Hida Folk Village
飛騨の里
An open-air museum, "Hida no Sato" (Hida Folk Village), spread across a hillside in western Takayama. About 30 gassho-zukuri houses and storehouses from the Edo to Meiji periods, relocated and restored from across the Hida region, are arranged amid a satoyama landscape with a pond, including four buildings designated national Important Cultural Properties that visitors can enter and explore. Unlike Shirakawa-go, it's only about a 10-minute drive from central Takayama, and features hands-on workshops for weaving and plant dyeing along with exhibits on the skills of Hida's master carpenters. In winter, a fantastical illumination event lights up the frozen pond, making it popular with travelers who can't make it to Shirakawa-go but still want to experience the world of gassho-zukuri architecture.
An open-air museum gathering old houses from across Hida
Hida no Sato is an open-air museum gathering about 30 relocated and restored buildings from the Edo to Meiji periods across the Hida region, including houses, storehouses, and water mills. Of the building group, which includes gassho-zukuri houses, four are designated national Important Cultural Properties, and visitors can actually enter the buildings to see the sunken hearths, everyday tools, and traces of silkworm cultivation.
A gassho-zukuri village easily reached from central Takayama
While Shirakawa-go takes about 50 minutes by bus from central Takayama, Hida no Sato is only about 10 minutes by car or bus from JR Takayama Station, making it a popular spot to experience the atmosphere of gassho-zukuri houses even with limited time. The grounds feature a pond and rural scenery, offering a pleasant stroll through the satoyama landscape in every season.
Hands-on workshops and winter illumination
The grounds include workshops for traditional craft experiences such as plant dyeing, weaving, and making saru-bobo dolls, along with exhibits introducing the skills of Hida's master carpenters. Nighttime illumination is held each winter, offering a fantastical view of the gassho-zukuri village adorned with snow and light (dates vary by year; check the official website).
Seasonal Highlights
🌸 Spring (Mar-May)
A season when fresh greenery and the pond's mirror-like surface beautifully set off the gassho-zukuri houses.
🌿 Summer (Jun-Aug)
The grounds, wrapped in deep green, are also well suited to a stroll that doubles as a retreat from the heat.
🍁 Autumn (Sep-Nov)
Autumn leaves color the old houses, creating a quintessential satoyama landscape.
❄️ Winter (Dec-Feb)
The snow-covered gassho-zukuri houses and the limited-time nighttime illumination are especially popular.
Visit Tips
- Suggested duration
- About 60-90 minutes to tour the grounds
- Crowd levels
- Parking gets crowded on weekends during the autumn-leaf season and winter illumination period
- Best time to visit
- Right after opening in the morning, or right after the winter illumination begins
| Address | 1-590 Kami-okamoto-machi, Takayama, Gifu |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:30-17:00 (open year-round; extended evening hours during the winter illumination period) |
| Admission | Adults ¥700, elementary/junior high students ¥200 |
| Official Website | Visit official website |
Access
- 0 min walk from JR Takayama Station (Sarubobo Bus to the "Hida no Sato" bus stop, or about 10 minutes by car)