Would you like to escape from the heat?

After the heavy rain in begging of July we are now having really hot days.
It makes more harder to work for rescue and disaster recovery in the area affected by heavy rain. I hope temperature get cooler as soon as possible...!! Please!!!

I would like you to show some pictures to make you cool.

←This photo is taken on the Mt. Norikura (Daikokudake : elevation　2,772m high) in the end of May. 
Even in summer you can see some snow on the mountain and people enjoy skiing in summer!

On the Mt. Norikura, you can also enjoy hiking in the cool air (The average temperature of Mt. Norikura is between 11 and 16 °C) . Lots of alpine flowers make you happy and smile :)

Dicentra peregrina is one of my favorite
alpine flowers. They are really gorgeous. 

 ←This photo is taken on the base of Mt. Norikura (elevation about 1,500m high).
Mt. Norikura with snow and waterfall (Zengoro waterfall) look really beautiful in the deep forest. 

If you get closer to the waterfall you can feel lots of negative ion and heal you well. 







I hope above picture make you feel cooler....

We organize a bus tour to Mt.Norikura and Norikura kogen (base of the Mt. Norikura) from Takayama! 
Please join our tour if you would like to escape from the heat! 
For more information please visit our website!
http://tour.j-hoppers.com/norikura_kogen_tour.html

J-Hop Tour
tour@j-hoppers.com
+81-577-62-9545

Private tour for small groups -Takayama & Shirakawago

Good news! J-hop tour has just started to provide English or Chinese speaking tour guides for small groups (2-6 persons).
Recently, we have our first group from Indonesia for visiting Takayama and Shirakawago with our private tour guide.

Let’s share their tour schedule with you all!

08:50 Pick up from the hotel
09:00 – 11:00 Private walking tour in Takayama
11:00 – 12:00 Lunch (not included)
12:20 - 13:10 Depart from Takayama to Shirakwago by public bus
13:10 - 16:10 Private walking tour in Shirakawago
16:25 - 17:50 Depart from Shirakawago to Kanazawa by public bus
17:50 Arrival at Kanazawa

The signature Nakabashi Bridge in Takayama

Old town in Takayama

Eating the delicious beef sushi

Yummy handmade soba at a local restaurant

Beautiful gassho house in Shirakawago

Without spending time in information searching beforehand, our guests can simply make the travel experience a memorable one by acquiring knowledge of the town and spending time in their favourite shops with the advices provided by our tour guide. Then, we headed to a local soba (buckwheat) noodles restaurant to try the handmade soba.

In the afternoon, we took the public bus to visit Shirakwago – the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The tour is suitable for the guests who would like to have more free time in the village as they can decide the tour time. This time, we spent 3 hours including visiting traditional Gassho houses, cafe and local shops. Finally, guests chose to continue their journey to Kanazawa instead of going back to Takayama.

With our local guide, guests can visit spots according to their interest and at the same time learn more about the town's history, interesting stories and Japanese culture.  We can tailor made the tour for your own group. Please contact us for more information.

Information regarding small group private tours:

http://tour.j-hoppers.com/takayama_private_guide.html

Tel: Domestic 0577-62-9545, Overseas +81-577-62-9545 (From 8:00AM to 10PM in Japan time)

Email: tour@j-hoppers.com

A visit to Gujo Hachiman from Takayama – new private tour from J-hop tour

While we are looking forward to the cherry blossom in Shirakawago, would you like to visit a hidden small town to experience Japanese culture and taste delicious food?

We would like to introduce a beautiful and traditional Japanese castle town – Gujo Hachiman as a day trip option from Takayama from this April.

Gujo Hachiman is about 1 hour 45 minutes by bus from Takayama. It can only be accessed by bus as it does not have any JR station. 

 

Since this April, we are going to organize tours for private groups (from 2 person).

With our English or Chinese speaking tour guide, you will be able to enjoy a fun day by experiencing Japanese culture and taste the delicious local food. 

http://tour.j-hoppers.com/takayama_private_guide.html

 

Gujo Hachiman is a town surrounded by waterways where you should not be miss if you would like to have a feel of old Japan and explore how people live in the old time. The town is famous especially in summer for the Gujo Odori Dance Festival which has been running for 400 years. Gujo Hachiman Castle up on the hill is one of the oldest reconstructed wooden castle in Japan. Except the spectacular scenery, how about participating in some workshops to experience the Japanese culture?

