Tours/Kanazawa/Shirakawa-go & Takayama from Kanazawa: Car & Driver Only
Viator · Private tour

Shirakawa-go & Takayama from Kanazawa: Car & Driver Only

3.7(3)Kanazawa1 hour
VIATOR3.0(2)TRIPADVISOR5.0(1)

Description

Explore the beautiful mountain settlement of Shirakawa-go and Takayama via chartered vehicle exclusively for you. Your English-speaking driver will takes you to the World Heritage Site of fairy-tale village. On this day trip departing from Kanazawa, leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind to wander around a unique village, stroll through historic streets, take in stunning mountain landscapes, and enjoy a lunch made of authentic local ingredients. Shirakawa-go and Takayama is a remote settlement located in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture. As the region receives considerable snowfall in the winter, the farmhouses are well-known for their distinctive architecture featuring steep roofs to easily shed snow. Learn more about this unique villages on a full-day chartered vehicle tour with English-speaking driver. Your driver will customize your fantastic and efficient Full-day tour according to your interests and requests.

Tour Options

Regular Car (Up to 3 Pax)
  • Regular Car (Up to 3 Pax) Pickup included
Van (Up to 8 Pax)
  • Van (Up to 8 Pax) Pickup included
Minivan (Up to 5 Pax)
  • Minivan (Up to 5 Pax) Pickup included

Itinerary

120 min

Your driver will picks you up at anywhere else as per your request around Kanazawa.

60 min

The Shirakawa-go (白川郷, Shirakawagō) and neighboring Gokayama (五箇山) regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.

30 min

Two morning markets (朝市, Asaichi) are held in Takayama on a daily basis from around 7:00 (8:00 in winter) to noon: the Miyagawa Market along the Miyagawa River in the old town, and the Jinya-mae Market in front of the Takayama Jinya. The stands sell local crafts, snacks and farm products such as vegetables, pickles and flowers. There is typically a pleasant atmosphere around the markets, as tourists and locals alike saunter from stall to stall purchasing goods and food and talking. Read more about Takayama Full-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide 2021 - https://www.viator.com/tours/Takayama/Takayama-Full-Day-Private-Tour-with-Government-Licensed-Guide/d25943-92136P110?mcid=56757

30 min

Sanmachi Street is a popular sightseeing area in Hida-Takayama. As an old town, the area has houses and stores from the Edo period (1603 - 1868). The area is lined with shops carrying local specialties such as Japanese sake, senbei (rice crackers), barbecue yakiniku Hida beef, and croquettes. The area has a lively atmosphere with people shopping and eating. Sanmachi Street is a five-minute walk from JR Takayama Station. Be sure to stop by when you visit Takayama. Read more about Takayama Full-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide 2021 - https://www.viator.com/tours/Takayama/Takayama-Full-Day-Private-Tour-with-Government-Licensed-Guide/d25943-92136P110?mcid=56757

30 min

Because of its valuable timber resources, the Hida Region around Takayama was put under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1692. The Takayama Jinya (高山陣屋) served as the local government office headed by the officials dispatched from Edo (present day Tokyo). The building complex was in official use until 1969, and is now open to the public as a museum. It includes various nicely maintained tatami mat rooms that once served as offices, conference rooms, guest rooms and residential space. There is also an interesting interrogation room. Beside the main building stands a large storehouse built in the 1600s. Known as the biggest traditional rice storehouse in Japan, it now functions as a museum, showcasing belongings and official documents of past feudal lords, old maps of the Hida Region and historic town plans.

120 min

You will return to Kanazawa station area or nearby hotel with your driver.

Highlights

Private vehicle
English speaking driver
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list'

What's included

Included
Private vehicle
English speaking driver
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list'
Not included
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.

Pickup Locations & Times

Your driver can pick you up in the Kanazawa area.This tour is not for those staying in the Shirakawago area. If you are staying in the Shirakawago area, please arrange for your transportation and tour via your accommodation. This is a tour with an English-speaking driver. It does not include a government-licensed guide. You will be able to reach your driver via phone during the tour only. Please use email for any communication before the tour.

Traveller Ratings

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Important Information

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
  • This private tour is with an English speaking driver only. No guide.

Reviews(3)

T
Tim_M
November 9, 2025
Day trip for family of ten.

We hired 2 drivers to take our family of 10 to Shirakawago. They met us promptly and accommodated our need for 2 car seats. One driver, Jun, spoke excellent English was extremely polite and patient even when our youngest cried for a significant portion of the drive. Since the day was raining one group decided not to continue on to Takayama and instead return to Kanazawa to see other sites. Jun took us to several other locations and stayed with us until our last stop. I highly recommend using the Fuji Taxi Company booked through Viatour for this type of day trip.

Operator response

We appreciate your kind feedback. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with your driver. We look forward to your next visit to Japan! Japan Guide Agency

A
ADRIANA_F
November 7, 2022
This is a TAXI only. Be aware!!!

I was hiring Japan Guide Agency because of a licensed guide tour but instead I had a taxi only. This Travel Agency just hired an external taxi company instead of giving us a tour guide properly. If I had knew this I could hire a taxi for less money than this “tour”.

Operator response

We would like to extend out apologies that it did not seem clear to you that we were arranging for an English speaking private chauffer for you. The drivers, while they speak English and provide support, they are not guides. There are customers that do prefer this type of tour, but if you wish to have a more hands on guided tour, please booked a guided tour. Based on your review, we will do our best to rephrase our description of the English speaking private chauffer tour as to avoid future misunderstandings.

M
minnboulder
August 13, 2022
Absolutely Wonderful!

The driver that picked me up was not Koshida. It was Yuta. I'm not sure if he was the same person, but anyway. He picked me up from the hotel. He explained to me the itinerary. He told me that we would first visit morning market in Takayama. Since I've just been to other markets in Tokyo and Kanazawa, I asked if instead we went on Hakusan White Road, since I read reviews online that it's got beautiful scenery. He was okay with it. The Hakusan White Road lived up to its promise. It was marvelous! It's got beautiful scenery of valleys, mountains, waterfalls. We stopped several times to enjoy the view and take pictures. Yuta was always gracious and hospitable and really tried to explain things (in English!). He always made sure I was comfortable. He drove well. The car was clean and comfortable. Then we went to Takayama for a nice lunch. We headed back to Shirakawa-go to visit the UNESCO World Heritage village. In the village we walked around which was delightful. Again, Yuta explained things that I wouldn't have known otherwise. All in all, I definitely truly recommended this tour.

Operator response

We appreciate your kind feedback that encourage our drivers. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with your driver Yuta. We look forward to your next visit to Japan in the near future. Japan Guide Agency

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