This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by @japon: Takayama, cette petite ville des Alpes Japonaises qui vous replonge au temps des Samouraï
As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.
Remember that the person that speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but @japon, a French guy.
Arriving in Takayama I had retrieved a map of the city with the main points of interest. Very well done (and available in several languages), it offers a circuit through the historic houses. Ancient samurai mansions or other noble houses, this is part of the history of Japan unfolding before my eyes.
The tour continues with a series of temples on the edge of the city. This place is called Higashiyama. "The mountains of the east". It is also the name of a famous district of Kyoto where there is also a large concentration of temples and shrines.
Takayama is also sometimes called "little Kyoto", because of the checkerboard pattern of its streets, inspired by that of the former imperial capital.
The temples route begins in the city center and passes by small paths, stairs that pass next to old houses. It is quite quiet, few tourists and as these are circuitous roads there is almost no car.
The temples are beautiful. In Takayama they are not extraordinary but it is especially the fact of having them close to each other which gives charm to this walk. I also admit that they are perfectly maintained.
On the other hand some "treasures" left me perplexed. Like this little graveyard difficult to access. Once at the top of the hill, we arrive in front of two gravestones. And that's all. It remains only for you to go down.
But the walk remains interesting because it allows to discover the city in a more intimate, more authentic way.
Here autumn begins to be felt. A ginkgo biloba begins to take gold colors. The maples are gradually turning red.If I had been there two weeks later, it would have been a show of colors.
The walk takes me back to the center of Takayama, I come back to the shopping street to buy some souvenirs.
Then I returned to my ryokan, and look for a place to eat. The streets of the small town are quiet, there are almost no people. Some open restaurants, I watch.
One of the region's specialties is Hida beef, which is a bit similar to Kobe beef. A meat a priori melting and succulent. Several restaurants offer it, I push the door of one of them.
I order a typical dish, beef stewed in miso sauce. The waitress begins by heating the sauce and as soon as it shudders, I dive in thin slices of beef. I would like to taste immediately but the waitress gives me a smile and tells me that I have to wait. I'm definitely too gluttonous.
What to say about this dish. I have never eaten anything like it. The beef melts in the mouth. The sauce is excellent. When I finished the meat and some vegetables, I still had some of this sauce. I can not resign myself to leaving it that way. I put in the rice that I had left. It is not very refined but the pleasure of the palate deserves some behavioral differences ;-)
-- @japon
01: Travel diary in Japan, by @japon
02: Tokyo, overcrowded city? Really? by @japon
03: Are the Japanese too disciplined? by @japon
04: Going to Japan without speaking Japanese? by @japon
05: Ueno, more than just a big park in Tokyo, by @japon
06: Asakusa, diving in the heart of Tokyo's historic district, by @japon
07: Ameyoko, Ueno's colorful market, by @japon
08: Tsukiji, the largest fish market in the world, by @japon
09: Climb the steps of Atago Jinja Shrine in Tokyo, by @japon
10: Hama Rikyu, an exceptional park in the heart of Tokyo, by @japon
11: Jimbocho, old books and tempura, by @japon
12: Shinjuku Gyoen Park and the best burger in the world!, by @japon
13: One night in Shibuya, by @japon
14: Takeshita dori : this little street dedicated to fashion (and good crepes), by @japon
15: They lie to you about Kyoto, by @japon
16: The temples and secret garden of Higashi in Kyoto, by @japon
17: Kinkaku-ji, the temple of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, by @japon
18: Ryoan-ji, the amazing stone garden in Kyoto, by @japon
19: The Ninna-ji Temple and its extraordinary gardens, by @japon
20: Kyoto Gyoen, the Imperial Palace Park, by @japon
21: Nishiki Market: A Must in Kyoto, by @japon
22: Ginkaku-ji, the temple of the silver pavilion in Kyoto, by @japon
23: Meditate on the path of philosophy, by @japon
24: Nanzen-ji, its impressive gate and two gardens, by @japon
25: Heian-jinju: the big shrine and its garden that I almost missed, by @japon
26: Eikan-do, the temple of the momiji maples in Kyoto, by @japon
27: Kodai-ji, a Kyoto temple dedicated to a woman's love for her husband, by @japon
28: Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, the streets of Higashiyama, by @japon
29: Kiyomizu-dera, the temple of pure water in Kyoto, by @japon
30: Tofuku-ji: the maple lookout point, by @japon
31: Makis, Yasaka-jinja Shrine and Maruyama Park, by @japon
32: Nijo Castle and its fabulous garden, by @japon
33:Departure for Osaka and its castle, and announcement of a typhoon, by @japon
34: Osaka, the garden Keitaku-en under a torrential rain, by @japon
35: Doguya-suji, the kitchen market in Osaka, by @japon
36: Dōtonbori, the bustling district of Osaka, by @japon
37: Back to Kyoto and Typhoons, meetings and reunions, by @japon
38: Sanjūsangen-dō, the temple of a thousand and one statues, by @japon
39: On the road to Fushimi Inari Taisha, by @japon
40: Daigo-ji, the large Buddhist complex built on a mountainside, by @japon
41: Departure for Nara, we look at the fallow deers and we mistake the garden, by @japon
42: Isui-en, the big Japanese garden of Nara, by @japon
43: Todai-ji, the temple with the huge Buddha statue in Nara, by @japon
44: Nara, from Nigatsu-dō to Kasuga, by @japon
45: Arashiyama, the district west of Kyoto and its bamboo plantation, by @japon
46: Tasting the serenity of Jojakko-ji Temple, by @japon
47: Tenryū-ji, one of the most beautiful temples of Arashiyama, by @japon
48: I finally find the Gio-ji, this little Arashiyama moss garden, by @japon
49: Daikaku-ji, the great Buddhist complex of Arashiyama, by @japon
50: Departure for Takayama, by @japon