{"id":15426,"date":"2017-07-18T12:33:22","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T11:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=15426"},"modified":"2020-03-25T12:49:13","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T12:49:13","slug":"hida-furukawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/18\/hida-furukawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditional Japan: Hida Furukawa or Takayama?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Lily, one of our senior travel consultants, recently returned from Japan with a new, and unexpected, passion for a little place called\u00a0Hida Furukawa.<\/strong><br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<h1>Hida Furukawa: Everything Takayama wants to be\u2026<\/h1>\n<p>Nestled deep in Gifu prefecture, there lies a hidden cultural gem. A treasure trove of preserved craftsmanship and artisan know-how. There are well-preserved historical streets filled with stalls selling local wares and the freshest mountain produce.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Oh yes&#8221;, you say. &#8220;I\u2019ve heard of Takayama&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Famed for the spring and autumn festivals, delicious Hida beef and being a slice of \u2018authentic\u2019 Japan. But what if I told you there was another town in Gifu, just a measly 15 minutes away by train, that likewise had festivals, beef and authenticity?<\/p>\n<p>Hida Furukawa was a real surprise. Invited to investigate by the local tourism board, I was fully prepared to utter the obligatory &#8220;wows&#8221; for (what-I-thought-would-be) the little-sister sites of a town overshadowed by glorious Takayama. But I was so wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Hida Furukawa is everything Takayama wants to be. It&#8217;s quiet, beautiful and undiscovered. The canal area, Sanmachi, on a sunny day, rivals not just Takayama, but Kyoto\u2019s Gion and Kanazawa\u2019s Higashi Chaya. Just look at the pictures:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15429 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-720x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/photo-1-e1499701809343.jpg 972w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Note that there are\u00a0no people! In Takayama the streets are packed with tourists snapping away. If you want to get pictures of unspoilt streets and enjoy the calmness of strolling around next to koi carp and the odd cyclist, head to Hida.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That\u2019s all very well&#8221; you say, &#8220;but what about all the cool activities you can do in Takayama?&#8221;<\/p>\n<h1>Sake\u00a0breweries<\/h1>\n<p>Well, I have to report that Hida Furukawa does seem to offer what Takayama does, but better! I went on two sake tasting tours \u2013 one in Takayama in the morning and one in Hida in the afternoon (don\u2019t judge). Hida was the clear winner.<\/p>\n<p>In Takayama, there are so many people\u00a0that you can only\u00a0head in briefly to the very front room of the sake brewery. From here you drink the sake from a large fridge. After that there&#8217;s a rather brief explanation on what makes the sake more expensive. The mysteries of the process itself remain very much a mystery.<\/p>\n<p>In Hida, I was introduced to Mr. Darryl Cody Brailsford of the Watanabe Brewery, who has been brew-master there for 10 years. He gave me a (fluent English) account of the brewing process and showed the most passion for this clear spirit I have ever witnessed. We went into all the inner sanctums of the factory. I was encouraged to ask questions and take pictures. You can see some of them below:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15432 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-3.jpg 1378w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> You can\u2019t hear it, but in this room they were playing <em>Manzai<\/em> over the tannoy. <em>Manzai<\/em> is a traditional form of comedy based on high-speed banter, punctuated by lots of raucous laughing. Darryl told me that while more \u2018sober\u2019 breweries play classical music to the sake to \u2018harmonize the elements\u2019, the Watanabe\u2019s liked to do things differently. They hoped the laughter of the <em>Manzai<\/em> would enter into the sake and produce the same effect in those drinking it!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15434 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-720x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-900x1199.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-780x1039.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-4-e1499701839212.jpg 1034w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15435 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-720x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-900x1199.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-780x1039.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-5-e1499701853803.jpg 1034w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On this storage tank, we were encouraged to write a message of <em>ganbare<\/em>! or \u2018do your best!\u2019 to the hardworking sake. You can\u2019t see what I wrote, but I was so impressed (and a bit tipsy) I don\u2019t think it\u2019s very legible anyway\u2026 sorry sake!