Kyoto was amazing. Our first days in Japan absolutely did not disappoint. We had been so excited for this trip, and honestly, it has already exceeded our expectations. That said, we are traveling during cherry blossom season (sakura), which means Kyoto was even busier than usual. Beautiful? Yes. Peaceful? Not exactly. So we were happy to leave the crowds behind and head into the countryside for the next week. Our first stop: Takayama and its surroundings.
On our first night, the parents decided it was time for a well-deserved drink. Isabelle had spotted a place with great reviews, especially for their sake cocktails. When we arrived, we found the most exquisite little bar, tiny, intimate, and full of old-world charm. It felt like we had stumbled into a hidden gem. Shortly after we sat down, they started turning people away because the place was full. We had clearly timed this perfectly.
I have to take a moment to mention the service our waiter gave us. It was outstanding. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever received better service than in Japan. The staff are incredibly kind, they notice the smallest details, and they seem genuinely grateful to be serving you. At some point it almost makes you feel like you should be thanking them for letting you be there.
The owner was the bartender. The drinks? Unreal. We all ordered something different so we could taste as many as possible. But one cocktail stole the show: the Earl Grey Alex. It was made with smoky whisky, dark rum, Earl Grey liqueur, walnuts, hazelnut, almond milk, and freshly grated nutmeg on top. I know, it sounds weird. But it was honestly the best cocktail I’ve ever had in my life.
The next day we explored the town itself. We wandered through the morning market tasting local favorites: Hida beef sushi, rice balls, and various sweets. We strolled through the old town filled with beautiful wooden houses and charming boutiques. Our walk ended exactly where every family walk should end: a playground so the kids could burn off energy… followed by an amazing Hida beef burger.
Takayama is also famous for its sake. In fact, there are seven traditional breweries in the old town area that have been producing sake for more than 300 years. Naturally, my brother made it his personal life mission to taste as many as possible. A noble cause, really.
Then Joey and I headed off to spend a night at a ryokan, while my parents stayed with the kids. This was our first time being separated from them for more than a few hours, and our first night away since the trip started.
For those who don’t know, a ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn focused on hospitality, relaxation, and local cuisine. And wow… it did not disappoint.
When we first arrived, I’ll admit I wasn’t totally sure what we had signed up for. From the outside it looked like we were arriving at a barn. But appearances were very deceiving. The moment we stepped onto the property, the hospitality was incredible. We were welcomed with tea and sweets by a warm fire while checking in.
Then they showed us to our room or I should say, our apartment. It was huge. And the drink selection alone could have sustained us for a week: matcha powder for fresh matcha, tea, coffee (including decaf!), water, beer, juice, cold green tea, sake, and even sparkling sake.
We slipped into our yukata robes (similar to a kimono but less formal) and relaxed in our little living room overlooking the river and forest. The windows were so spotless I genuinely thought they were open. The level of cleanliness here is next-level. They definitely do not have kids visiting often.
After enjoying some sparkling sake in the room, we headed down to the common area to sample more sake by the fire. We tried some origami. Joey attempted to make a turtle but had to stop halfway because it was stressing him out too much. Not everyone is cut out for paper folding.
Then came dinner. And wow. We were served a 10-course meal featuring local dishes: boar, clams, tofu, river char, Hida beef, sashimi, and more. It was incredible. We basically ate nonstop for two hours.
After dinner it was time for our private onsen. We couldn’t go to the public one since we both have tattoos. But before heading there, we were told to return to the main area for bamboo sake, sake served inside a bamboo tube warmed by the fire.
The man serving it was an 87-year-old Japanese gentleman who started performing magic tricks for us. It was hilarious. We kept trying to leave for our onsen because we had a time slot, but every time we stood up he would say, “One last trick!” This happened several times.
Eventually we made it to the onsen. After a few rounds of hot and cold soaking, we were very ready for bed.
I woke up early the next morning, excited to enjoy everything in the room. I made myself a fresh matcha and relaxed on the veranda, then had coffee at the heated table. Breakfast was another incredible meal, although definitely not Canadian-style. Instead of pancakes and eggs, we had squid, sashimi, rice, soup, and more. Quite the morning feast.
Joey and I left with a few harmless souvenirs: some sake, a couple of toiletries, and a bit of tea. Nothing too outrageous. My brother, on the other hand, went the following day and, true to form, took things to a whole new level. Not only did he leave with what I strongly suspect was the entire minibar, he also took the toilet paper home.
Yes, it was insanely soft. Luxuriously soft, even. But an entire roll? Really? Oh, Martin…
Sadly it went by too fast, and it was time to leave for the activity I had been most excited about and the main reason we came to Takayama: the Japanese Alps.
We drove about an hour north to reach the only double-decker gondola in Japan, which took us up to 2,156 meters in the mountains. The weather was perfect, sunny with clear skies, and we had 360-degree views of mountains all around us. It was warmer than expected, but there was still plenty of snow. The kids built snowmen and threw snowballs, thrilled to see real snow. I could have sat there all day.
On the way back to Takayama, we split up. Teddy and I went to explore a retro Japanese museum, while Joey went on an adventure through Japanese grocery stores and Don Quijote, a famous discount store. According to him, it was a complete sensory overload.
While we were at the grocery store, Joey spotted the whiskey Martin had been hunting for since we arrived in Japan. Apparently, it’s very hard to find here (as per my brother). Naturally, Joey decided to grab a bottle for Martin, and one for me while he was at it. When he got back to our room, he did a quick search, just to see how rare it really was… only to discover there were 43 bottles sitting at the LCBO near our house. So yes, we traveled all the way to Japan to buy a “rare” whiskey that was apparently waiting for us back home the whole time. 🤦🏼♀️
Furthermore, while he was standing in the soy sauce aisle with Google Translate trying to figure things out, a couple approached him and offered help. They recommended a soy sauce for everyday cooking and another specifically for sushi.
While Joey chatted with the man, the woman asked Emma how old she was. Emma proudly said she was turning 10 soon. They went their separate ways, but a few minutes later the woman came back and gave Emma a treat she had bought as an early birthday gift.
Emma was speechless.
This kind of kindness is something we’ve experienced again and again in Japan. People are so friendly and polite. It’s honestly amazing.
On our last day we debated between visiting Shirakawa-go or Hida Folk Village. There’s really no wrong choice. Shirakawa-go is a famous, large UNESCO village that’s still inhabited and bustling, while Hida Folk Village (Hida no Sato) is a quieter open-air museum in Takayama with relocated traditional houses.
Shirakawa-go was about an hour in the opposite direction of where we were headed next, and since we already had more than two hours of driving planned, our family decided to go with the “sample version.”
Martin and his family chose the full UNESCO experience, so we split up for the day. Both options turned out great.
On our way we stopped at another museum where we watched a geisha dance performance and, let’s be honest, mostly went there for the 175-meter-long slide.
And yes… it was absolutely worth it.
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