Printing your own Japanese towel or bag

http://www.takara-garo.com/tenugui-sessions-1/

Making food samples

http://travel.kankou-gifu.jp/en/see-and-do/14/

Gujo dance Viewing

http://www.gujohachiman.com/e_gujohaku/show/

Sample Schedule with our tours

Osaka/Kyoto/Takayama/Gujo Hachiman/Shirakawago/Osaka/Kyoto (3 days 2 nights)

[Day 1] 7:20	Depart Osaka (Namba)
8:30	Depart Kyoto
12:52	Arrive Takayama and leave your luggage at J-Hoppers Hida Takayama. Takayama sightseeing Check-into J-Hoppers Hida Takayama
[Day 2] 8:30-15:45	Join Gujo Hachiman Private tour Details:http://tour.j-hoppers.com/takayama_private_guide.html
16:00 ~	Free time in Takayama
[Day 3] 8:10-12:10	Join Shirakawago morning tour Details: http://tour.j-hoppers.com/shirakawago_tour.html
Before departure	Lunch
13:40	Depart Takayama
18:05	Arrive Kyoto
19:12	Arrive Osaka

Nagoya/Shirakawago/Gujo Hachiman/Nagoya (2 days 1 night)

[Day 1] 9:30	Depart Nagoya
12:15	Arrive Takayama and leave your luggage at J-Hoppers Hida Takayama. Check-into J-Hoppers Hida Takayama
13:20	Join Shirakawago afternoon tour
17:10	Arrive at Takayama
[Day 2] 8:00-11:30	Free time in Takayama (Morning market+old town)
11:30-17:00	Join Gujo Hachiman Private tour Details: http://tour.j-hoppers.com/takayama_private_guide.html
17:00	Depart from Gujo Hachiman
18:40	Arrive at Nagoya

Please feel free to contact us for inquiries or reservation:

email: tour@j-hoppers.com

phone: +81 577 62 9545 (from overseas)

飛騨神岡初金毘羅祭 Hida Kamioka Konpira Festival

Last year a local friend recommended me a carnival-like festival in Hida Kamioka but I did not join it due to work. On 24 February, my friend and I visited Kamioka for the festival.  From 6 pm, the parade started while the first group is Fire Department.  About 10 festival floats came one by one. Locals dressed up in different costumes and dance along the streets.  However, we found that adult and children's attention was more on the spot written 「呑」 and 「ま」means the place with free sake and free presents. We were waiting inside the crowd with the kids. When the present time comes, everyone was so excited to wave their hands and we were 'attacked' by candies, ramen noodles, chocolate and snacks. The pain did not make us retreat because local's saying that the presents are in fact the luck given by local people for the coming year 😝 Finally, our bags are full of luck !!!! We had so much fun in the festival !!! 😍😍

跟朋友去了飛騨神岡的初金比羅祭。上年當地的朋友熱情的邀請我去參加，但因工作參加不了。今年很幸運可以參加😍 ，一直也很期待當地人說好像嘉年華會一樣的活動。晚上6點開始，先是當地的消火隊伍遊行，然後就是一隊接一隊的花車，載歌載舞，但當地人最喜歡的卻是地圖上「呑」和「ま」的地方，就是有免費日本酒任喝及接禮物的地方。沒想到我們像小孩子一樣接到零食，拉麵，巧克力，蛋糕等。我的包子都是禮物，最逗的是我們的頭部，臉都被當地人用禮物「攻擊」了，但為了能夠得到他們的祝福，我們還是很努力的正面迎接禮物，很好玩的節日活動😍😍

The mascot of the Konpira Festival

                                 

Hida Kamioka in winter

Free sake

We are waiting for the free candies and snack!

One of the beautiful floats in the parade

Doburoku Festival Tour - Sake-drinking festival

Doburoku festival is a Shinto event held in Shirakawa-go every Autumn. Doburoku is a milky white, unrefined sake made by rice, rice malt, and water.  It is brewed from January through to October; the festival is the first day that we can drink the NEW doburoku!! Once you buy the sake cup from the festival, you can drink as much as you want!!!  Except drinking, there are also traditional dance such as lion dance, folk song performance and local food stalls.  The tour will also bring you to the observation point of Shirakawa-go to capture the excellent view of village (Ogimachi). No matter whether you are a sake lover or not, it is a valuable chance to experience a traditional Japanese sake festival by drinking, tasting the Japanese snacks and enjoying the cultural performances. Let's join us to enjoy the memorable sake festival in a world-heritage village- Shirakawag Bus tour will be organized for the festival, details are as follows: 

