Sayonara Shiroyama
Sun Herald
Sunday January 6, 2008
Juanita Fraser tours a shrine to the colourful heritage of the land of the rising sun.
Australian Customs, can't we make a deal? I'm standing in a souvenir shop in Shirakawa-go in Japan trying to remember if plastic-wrapped, fermented soybean paste and a dried magnolia leaf is something I can take back to Sydney. I don't even like soy, but the way it tastes in Japan has me seriously considering making an appearance on Border Security. If you like snow and scenes straight off the front of a Christmas card, then come in winter to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shirakawa-go, when the thatched, gabled roofs of the Gassho-style Japanese farmhouses are covered in the stuff and on the ground it is three metres deep.I'm here in the northern hemisphere's autumn when there's no snow, yet still the village charms me. The roomy attics of the farmhouses allowed the villagers to raise silkworms, an important local industry from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries. In the 1960s, residents - worried about the rate of demolition of the houses - rallied for their preservation. In 1995, two villages in Shirakawa-go - Ogimachi and Gokayama - were World-Heritage listed. Locals still live in their beloved farmhouses in Shirakawa-go, but the Wada House is open to the public and if you're passing this way, take the time to see inside it. Built in the Edo period, it is the largest of the remaining Gassho-style farmhouses. The nearby city of Hida-Takayama (or just "Takayama") is in Japan's Gifu prefecture, 112kilometres - or a two-hour train ride - north of Japan's fourth-largest city, Nagoya, on the main island of Honshu. Takayama was named after its castle, built 450 years ago on what is now Shiroyama, or "castle mountain". The castle was destroyed in 1695, during the Edo period, when the region came under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. The military dictators installed a strict class system and separated the population into four groups - samurai, farmers, craftspeople and merchants.Takayama occupies roughly the same area as Tokyo but there are massive differences in population. With only 65,000 residents, there is plenty of breathing space in the city. Numbers rise markedly in autumn and spring during the Takayama Festival, which is considered one of the most beautiful celebrations in Japan. A selection of the colourful and towering floats are on view year-round at the exhibition hall. The Festival Floats Exhibition Hall is part of the Sakurayama Hachimangu shrine complex. The shrine was built by the 16th emperor of Japan, Emperor Nintoku, who is thought to have ruled during the 5th century. In 1683, Lord Kanamori ordered it be enlarged for the protection of the city. These days, Takayama residents still worship at this sacred place and it is from here that the autumn festival begins.From the shrine, it is a short walk down the main street of Takayama to the Miyagawa morning markets. The centre of Takayama is compact and easy to explore on foot or you could do as many locals do and ride a bicycle. Streets are narrow and there are few footpaths - pedestrians, cyclists and motorists share the space - but the pace is leisurely and drivers are patient. Bikes can be hired cheaply from around the city including the Tourist Information Office at Takayama Station and the Takayama Green Hotel.Turn left and see the old private houses of Sanmachi, dating back to the Edo period and still occupied today. Walking down the narrow street enclosed on both sides by traditional dark wooden houses preserved in the style of those days, you get a real sense of stepping back in time.Or turn right and stroll through the markets. Above the banks of the picturesque, carp-filled Miyagawa River, the markets are held every day from 6am to noon in the Japanese summer and from 7am to noon in winter and sell local produce, plants, souvenirs and crafts. The markets have been held for more than 200 years in Takayama and are a relaxed bustle - if that's possible - and a great way to meet the locals. Takayama does a good line in street food with cheap and tasty morsels such as the local specialty, succulent Hida beef, cooked inside a soft-bread bun, and Midarashi dango - skewers of dumplings of rice and flour dipped in sesame or soy. Or green tea or chestnut ice-cream and azuki - croissants with red-bean paste that tastes just like chocolate. For a more substantial lunch and an even more authentic taste of Takayama, head to Kyoya Restaurant for that magnolia leaf and soybean paste combination but also for delicious kawasakana (river fish) and matsutake mushrooms.There is plenty of clean and comfortable accommodation in Takayama. The Takayama Green Hotel offers that and more. Its outdoor hot spring, or onsen, is the perfect end to a day exploring the city.It is the Japanese custom to be completely naked in the onsen but there are separate areas for men and women. Don't let any qualms about appearing in your birthday suit deny you this quintessential Japanese experience. The custom is to shower first - soap and shampoo is provided - then step across to the hot spring and enjoy. Takayama is well serviced by buses and trains from across Japan. Taking a train or a bus to Takayama from an entry point such as Nagoya is recommended, rather than driving yourself as nearly all Japanese motorways are toll roads and this will add to the expense of a visit. Besides, the trains are scrupulously clean, fast (even the non-bullet trains), run on time, and have seats that recline and swivel 180 degrees - all you need to do is lie back and enjoy the scenery. Buses regularly run from Takayama Station to Shinhotaka Ropeway and the journey takes about an hour. Bordered by the Northern Japanese Alps with many mountain streams winding through the small villages and cedar trees covering the hillsides, the road - or train track - to Shinhotaka is a dream for camera-toting tourists. The ropeway itself threatened to become my nightmare. I prefer to keep my feet on the ground and was not looking forward to soaring 2200 metres in a double-decker gondola to the top of a mountain. The journey to the top of Nishihodakaguchi involves travelling on two different gondolas; passengers change halfway at Nabedaira Kogen Heights. Passengers can stretch their legs walking through the Japanese bushland of Sengokuenchi or head upstairs to the observatory for amazing views of the surrounding alps. Shinhotaka Ropeway is also a popular skiing destination for locals and visitors during winter. A great place to stay nearby is at Hirayukan, a traditional Japanese inn and hot spring complete with toilet slippers (you change into them before entering the toilet and take them off when you leave), tatami mats and futons or Western-style beds. The bed at Hirayukan was so comfortable I slept through my morning alarm and missed the chance to try the hot spring. However, I can vouch for the delicious food, unique lodgings and restful surroundings. And the gondola ride? It was as smooth as hot sake and about as frightening as miso soup.TRIP NOTES* Getting there: Jetstar flies return from Sydney to Nagoya (Chubu International Airport) via Cairns every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday for about $1750 including taxes. Phone 131 538 or see www.jetstar.com.au. From Chubu to JR Nagoya Station take the Meitetsu airport shuttle bus from the international terminal. The shuttle takes 30 minutes to reach Nagoya Station where passengers can catch the train to Takayama, which takes just over two hours, or an express bus, which takes almost three hours. There are bus connections from Takayama to Shin-hotaka Ropeway and Shirakawa-go. Phone Nohi Bus: +8157732 1688 or see www.hida.jp/e-koutuu/e-incity/ebus.htm. Bookings are recommended.* Staying there: Takayama Green Hotel has fantastic onsen (outdoor hot springs). The hotel also offers guests a lavish Japanese and Western breakfast buffet and Japanese or Western-style rooms. Phone +81 577 33 5500 or see www.takayama-gh.com/tgh-globaltop.html.* Further information: Contact the Japan National Tourist Organisation, or see www.jnto.go.jp
© 2008 Sun Herald
