Monday Dog Blogging

Dog (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Seen as we were checking out the various shops on this particular street.

Takayama Sightems #4: Cat Statue, Morning Fog

Cat Statue (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Morning Fog (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Last morning in Takayama: chilly and foggy. After visiting the morning market, we checked out of our hotel, walked over to the train station (without luggage, which was on its way to Kyoto) and boarded the train (somehow unaccountably late) for Nagoya.

Takayama Sightems #3: Dried Flowers, Leaf

Dried Flowers, Bicycle (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Maple Leaf, Pine Needles (Takayama) - Japan  2024

I think it was Hali that noticed the basket of dried flowers. Leaf and pine needles were seen walking by moss-covered temple steps.

Takayama Sightems #2: Miyagawa River, Morning Market

Miyagawa River, Sunrise (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Morning Market (Takayama) - Japan  2024

We bought something at the market, but I can't remember what.

EDIT: Per Hali, in the comments: "We got some dried Persimmons, fresh Apples, and Pastries. I think there was one more thing, but I can't remember now."

Takayama Sightems #1: Gate, Flowers, Figurines

Gate (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Flowers (Takayama) - Japan  2024

"Hida-Takayama is one of those rare destination gems that reward the intrepid traveler willing to take the road (somewhat) less traveled. Its commitment to cultural and historical preservation educates and inspires. Surrounded by mountains, it’s a gateway to the natural, untainted beauty of Japan. It’s walkable, friendly, and leaves an outsized impression."

Figurines, Self-Portrait (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Monday Eastern Spot-Billed Duck Blogging

Eastern Spot-Billed Ducks (Takayama) - Japan  2024

As seen in Takayama's Miyagawa River. They've been on the blog before, so it was pretty easy for me to ID the birds.

Hida Express to Takayama

River from Train - Japan  2024

Fields, Houses, Clouds - Japan  2024

Some photos taken from the Hida Express train from Nagoya to Takayama.

We last visited Takayama in 2016. We were supposed to go there in 2023, but typhoon-related weather canceled that idea.

This time our plan was to use Takayama as a base for a couple of side trips. We located our hotel pretty easily, walking there luggage free! (We had used a luggage forwarding service to ship our suitcases from Tokyo to Takayama. Worked perfectly . . . would recommend for any future Japan trips.)

Walking to our hotel we couldn't help but notice the crowds jamming into the main tourist streets in town. But we weren't surprised. After a Family Mart dinner we went for a short walk in the evening after the crowds thinned out.

Night Street (Takayama) - Japan  2024

Japan Culinary Adventure (29): Takayama Food Tour

Sake Being Cooled (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Horse Screen at Tofu Establishment (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Nice event. Masayo led the tour through small sake brewerys, tofu and miso production plants with samples at all stops. Then, a little break at a coffee shop where Mike sampled rice dumplings, cookies and a cafe au lait.

Alas, no photo here of the actual group, for that, you will have to visit Dan's site.

Cafe au Lait, Dumplings (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Menu (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Outside Takayama

Evening Forest (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Abandoned Building (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Scenes found while walking around our ryokan outside Takayama. The area was just a little bit dilapidated and overgrown, but not without its charm.

Wandering through the evening forest Mike came upon a hidden pond, a single koi slowly swimming back and forth. He found the enveloping darkness to be just a little bit . . . , hm, eerie. One thinks of the Japanese aesthetic term, yūgen:

Yūgen (幽玄) is an important concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics. The exact translation of the word depends on the context. In the Chinese philosophical texts the term was taken from, yūgen meant "dim", "deep" or "mysterious".

Evening Pond, Koi (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Takayama Morning (Video)

Takayama AM, October, 2016 from Mike Mundy on Vimeo.

Early morning iPhone video clips, strung together.

Takayama Sightems

Takayama Jinya (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Super Hotel (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Top: Takayama Jinya, old government complex. Good central meeting place. Next: Super Hotel at night.

Below: School bus, perspective corrections in Photoshop.

School Bus (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Takayama

Takayama, Pampas Grass - Japan  2016

Train Tracks (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Takayama is surrounded by mountains, giving the impression that its elevation is higher than it actually is (1844 ft.). Population is a little over 92000. I've learned by now not to be surprised at the amount of highrises in small touristy Japanese cities.

Language note: I pronounced Takayama like almost two words put together: "taka" and "yama." But the woman on the loudspeaker on the train pronounced it as one word: "TaKAyama." Interesting.