Tenaga Ashinaga, Takayama

Previously:

Shirakawa-Go

Again, this Takayama trip was reminiscent of my previous trip.  So we tried to visit as much as places we did before.  The first dinner which was only me and husband at this Tenaga Ashinaga was delightful.  We just wanted to let our family try as well.  Straight after that Shirakawa-Go and Kanazawa trip, we went to this restaurant.  It is located just a block away from Kajibashi Soba shop (yesterday).  Not much changed from this restaurant compared to a couple years ago.  However, I think they have more menu options in the house and of course price (understandable though).

Hoba miso steak 1,980¥

I went for the same menu, Hoba miso steak.  Although it looked slightly different but taste equally delicious with before.  I always prefer the meat in medium rare stage, so it will be very tender and melt-in-your-mouth.   Other people tried different food and they all were good.  The meal came with one complimentary drink from green tea to sake.

Hida beef with stone grilled meal

Tenaga Ashinaga
3-58-11 Honcho, Takayama
Ph: +577 34 5855

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Takayama Miyagawa Morning Market

Kanazawa & Shirakawa-Go (Part 1)

Previously:
One Nice Evening in Takayama

There are a few places that can be done for a day trip from Takayama.  The two most common one are Shirakawa-Go and Kanazawa.  We booked the bus ticket about 2 months in advance (overseas direct line phone).  By then some of the time schedules that we wanted were fully booked.  On some days of low season, you can probably just pop up in the bus terminal.  But otherwise, it is always better to book in advance to secure your seat and to have a piece of mind while travelling.

With our booking number, we then still need to came early on that date to exchange it with the actual ticket.  The Nohi bus terminal is located just next to Takayama station.  While we were waiting inside the warm room, we had some quick bite from convenient store inside the office.  That is why I love Japan so much, very convenience and attention in detail.

First stop was Kanazawa then on the way back we briefly visited Shirakawa-Go.  It was a little tight today to squeeze in 2 places but we just want to make the most out of it.  However, I totally not recommend this for people who want to see everything in Kanazawa and Shirakawa-Go.  Better separate it into 2 days trip.  But as this our second times and we had seen before, so it's ok.

Stand 4 for Shirakawa-Go and Kanazawa

Hokuetsu Bus Ticket Office

If you want to spend the whole day in Kanazawa and travelling around the town by bus, it would be much better to buy the one-day loop bus ticket for 500¥ while one-way ticket will cost you 200¥.

Stand 7 for left loop

Omicho market

We ended up visiting only Omicho market and had lunch there.  The salmon fish was so fresh.  It was a good dish.  Then we just caught the bus back to the train station and wandered around there for awhile before headed back to Shirakawa-Go.

Kanazawa station

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Shirakawa-Go

One Nice Evening In Takayama

Previously:
Gifu Prefecture 5 Days 4 Nights with Japan Airlines

The weather, the town, and the food temptation are too nice to be missed.  Although physically begging for some rest but my mind was dragging me out from hotel to enjoy the town has to offer.  The breeze always fresh in here even though slightly chilly from the melting ice left from winter around this early of March.  My food menus in this trip, mostly repetitive from my previous trip in Takayama.  Because what we had before were all good and I missed those flavors.   

First stop was this Hida beef shop.  The food taste was still as good as what I remembered.  It is a little price though for little portion of beef.  Understandable as they used high quality of beef.  But there are getting more and more popular among the tourists as well unlike in the past.  

Hida beef bowl (prime) ¥2,420

The char-grilled beef was so tender and smeared with the sweet sticky sauce which totally well-matched the meat.  I definitely need more than just four thinly sliced beef.

It was a nice afternoon with a clear blue sky while strolling the city.  The old town of Takayama is full of Japanese merchant houses charms and real-life Edo period (not museum).  There are so many things to see and buy in this Sannomachi Suji area.  From visiting shrines, museums to buying sake and souvenirs.  There are also a lot of small stalls or restaurant selling Japanese delicacies to try for.

7-eleven with a touch of Japanese-style wooden house

Must try: Japanese matcha green tea ice cream 250¥

Another must try: Hida beef A5 skewer 1,000¥

Another great snack here in Sannomachi is this beef nigiri.  The queue was absolutely not worthed to join today, so we just gave it a miss.  You can read from my previous blog for the review though.  Instead, we went to had some sweets right across from the sushi shop. 

What we had here: hot match green tea, creme brulee, zenzai (sweet red bean soup with dango), and green tea ice cream.  They were all delicious, especially the cream brulee.  They absolutely executed the crackling burned sugar top and the custard was creamy with the right level of sweetness.  The red bean soup was nice as well, to warm up our palate in this cold weather.

perfect sugar crackling on top

Takayama is actually famous with their fresh apples, however for me, more like the city of strawberry.  Not a single day of my trip this time that passed by without strawberry.  These red goodies were so plumpy, juicy and deliciously sweet and of course extremely fresh.  There are a few different prices for different sizes.  Mostly bigger is more expensive, so whatever you prefer.  But they all were gooooood.

Kajibashi(Hida beef)
3 Chome-62 Honmachi, Takayama
Ph: +81 577 32 0473


茶乃芽 (dessert)
83 Kamisannomachi, Takayama
Ph: +81 577 35 7373


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Kanazawa & Shirakawa-Go (Part 1)

Gifu Prefecture 5 Days 4 Nights with Japan Airlines

It's always nice and convenient to fly direct to everywhere especially with full-fare airlines.  From Bangkok to fly to Nagoya directly took us around 6 hours.  We totally need this comfortable flight as our journey not only stop in Nagoya, we will then need to catch train straight away to go to Takayama and stay there for 3 nights.  The in-flight food was OK, but the best part is I could get the plum wine and sake to accompany me while watching in-flight movies.  

They only served breakfast menu the next day

We caught Mietetsu Line train from Chubu Centair International Airport to Nagoya then exchanged our JR Pass (JR Takayama-Hokuriku Pass) at the Nagoya station before catching the Hida Wide View train to go to Takayama.  Because our type of JR Pass did not cover the airport line.

This is the Nagoya station map 

Btw, for your information.  For the first timer of JR Pass users, you firstly need to validate the JR Pass at the JR information center then book your train timetable at the ticket office.  The office is located opposite each other.

Tonkatsu pork sandwich for our lunch

From Nagoya station took another 2 and half hours train ride to arrive at our destination, beautiful old town of Takayama.  It was a really exhausted and long day for us.  Once we arrived at the hotel, I honestly just wanted to take a rest or maybe NOT!!!! Who knows, how I feel like at that time...... Let's find out...

We went there around early of March.  And my purpose and hope, of course to still be able to see some left over snow.  In Nagoya, I could not see any snow.  Then after I woke up from my short nap on the train, it was somewhere near Takayama already, I opened my eyes and glared at this shining white covered grounds.  I was so excited and happy.  From there, more and more white covered the little town.

Best Western lobby hotel

We stayed 2 nights at this hotel.  The location is very close to the station, only 2 minutes walk from Takayama station and the staff has pretty fluent english.  The room is slightly bigger than any standard Japanese hotel with very western style decorations.  Although the bed is always to small for us couple with a young kid.  However, I still can walk comfortably after putting my luggage.

Best Western Hotel Takayama
6 Chome-6, Takayama, Gifu Prefecture
Ph: +81 577 37 2000


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
One Nice Evening in Takayama