Takayama (高山市, Takayama-shi) is a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2019^[update], the city had an estimated population of 88,473 in 35,644 households,^[3] and a population density of 41 persons per km². The total area of the city was 2,177.61 square kilometers (840.78 sq mi) making it the largest city by area in Japan. The high altitude and separation from other areas of Japan kept the area fairly isolated, allowing Takayama to develop its own culture over about a 300-year period.

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Takayama 高山市
City
City view from Tenbo Park
Flag Seal
Location of Takayama in Gifu Prefecture
Takayama
Coordinates: 36°8′45.7″N 137°15′7.8″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Gifu
First official recorded	377 AD
City settled	November 1, 1936
Government
• Mayor	Akira Tanaka[1](since September 2022)
Area
• Total	2,177.61 km2 (840.78 sq mi)
Population  (January 1, 2019)
• Total	88,473
• Density	41/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0577-32-3333
Address	2–18 Hanaoka-chō, Takayama-shi, Gifu-ken 506-8555
Climate	Dfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Rhododendron reticulate[2]
Tree	Japanese yew[2]

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The city is popularly known as Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山) in reference to the old Hida Province to differentiate it from other places named Takayama. The name 'Takayama' means 'tall mountain'.

Takayama is located in northern Gifu Prefecture, in the heart of the Japanese Alps. Mount Hotakadake is the highest point in the city at 3,190 meters (10,470 ft). The city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.

Per Japanese census data,^[12] the population of Takayama peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

The area around Takayama was part of traditional Hida Province and was settled as far back as the Jōmon period. During the Sengoku period, Kanamori Nagachika ruled the area from Takayama Castle and the town of Takayama developed as a castle town. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reforms, Ōno District in Gifu prefecture was created, and the town of Takayama was established in 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. At the time, it was the most populous municipality in Gifu Prefecture. On November 1, 1936, Takayama merged with the town of Onada, forming the city of Takayama.^[14] Takayama annexed the village of Josue in 1943 and the village of Ohachiga in 1955. On February 1, 2005, the town of Kuguno and the villages of Asahi, Kiyomi, Miya, Nyūkawa, Shōkawa, and Takane (all from Ōno District), the town of Kokufu, and the village of Kamitakara (both from Yoshiki District) were absorbed to create the expanded city of Takayama.^[14] This made Takayama both the largest city and largest municipality in Japan by area.

Takayama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members.

The economy of Takayama is strongly based on tourism, agriculture, and woodworking.

This city was selected as one of the top ten travel destinations in Asia by Lonely Planet Magazine in the year 2017.^[15]

• Mount Norikura, a dormant volcano that is 3,026 meters (9,928 ft) tall is east of Takayama. A bus takes visitors to a point near the summit.
• Shin-Hotaka Ropeway and Okuhida Spa Resort: There is a 3,200-meter ropeway offering great views of the Northern Alps.
• There are old homes in the heart of Takayama that are cultural artifacts.^[16]
• Takayama has multiple morning markets near the river in the center of town.
• The Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village is nearby.
• Takayama is the home of one of the three largest Shinto festivals in Japan. The Takayama Festivals are two distinctive festivals. The yatai (floats) used can be found in the Takayama Yatai Kaikan (Takayama Festival Float Exhibition Hall). Nearby is the Sakurayama Nikkō Kan, an exhibit of 1/10 scale replicas of Nikkō's famous Tōshō-gū shrine.
• Takayama-shi Kyodo-kan is a local history museum with handicrafts and traditional items.
• Takayama Jin'ya is a historical government house and National Historic Site
• Kusakabe Folk Museum is a local museum in an old merchant's home.
• Hida Kokubun-ji, founded in the Nara period as the provincial temple of Hida, it is the oldest structure in Takayama. It has a three-level pagoda and stands beside a ginkgo tree that is over 1,200 years old.
• Ankokuji Temple and Storehouse is an ancient structure from 1408 that is recognized as a national treasure.
• Hida Takayama Kur Alp (Hida Takayama Spa Land) is a large public bath and swimming area.
• World shrine to Su-God, the worldwide headquarters of Sukyo Mahikari organization
• Hida Tōshō-gū shrine
• Akahogi Tile Kiln Site, a National Historic Site
• Dōnosora Site, ruins of a Jōmon period village, a National Historic Site

• Hida Mountains
• Miyagawa River
• A crafts shop
• Hommachi shopping street
• A traditional shopping street
• Nakabashi's early season snowfall
• Hida-no-Sato folk village in autumn
• Takayama Jinya
• Kusakabe House
• Higashiyama temple area
• A rickshaw in Takayama
• A beef sushi, one of popular foods for tourists
• Hirayu onsen Onsen tamago
• Hirayu onsen
• Hirayu onsen
• Presentation of floats during Sannō Matsuri
• World Shrine of Sukyo Mahikari

• Takayama is known for its local foods, including sansai (mountain vegetables), wasakana (river fish), beef, soba, ramen, and sake.
• In addition to its fame for its carpentry, Takayama is well known for its lacquerware, pottery, and furniture.
• The mountain city of Takayama is associated with charms known as "sarubobos", which are traditionally passed from grandmothers to grandchildren and mothers to daughters, though are now often sold as souvenirs. The city and the Hida area are also known for carpentry, and its carpenters are called Hida no takumi.
• Around the east of the city is a tour, called the Higashiyama Walking Course (東山歩行道, Higashiyama-hokōdō), which goes past many shrines and temples to Shiroyama Park (城山公園, Shiroyama-kōen).
• Takayama holds two festivals every year, Sannō Matsuri (山王祭り) in spring and Hachiman Matsuri (八幡祭り) in autumn. These festivals are among the most popular in Japan.
• Takayama was the basis for the settings in the anime series Hyōka, adapted from Honobu Yonezawa's Classic Literature Club series. Designs of the fictional city of Kamiyama are based on Takayama.

• Takayama Festival