Takayama Showa Museum

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I consider the Showa Museum to be better in size and scope compared to the nearby Retro Museum. Showa doesn’t technically mean retro, but rather a time period from the mid 20s to mid 80s, in line with the emperor that ruled Japan during that time, which is why it definitely has a lor of similarities to what is considered “retro” today.

The lack of a lunch option is made up for with more space and rooms to explore and pose for photos. Lots of photo spots, less people, even a little cinema as well. There’s still slot machines and “Smart Balls”, though this place has a dedicated retro pachinko room, which I think is definitely more on brand for Japan. Add to that functioning 8-Track machines and additional retro consoles.

Still, if you have the time, I recommend visiting both. This one‘s a short walk away from the Retro Museum. Allow plenty of time, I easily spent half an hour on the free-play pachinko alone. 😛

Takayama Street Food Grazing

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Hida Wagyu Beef Skewer
Gohei Mochi
Butter Croissant from Andersen (not the big chain bakery)
Obligatory cone of Cremia
Tomato Juice at the Miyagawa Morning Market

Gassho-zukuri Houses

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This is definitely the main highlight for anyone visiting Shirakawa-go. It’s fascinating to learn about the fragility of the thatched roofs, and more importantly the effort and system in which they get repaired/replaced routinely, with a whole task distribution system that meant the entire village helps one another. Various professions were carried out in the houses back in the day, from silkworm cultivation to even gunpowder making! Some of the houses are still very much inhabited, but do make sure to pass by Wada House, one of the largest ones, and is open as a museum to the public.

Hida Takayama Retro Museum

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It was a very interesting visit. The museum may be small, but it’s packed to the rafters (literally, there’s a games – both retro consoles and old wooden games – room in the upstairs area!) with restored nostalgic items, outfitting various rooms of the era, from classroom, to doctor’s office, to barbers, to electronics stores, and everything in between. Lots of free slot machines to waste your time on, including ones that seem targeted at actual kids from the period. Come at lunchtime, and you can have a period school lunch from the 60s (though the spread isn’t as great as a full-fledged school lunch restaurant I visited years ago).

Oh, did I mention this isn’t even the only “nostalgia museum” in Takayama?

In Spite of All The Danger

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I started liking The Beatles in 2011, and eventually I bought their Anthology box set in 2012, which had a recording of this song made by the group’s predecessor, The Quarrymen. I really liked the song, though I had wished a better quality recording in the same style and arrangement would have existed. I only found out years later that a movie was made about John Lennon’s early life, and the soundtrack included a (what I considered) very faithful cover of this exact song!

Salted Fried Chicken Dinner @ Joyfull

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Went for a cheap dinner at a Japanese “family restaurant”. They’re generally cheap and tasty. Joyfull‘s been a brand on my bucket list for some time.

Dinosaurs @ Fukui Station

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Fukui was pretty out of the way as Japanese cities go, though their famous dinosaur museum was a point of pride. As of mid-March, however, the city became a lot more reachable as a Shinkansen station was finally opened. Unfortunately, I was only stopping by so I didn’t get to see the museum proper, but these animatronic dinosaur statues are still a sight to see right outside the station. I’m quite interested in going to the museum in a future trip.

If you’re intrigued, the city is about 2 hours away from Osaka by train (1.5-hour express train and a 30-minute Shinkansen), and the museum is at the edge of the city. Definitely worth visiting alongside other stops in the Hokuriku Area.