Date: 14^th –15^th October, 2017(Saturday and Sunday)
Departure time: 13:20 p.m.
Meeting point: bus stop in front of JR Takayama Station
http://tour.j-hoppers.com/pdf/shirakawago_tour_en.pdf
(NOT Nohi public Bus Terminal)
Tour Fee: 4,400 yen per person / 3,900 yen per person(J-hopper Takayama Guesthouse Guests only)
Fee includes: - Round-trip bus tickets between Takayama and Shirakawago (50 mintues by bus) - English-speaking tour conductor

Schedule:

Itinerary at a glance(Times may be subject to change)
13:20	Depart Takayama station
14:10	Arrive Shirakawa-go
14:10-14:30	Observation point
14:30-17:00	Walk around the village Duburoku Festival
17:00	Depart Shirakawa-go
18:00	Arrive Takayama station

Enrollment and inquiries: email to tour@j-hoppers.com or call 0577-62-9545.

Let's enjoy the summer festivals!!!

If you are feeling bored at home, why not come over to enjoy numerous summer festivals here? In August, time to enjoy local events with locals by seeing the firework, dancing, drinking local sake and beer, checking out the local performance etc…

 

Starting from tomorrow, a lot of events will be held in Takayama and nearby towns.

 

Gero Hotspring Summer Festival

Date: 1 -3 August

Time:  18:30-22:30

Place: Gero (1 hour by train from Takayama)

Content: Fire Dragon, Firework, Bon Dance

Info: http://www.city.gero.lg.jp/kankou/data/language/e/event.html

 

Takayama Tanabata Festival (let’s make a wish together!)

Date: 6-7 August

Time: from 18:30

Place: 10 minutes walk from Takayama station

Takayama Tezustu (Hand Held) Firework (Exciting firework ever!!)

Date: 9 August

Time: 19:30

Place: Near to Yayoibashi Bridge

Info: http://www.hida.jp/english/

 

 

 

Takayama Night Market  (enjoying local snack, drink and the local performances with locals)
Date: 11-13 August
Time: 19:00-21:00
Place: In front of Takayama Jinya
Info: http://www.hida.jp/english/

Hida Furukawa Firework Festival
Date: 12 August
Time: 20:00
Place: 10 mins walk from Hida Furukawa
Access: 15-20 mins by train from Takayama

Takayama Bon Dance I (Let's try Japanese traditional bon dance with locals!)
Date: 14-15 August
Time: 18:00-20:00
Place: In front of Takayama Jinya


Takayama Bon Dance II
Date: 20 August
Time: 18:00-20:00
Place: 5 minutes walk from JR Takayama Station

Please feel free to ask our staff at the reception for more information!
Looking forward to seeing you !!! :)

Touring Spanish group to Shirakawago

Hola!!! This is the third time that that we conduct the tour for the private groups from Spain. Customers are from different parts of Spain, e.g. Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza etc. In recent years, Shirakawago is getting famous among European customers. Last summer, the majority of the customers are from Spain and Italy. `How do they know Shirakawago? `I could not help but wondered. Then, I chatted with a lady from Spain and she told me she found a lot of useful information in japonismo.com. This website contains updated information related to travel spots, tips, transport information and most importantly, they are all written in Spanish. This website is getting popular among travelers in Spain that they plan their trips by reviewing all the blogs up there. I guess Shirakawago can be one of the hottest topic on the website.

2 weeks ago, we conducted the half day tour to a group of guests from Spain again!!! I met the tour leader, Antonio for the third time. We are very lucky that the weather is prefect and there were snow left in Shirakawago. Antionio said, `this is the most beautiful scenery that I have seen when compared with my previous visits!!’. Everyone looked extremely excited with the stunning scenery on the observation point. Then, we walked together to Kanda house which serve home-made tea to guests. Guests enjoy so much sitting on the traditional tatami mat while drinking hot tea prepared by the Kanda family. The gassho-style house was built at least 200 years ago and guests treasure this valuable chance to walk around in the house. Starting from April, Doburoku (sake) festival museum opens from 9:00-17:00 which is good news for sake-lovers. Doburoku is specially made for appreciating God while Doburoku is only sold in the festival but not in any shops or restaurants in Shirakawago. Therefore, guests in this group also enjoy tasting Doburoku and putting the museum’s chops on papers to bring home! We have a wonderful time together!!

We offer Shirakawago tour or tailor-made tours to private groups. Please feel free to contact us by email tour@j-hoppers.com or phone +81 577 52 9545.