Went here while staying in Takayama. We were tossing up whether to go to Shirokawa mura for the grass roof historic houses, but chose to go here instead due to time. Would highly recommend it as it is much more interactive and hands on than Shirokawa mura. Even the Japanese in the group said it was a better experience as we could walk into the houses and see inside and learn more about the life and culture. Definitely worth the time if in the area

We had so much fun exploring the open air museum and learning about village life in Hida. It is set in a beautiful location. There are lots of interactive activities. I think we spent an hour just in the first 100m of the park. They have traditional clothes and props to pose for photos. Additionally, there were traditional water pistols and games - plus feeding fish and ducks. My two boys (8 & 6) loved it. We spent four hours there and didn't see every house or exhibit. There are also lots of traditional craft activities. We only did one but the boys wanted to do more. Also because it is not so large, the boys had a bit of independence to explore while we could still keep an eye on them from across the pond. If you're interested in learning about traditional village life without doing a full day tour, I highly recommend.

If you are visiting Shirakawago Village then my view is you could consider the skip this. We walk from Takayama Station to the museum takes around 25mins+ while bus is more convenient but payment by coins only. A nice place to take a 1hr leisure walk around and see wood carving.

From Takayama Station take the bus to the village. Go to the Nohi bus station right beside Takayama Station and buy your ticket on the counter. 800 yen covers to and back plus cover charge to enter the village. 10min by bus but can walk it around 45 min going up. It’s a village but enclosed like an attraction. Unlike Shirakawa go which is an actual village with people living in it and doing work around active roads. It’s a nice place to visit and a UNESCO Heritage site but it’s still an attraction with preserved historical artifacts relics and an informative peek into its past.

If you want to see history visit this little folk village in Takayama, Japan. It is a little town created from actual homes and buildings from a past generation showing what live was like back then in Japan. The buildings are very well maintained and documentation great.

About 20 minutes by car from Takayama Station. There is a large parking lot. An old private house in the Hida region has been relocated and opened to the public. It is a valuable cultural heritage, with four old houses designated as national important cultural properties. The layout of the old house on the site is good, and there are many photo points. Every old private house can be visited inside and the guidebook is easy to understand and I was very interested in it.

The Hida Open Air Museum is one of the main attractions in Takayama. There are numerous historical buildings to admire here. We recommend taking a taxi to get to the museum quickly and easily. Although the complex is idyllically located and has a lot to see, we thought it was a shame that not all of the buildings were accessible. In general, the complex is showing its age here and there. We also looked in vain for a restaurant, but there are plenty of typical Japanese vending machines.

We visited it when sunny. Gives a great impression of some ancient houses I. The Takayama environment. Is good to get a nice impression as well from some articrafts: paper making, lacquer ware etc. You can spend a little bit over one hour.

This place is made of transplanted homes set in a way to mimic a village. You can go around and inside some homes. There are props and explanations of the homes. Some might say you can skip this place if you saw Shirakawa go, but it has its own charm and less crowds. There is a fee to enter, but it is modest. There are small places for snacks inside as well as a washroom. There is also a public washroom at the parking lot outside of the gate and another souvenir place across from the small parking lot. Time required is around an hour or two at most. Overall: If it’s not a problem to get here or part of your tour then it’s a worthwhile stop.

Incredible atmosphere The village is sitting higher up in the hills. So it is a bit of a walk from Takayama downtown. (45 minutes) or you have the option of the bus. You could purchase souvenirs and get a coffee around the area. As well as learning about their way of living. There are a few craft makers, one particularly caught my eyes. With the owl sculpture. He gladly invited you to his studio while explaining you his process and the high quality wood used. ( the explanations are in English ) One of the most authentic experiences. Very enchanting.