1 Day Private Charter Tour to Shirakawa-go & Takayama from Kanazawa
by Smile Tours
Choose from 5 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$575Overview
This is a one-day private charter tour from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go and Takayama, lasting about eight hours. Transportation is provided by a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver, including air conditioning and bottled water. Fuel surcharges apply separately. The itinerary is flexible, allowing guests to add one or two additional sites beyond the main stops if desired. The tour begins with a two-hour visit to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs. Visitors can walk freely through the village and surrounding countryside. Next is a 20-minute stop at the Ogimachi Castle Old Site Observatory, which offers a panoramic view of Shirakawa-go village. The tour continues with a 40-minute visit to the Wada House, a preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouse where visitors can observe architectural details. Afterward, there is about one hour to explore the Hida Minzoka Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato), an open-air museum displaying over 30 traditional houses from the Edo period relocated from the Hida region. In Takayama, the Takayama Jinya government office museum is open for a one-hour visit, featuring tatami rooms, an interrogation room, and a large storehouse with historical artifacts and documents. The tour includes a 45-minute walk through Kamisannomachi, a historic district with narrow streets, traditional shops, and local crafts and foods such as Hida beef and sake. Finally, there is a 30-minute visit to Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple, which has a three-story pagoda built in 1820, a Buddhist statue from the Heian period, and a ginkgo tree over 1,260 years old. Entrance fees, lunch, and snacks are not included in the tour price.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go Gassho Style Houses
Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs. Visitors have two hours to walk freely throughout the village and surrounding countryside at their own pace. The stop includes time for a lunch featuring mountain cuisine, though lunch is not included in the tour price.
120 min
Ogimachi Castle Old Site Observatory
This observatory offers a unique elevated view of Shirakawa-go village. Visitors spend 20 minutes here to see the traditional village rooftops and layout from the best vantage point.
20 min
Wada House
Visitors can enter the Wada House, a gassho-zukuri farmhouse, to examine its architectural features. Admission fees are 400 yen for adults and junior high school students, 200 yen for elementary school children. Groups of 20 or more adults pay 350 yen each. Disabled adults with a certificate pay 200 yen.
40 min
Hida Minzoka Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato)
This open-air museum features over 30 traditional houses from the Hida region, dating to the Edo Period. The buildings were relocated to the site in 1971 to form a village-like setting. Visitors have about one hour to explore structures including former village head’s house, logging huts, storehouses, and gassho-zukuri farmhouses moved from Shirakawa-go.
60 min
Takayama Jinya
Takayama Jinya served as the local government office under the Tokugawa Shogunate from 1692 until 1969. Visitors have an hour to explore tatami mat rooms formerly used as offices, conference rooms, guest rooms, and residences. The site includes an interrogation room and a large storehouse from the 1600s, now a museum displaying feudal documents, maps, and belongings of past lords.
60 min
Kamisannomachi
This area is known for its narrow streets lined with willow trees and traditional architecture featuring latticed windows and wooden facades. Visitors spend about 45 minutes browsing shops selling local crafts, sweets, Hida beef, and sake.
45 min
Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple
Located about a five-minute walk from JR Takayama Station, this Buddhist temple features a three-story pagoda built in 1820. The main hall houses a Buddhist statue from the Heian period. The temple grounds include a ginkgo tree estimated to be over 1,260 years old. Visitors spend 30 minutes at this site.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
1 Day Private Charter Tour to Shirakawa-go & Takayama from Kanazawa
by Smile Tours
Choose from 5 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$575Overview
This is a one-day private charter tour from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go and Takayama, lasting about eight hours. Transportation is provided by a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver, including air conditioning and bottled water. Fuel surcharges apply separately. The itinerary is flexible, allowing guests to add one or two additional sites beyond the main stops if desired. The tour begins with a two-hour visit to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs. Visitors can walk freely through the village and surrounding countryside. Next is a 20-minute stop at the Ogimachi Castle Old Site Observatory, which offers a panoramic view of Shirakawa-go village. The tour continues with a 40-minute visit to the Wada House, a preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouse where visitors can observe architectural details. Afterward, there is about one hour to explore the Hida Minzoka Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato), an open-air museum displaying over 30 traditional houses from the Edo period relocated from the Hida region. In Takayama, the Takayama Jinya government office museum is open for a one-hour visit, featuring tatami rooms, an interrogation room, and a large storehouse with historical artifacts and documents. The tour includes a 45-minute walk through Kamisannomachi, a historic district with narrow streets, traditional shops, and local crafts and foods such as Hida beef and sake. Finally, there is a 30-minute visit to Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple, which has a three-story pagoda built in 1820, a Buddhist statue from the Heian period, and a ginkgo tree over 1,260 years old. Entrance fees, lunch, and snacks are not included in the tour price.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go Gassho Style Houses
Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs. Visitors have two hours to walk freely throughout the village and surrounding countryside at their own pace. The stop includes time for a lunch featuring mountain cuisine, though lunch is not included in the tour price.
120 min
Ogimachi Castle Old Site Observatory
This observatory offers a unique elevated view of Shirakawa-go village. Visitors spend 20 minutes here to see the traditional village rooftops and layout from the best vantage point.
20 min
Wada House
Visitors can enter the Wada House, a gassho-zukuri farmhouse, to examine its architectural features. Admission fees are 400 yen for adults and junior high school students, 200 yen for elementary school children. Groups of 20 or more adults pay 350 yen each. Disabled adults with a certificate pay 200 yen.
40 min
Hida Minzoka Mura Folk Village (Hida no Sato)
This open-air museum features over 30 traditional houses from the Hida region, dating to the Edo Period. The buildings were relocated to the site in 1971 to form a village-like setting. Visitors have about one hour to explore structures including former village head’s house, logging huts, storehouses, and gassho-zukuri farmhouses moved from Shirakawa-go.
60 min
Takayama Jinya
Takayama Jinya served as the local government office under the Tokugawa Shogunate from 1692 until 1969. Visitors have an hour to explore tatami mat rooms formerly used as offices, conference rooms, guest rooms, and residences. The site includes an interrogation room and a large storehouse from the 1600s, now a museum displaying feudal documents, maps, and belongings of past lords.
60 min
Kamisannomachi
This area is known for its narrow streets lined with willow trees and traditional architecture featuring latticed windows and wooden facades. Visitors spend about 45 minutes browsing shops selling local crafts, sweets, Hida beef, and sake.
45 min
Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple
Located about a five-minute walk from JR Takayama Station, this Buddhist temple features a three-story pagoda built in 1820. The main hall houses a Buddhist statue from the Heian period. The temple grounds include a ginkgo tree estimated to be over 1,260 years old. Visitors spend 30 minutes at this site.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.