Oct–NovA merchant town 15 minutes north of Takayama: white-walled storehouses, a canal of carp, two sake breweries and a festival with a drum night.
Hida-Furukawa (飛騨古川) is 15 minutes from Takayama by train (¥240). The sights are a 5-minute walk from the station: white-walled storehouses along the Seto River, about 1,000 carp (April to November), sake breweries and a museum of the 19–20 April festival. Half a day is enough.
Takayama's old streets are packed from 10:00 to 16:00. Hida-Furukawa has the same timber-and-sake character on a smaller scale, with a fraction of the visitors. Come after the Takayama morning markets, or on the Hida line between Toyama and Takayama: it is the stop before Takayama, so a through train needs no change. Takayama guide.
Everything in town is within walking distance of the station.
| Leg | Time | Fare | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takayama → Hida-Furukawa, local train | about 15 min | ¥240 | JR Takayama Line. One local roughly every 1–2 hours, so check the return. |
| Takayama → Hida-Furukawa, Hida limited express | about 15 min | ¥570 unreserved | Fewer trains. On the JR Pass and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass. |
| Station → Seto River and storehouses | 5 min on foot | free | The canal, festival hall and shrine are all within walking distance. |
Fares one way, 2026.
All within walking distance of Hida-Furukawa Station.
A canal runs past a street of white-walled storehouses, and about 1,000 carp swim in it. Feed them for ¥100 a go. The carp move to a pond at the Masujima castle ruins from late November to early April, because the canal carries snow-melt in winter, so the canal is empty in the cold months. In 2026 feeding began on 28 April.
The festival is on 19–20 April. On the night of the 19th men in loincloths carry a huge drum on a frame through town (Okoshi-daiko, 起し太鼓) while young men challenge it; on the 20th the floats and puppets come out. It is on UNESCO's list. The Matsuri Kaikan (飛騨古川まつり会館) shows three real floats, 4K film, and lets you play the drum, all year: ¥700, 9:00 to 17:00 (16:30 from December to February), closed 29 December to 3 January.
The 2016 anime film borrowed from the town: Hida-Furukawa Station is the model for the station Taki steps off at, the Hida City Library for the library scene, and Keta Wakamiya Shrine for the shrine he passes. Itomori itself is fictional. Hida City hands out a fan map at its tourist points.
Kaba Shuzojo (蒲酒造場, founded 1704) pours tastings in its shop. Watanabe Shuzoten (渡辺酒造店) makes Hōrai (蓬莱) and runs a one-hour brewery tour for ¥5,000 a person on weekdays, booked at least two weeks ahead by email to global@sake-hourai.co.jp.
A guided cycle through rice fields and farm hamlets with Satoyama Experience: the 3.5-hour Satoyama Cycling tour is from ¥14,300 a person and runs 20 March to 30 November. A guided town walk is from ¥15,400. Book ahead.
Covers the Hida train between Toyama, Hida-Furukawa, Takayama and Nagoya, and the Shirakawa-go buses. Worth it only for a longer loop: for this trip a ¥240 ticket is cheaper.
Find on Klook ↗A ryokan in Meiji-era buildings (the main wing dates from 1905), with a garden open-air bath and dinner and breakfast in private dining rooms.
Check rates ↗Out among peach orchards, with its own hot spring and a day-use bath next door. Plan a taxi from the station.
Check rates ↗Opened in 2020, with a hot-spring bath and a washer-dryer, microwave and mini kitchen in every room. The practical pick after a week on the road.
Check rates ↗About 15 minutes on the JR Takayama Line. A local train costs ¥240 and runs roughly every 1–2 hours; the Hida limited express costs ¥570 unreserved. Both are covered by the JR Pass and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass.
From April to early November. The carp go to a pond at the Masujima castle ruins from late November to early April because the canal carries snow-melt in winter. In 2026 the carp were back and feeding began on 28 April. Food costs ¥100.
On 19–20 April every year. The Okoshi-daiko drum procession is on the night of the 19th and the floats are on the 20th. In 2027 that is Monday and Tuesday.
Yes, for half a day. It has storehouses, a carp canal, sake and a festival museum with far fewer visitors than Takayama, and the sights are within walking distance of the station.
Hida-Furukawa Station, which inspired the station Taki arrives at, the Hida City Library and Keta Wakamiya Shrine. Itomori, the town in the film, is fictional.
Yes. Kaba Shuzojo (founded 1704) offers tastings in its shop, and Watanabe Shuzoten, which makes Hōrai, runs a one-hour brewery tour for ¥5,000 on weekdays, booked at least two weeks ahead.
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