TAKAYAMA
Farmstay, farm activities and local sightseeing
Hida-Takayama Farmstay Experience
Takayama is a city in Japan's mountainous Gifu Prefecture. The narrow streets of its Sanmachi Suji historic district are lined with wooden merchants’ houses dating to the Edo Period, along with many small museums. The city is famed for its biannual Takayama Festival, going back to at least the mid-1600s, celebrating spring and fall with parades featuring ornate, gilded floats and puppet shows.
Minshuku Mizunoso provides a journey to the countryside and nature allowing students to relax and experience life in a warm family-like atmosphere with plenty of hands-on activities.
NIGHT ACTIVITY
Flying squirrel spotting at Hida Takayama Minashi Shrine
TAKAYAMA FARMSTAY EXPERIENCE
EXAMPLE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
Arrive at Minshuku Mizunoso early afternoon.
*From Nagoya to the traditional inn is about 3hrs by train and local bus.
Experience life on the farm and skills living in a natural environment. Students try traditional fishing, fish-grabbing with bare hands. (Mountain trout).
After bath-time, enjoy dinner cooked using local products.
Students will enjoy a night hike through the local area.
Free time then retire to bed.
DAY 2
Wake-up at 7am and enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Learn about the fresh local produce and farming practices by harvesting tomatoes.
Learn and experience soba making and then pound and make mochi (rice cakes) from the locally harvested rice.
Lunch will consist of five different types of rice cakes.
Spend the afternoon travelling by train to Takayama and sightseeing with a local guide.
Return to the farm and freshen up at bath-time.
Then enjoy a BBQ dinner.
Observe the evening flying squirrels at Hida Ichinomiya Minashi Shrine.
Free time then retire to bed.
DAY 3
Wake-up at 7am and enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Travel to Takayama Bus Center for a day-trip to the historic village, Shirakawago. This town, set in the mountains is famous for gassho-zukuri style farmhouses.
Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.
Transfer back to Mizunoso to meet the Inn owner.
After a bath, enjoy a local Hida Beef Dinner.
Free time and then retire to bed.
DAY 4
Wake-up at 7am and enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Farewell and depart Mizunoso at 9:30 and transfer to Takayama Bus Center for your departure.
Farming activities are subject to change depending on season.
SHIRAKAWAGO
Local sightseeing by bus