Getting There
By Train -- The easiest way to reach Takayama is by direct train from Nagoya, with about eight departures daily for the 2 1/4-hour trip that costs ¥5,360 ($45/£22) for an unreserved seat. There's also one direct train a day from Osaka via Kyoto, which takes about 5 hours and costs ¥7,560 ($63/£32).
By Bus -- Buses depart Tokyo's Shinjuku Station four to six times daily spring through autumn, arriving in Takayama 5 1/2 hours later and costing ¥6,500 ($54/£27). There are fewer departures in winter, when snowfall sometimes makes roads impassable. From Matsumoto, the Highland Express Bus (tel. 0263/35-7400 in Matsumoto, or 0577/32-1160 in Takayama) passes through mountain scenery on the 2 1/4-hour trip and costs ¥3,100 ($26/£13).
Visitor Information
Before you depart from Tokyo or Narita or Kansai airports, stop by the Tourist Information Center for the excellent "Takayama and Shirakawago" leaflet (or download it from JNTO's website at www.jnto.go.jp), which contains maps and sightseeing information. In Takayama, the tourist office (tel. 0577/32-5328; daily 8:30am-6:30pm, to 5pm Nov-Mar) is housed in a wooden booth just outside the main (east) exit of Takayama Station. You can pick up an English-language brochure with a map of the town showing the location of all museums and attractions. You can also use the tourist office's laptop for free Internet access, but you have to stand.
More information is available at www.hida.jp/english.
Getting Around
Takayama is one of Japan's easiest towns to navigate. Most of its attractions lie east of the train station in San-machi Suji and are easily reached from the station in about 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Throughout the town are English-language signs pointing directions to the many attractions; they're even embedded in sidewalks and streets. An alternative is to rent a bicycle from one of the many shops ringing the station, Timely (tel. 0577/35-5377; daily 10am-5pm) rents bikes for ¥200 ($1.65/85p) an hour or ¥1,200 ($10/£5) for the day.
To reach Hida Folk Village and Hida Takayama Museum of Art, you'll have to go by bus, which departs from platform 6 at the bus station to the left of the main exit of the train station. Better yet, ask at the tourist Information Center for the free London Bus (operated by the Museum of Art only for museum customers Apr-Oct), which departs from Takayama Station three or four times a day. From the museum it's about a 10-minute walk to the folk village.
