the day at 10.30. But it took almost 6-7 hours journey (double journey time) on our journey back to Tokyo.
Passenger queue from Takayama. We queued up an hour earlier to get a seat.
Passenger queue from Takayama. We queued up an hour earlier to get a seat.
The train attendants are always dressed in neat clothes.
We took the normal train to Nagoya, the seat was limited and it similar to the normal train in Tokyo. The speed was normal also. So it took us 3-4 hours to reach Nagoya station via Takayama Line and Tokaido Line.
The train was crowded also. At the Gero station, there are a lot of older people coming in. Although not much seat left, they are really strong, they stand almost half of the journey. I've got give our seat to the old man who brings the walking sticks. The local people there are very kind-hearted, they give us seats when we met again at the next train that we changed.
The old lady that we never met before also offer Michelle a candy and help her to open her jackets.
So after we reached Nagoya stations we took our lunch at the nearby shopping center. After that then we continue our journey to Shinagawa by Shinkansen train to Shinagawa Station. The journey took 1.5-2 hours by Shinkansen.
If there is any chance to go back to Takayama, I will definitely go back. Because it is actually is a village with a charming and quiet neighborhood. It is relaxing place with beautiful view.
Thank you for reading ♡
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.
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