Hida-Furukawa
飛騨古川
A quiet town north of Takayama where white-walled storehouses reflect in the Seto River, home to over a thousand koi. It's also a filming location for the anime film Your Name.
Hida-Furukawa lies in Hida City, about 15 minutes from Takayama by JR, and is a quieter castle town than Takayama itself. Its best-known scene is the Seto River and white-walled storehouse street: a small waterway dug in the Edo period runs past white earthen-walled storehouses, and over a thousand koi swim in it from spring through autumn (they move to ponds for the winter). Together with old temples and lattice-wood houses, it's perfect for a slow stroll and photos. The town also has the Hida-Furukawa Festival Hall, which displays Furukawa Festival floats and shows 3D films and karakuri puppet performances, with admission about ¥1,000. There is also the Mishima wax candle shop, over 200 years old and still making candles by hand, and the sake breweries Horai and Shiro-Mayumi. Several scenes in the anime film Your Name are based on Hida-Furukawa, and JR Hida-Furukawa Station, Ketawaka-Wakamiya Shrine and Hida City Library are all pilgrimage spots for fans. At the Furukawa Festival on April 19–20 each year, hundreds of bare-chested men haul giant drums and race for position in the “Okoshi Daiko” ritual, designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Access: about 15 minutes by JR Takayama Main Line from Takayama to Hida-Furukawa, then 5 minutes on foot to the old town. Plan for half a day.
Opening hours
Open all day (shops about 09:00–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Senko-ji Temple
- Hida Folk Village
- Hida Kokubun-ji
- Yoshijima Heritage House
- Kusakabe Folk Museum
- Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine & Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall
- Miyagawa Morning Market
- Hida Takayama Showa-kan