Takayama is an ancient city in the mountains of central Honshu. Its present form dates back to the 16th Century, but the area has been settled for much longer than that. Because of its relative isolation the area has a distinctive culture.
The region is known for fine woodworking and for the expensive Hida beef, which is extremely tender and very high in fat content.
A carved wooden figure by the Kajibashi Bridge.
A bronze figure on the bridge.
Shops in the Sanmachi Traditional Buildings Preservation Area have a distictive old-fashioned look.
The store with the waterwheel in front sells beautiful hand-crafted wooden objects, most of which are quite expensive.
Across the street, an animated wooden magician is powered by a small waterwheel.
Another shop sells different sorts of woodcraft, including Noh masks
…and owls.
Another thing the area is famous for are these sarubobo (monkey babies.) These colorful cloth dolls have some great traditional significance which is beyond my comprehension. In any case they are for sale everywhere.
An open-air market sells a variety of crafts, produce and cooked food.
