Sannomachi

The old town of Takayama, east of the river Miyagawa retains a traditional touch with beautifully preserved buildings more than most Japanese cities due to her isolated rural situation at the foot of the Japanese Alps. Many houses and whole streets in the Sannomachi part date back to the 16th century when Takayama was a thriving merchant town. The city was always surrounded by woodland. So the lined beauty of the old wooden buildings side-by-side with projecting lattice and eaves of uniform heights are fine examples of the excellent carpenter's craftsmanship which the area was famous for. Nowadays the houses are shops, living quarters or museums. The places of interest are well signposted and easy accessible and draw a considerable amount of tourists to the region.