Hida Folk Village – or ‘Hida no Sato’ in Japanese – is an open-air museum which preserves more than thirty traditional ‘gassho-style’ houses for visitors to explore. More than thirty buildings including the Hida Takayama Crafts Experience Center – open 08:30 to 17:00 – showcase the distinct traditions and architecture found in the mountain villages a short distance from Takayama.

The distinctive thatch-roofed homesteads are a local and unique form of architecture known as ‘gassho-zukuri’ and typical of the homes found in the World Heritage-listed villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. Should you have time to visit those villages, Hida no Sato won’t provide much more insight; but if you don’t have time to travel to Shirakawa-go and Gokayakama, the folk village and craft centre is worth visiting for a couple hours.

The Hida Takayama Crafts Experience Center displays folk crafts and skills including time demonstrations for the enjoyment of visitors.