Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [196]
Chapala (34-9800; mains ¥600-980; dinner Mon-Sat, closed 1st Mon of each month) Mexico is about as far from Japan as can be, but this little shop run by a Japanese enthusiast makes a fair stab at it. The taste and dainty portions of tacos, quesadillas and guac’ and chips might not pass muster in California, Texas or Guadalajara, but the place is adorable and the owners earnest. Plus, you get to eat Mexican with chopsticks while swilling Coronas and margaritas. The menu comes in English.
Takumi-ya (36-2989; 2 Shimo-Ni-no-Machi; mains downstairs ¥680-980, upstairs from ¥1280; lunch & dinner Thu-Tue) Hida beef on a burger budget. Adjacent to Takumi-ya’s butcher shop is a casual restaurant (open 10am to 4pm) specialising in rāmen in Hida-beef broth and Hida gyū-don (beef and onion over rice; gyū-don and mini-rāmen combo for ¥1000). The upstairs restaurant serves yakiniku (Korean-style barbecue). It’s next to the shop selling ‘Total Fashion’.
Holy Grail (35-3393; 4-68 Hanasato-chō; mains ¥730-1250; lunch Mon & Wed-Sat, dinner Wed-Mon) Italian trattoria-style dishes in a hardwood, home-style setting. A husband-and-wife team creates crostini, handmade pizzas, pastas and more. Lunch specials start at ¥550, and inexpensive house wines are available by the bottle. An English menu is available.
Ebisu-Honten (32-0209; 46 Kami-Ni-no-Machi; soba dishes ¥830-1530; 10am-5pm Thu-Tue; ) This Sanmachi shop has been making teuchi (handmade) soba since 1898. The menu explains the soba-making process. Go for zaru (cold) soba for the real flavour of the buckwheat, or try curry or miso-nikomi (in miso broth) style.
Myōgaya (32-0426; 5-15 Hanasato-chō; mains around ¥1000; 8-10.30am, 11.30am-3pm & 5-7pm Wed-Sun; ) A good-for-you vibe pervades this tiny, organic restaurant and food shop that’s adorned with natural fibres, located a block east of the train station. Look for tasty vegetarian curry with brown rice, samosas, fruit juices, dandelion tea and coffees. Reservations are requested on Saturdays.
Suzuya (32-2484; 24 Hanakawa-chō; sets ¥1155-3100; 11am-3pm & 5-8pm Wed-Mon) In the centre of town, Suzuya is one of Takayama’s longstanding favourites, and it’s highly recommended for local specialities like Hida beef, hoba-miso and various stews. The menu is available in English.
Yamatake-Shōten (32-0571; 1-70 Sōwa-chō; meals per person from around ¥3500; lunch & dinner Thu-Tue, closed 3rd Thu of month) This is a workmanlike butcher shop with a restaurant upstairs, and is an excellent place to sample Hida-gyū. Here’s the drill: choose your own cut (pay by weight, from ¥1380 per 100g), which is plated and brought to the table for you to cook on an inset charcoal grill. Vegetables and simple desserts are included. Sides like kimchi and gyū tataki (marinated raw beef) are also for sale.
Drinking
Asahi-machi, north of Kokubun-ji-dōri and west of the Miya-gawa, is Takayama’s bar district, though don’t go expecting a raucous time. The places listed here will point you in the right direction, or feel free to wander.
Tonio (32-1677; 7pm-2am Mon-Sat) This welcoming English-style pub dates from 1956 and feels like a time warp. Locals and visitors mingle over kitsch and antiques; there’s Guinness on tap and imported whiskies.
Red Hill Pub (33-8139; 7pm-midnight, closed irregularly) Locals and expats gather at this welcoming bar. There are snacks such as pita bread and karai rāmen (spicy rāmen), an excellent selection of domestic and imported brews and an eclectic mix of tunes.
Shopping
Takayama is renowned for crafts. Ichii ittobori (woodcarvings) are fashioned from yew and can be seen as intricate components of yatai or in shops around town. Suzuki Chōkoku (32-1367; 9am-7pm Wed-Mon) is helmed by the one-time head of the local ittobori association and sells figurines and accessories priced from ¥750 to how much? Woodworking also extends to furniture shops such as Mori no Kotoba (Words from the Forest; 36-7005; 9am-6pm Thu-Tue).
Takayama is also known for its shunkei lacquerware. Around Shunkei Kaikan are shops with outstanding lacquerware