<\/p>\n<h1>How to get to\u00a0Hida Furukawa<\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15431 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-2.jpg 1236w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So maybe you are becoming convinced that Hida could be a pretty good place to visit. You\u00a0just have reservations about accessibility, local cuisine and the frequency of special events. Let me put your mind at rest on all three counts!<\/p>\n<p>Firstly, as mentioned Hida Furukawa really is only 15 minutes away from Takayama by Limited Express train! If you were initially planning to travel to Takayama from any major city by train, odds are it would be the same Limited Express that if you just stayed on, would take you straight to Hida. If you arrived in Takayama via Highway Bus (like I did \u2013 from Shirakawa-go), then you do have to change to the train in Takayama. But for only 560 yen and there are regular departures, Hida is a breeze to access! For the close proximity, I can\u2019t believe it is so infrequently visited.<\/p>\n<h1>Hida Furukawa beef<\/h1>\n<p>Secondly, on the beef-front. \u2018Hida\u2019 refers to a wide range of places in Gifu \u2013 technically Takayama is \u2018Hida Takayama\u2019 only shortened to \u2018Takayama\u2019 for ease-of-use. The reason people refer to Hida usually by the full name of \u2018Hida Furukawa\u2019 is to distinguish it from another \u2018Furukawa\u2019. Therefore, Hida beef can be easily found in both places and all around Gifu really. True, Takayama does have more restaurants and more signage about it, but I had equally delicious beef in both places.<\/p>\n<h1>Hida Furukawa festivals<\/h1>\n<p>Lastly, regarding festivals. While Takayama\u2019s are justly famed for being awesome spectacles, during festival time you literally cannot swing a cat in the city. Hotels are booked out months in advance and trains and streets are packed with tourists.<\/p>\n<p>Hida Furukawa has a festival on the 19th and 20th of April (very close to the dates of the Takayama spring <em>matsuri<\/em>) which is by no means less splendid. Although I can\u2019t claim to have seen this festival with my own eyes, I did see a 3D film of the festival in the \u2018Festival Floats Exhibition Hall\u2019 \u2013 which was nearly as good, honestly! It looked absolutely amazing.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that Hida Furukawa even has a \u2018Festival Floats Exhibition Hall\u2019 complete with 3D cinema is a point that shouldn\u2019t be overlooked. Nor the fact that I was whisked around by a highly professional and English-speaking contingent of Hida\u2019s very own tourism board. Hida folk are extremely proud of their small town and have invested so much into preserving it and celebrating it for visitors. It felt like they really wanted me to be there. This contrasts with Takayama which is just starting to, in my opinion, get a little fed up with the hordes of tourists. At one point in my tour of Hida, I was asked to admire the signposts that had obviously been only recently erected.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Oh yes&#8221;, I said honestly &#8220;they are very useful&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>My guide replied that when he had been in both London and Paris, he had studied the signs for tourists and tried to incorporate the designs back in Hida. Now that\u2019s dedication!<\/p>\n<h1>Conclusion: Hida Furukawa or Takayama?<\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-15437 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-720x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Photo-e1499701868959.jpg 937w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>All in all, Takayama is never going to stop being a really popular sightseeing destination and it does have an awful lot. Not to mention that it has\u00a0accommodation options that Hida just doesn\u2019t provide. Having been to both back-to-back, and knowing very well what people are really looking for up there in the rustic mountains, I have to say Hida wins out.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Take a trip to Hida Furukawa on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/i-asc\/autumn-splendour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Autumn Splendour<\/a>\u00a0self-guided itinerary, or ask us about adding it into your trip. We&#8217;ve heard that Lily knows quite a bit about that area&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F15426\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Lily, one of our senior travel consultants, recently returned from Japan with a new, and unexpected, passion for a little place called\u00a0Hida Furukawa. Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2360],"tags":[2158,2512,3224],"class_list":["post-15426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travellers-tales-from-japan","tag-takayama","tag-traditional-japan","tag-hida-furukawa"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15426"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26058,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15426\/revisions\/26058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}