飛騨高山

History of Hida Takayma

Jomon Era（BC4000～BC1000)
There are many sites of this era.

Kofun Era（end of Yayoi Era ～Early in Nara Era around AC６００)
An incident on Hida district appears in an official history.
Powerful families of Hida district also follow the central Government.

Hakuhou/Nara Eras（～AC７５２）
In the Taika Reform(645), a legal obligation to pay taxes to the central
government was determined. Experts in Hida were exempted from
taxation by cooperating in building capital of the central Government.
Among people who built historically famous temples and shrines, many
names of experts in Hida district can be seen. Culture of central district
was moved in Takayama district in Nara Era (710 - 784). The Emperor
Shoumu believed in Buddhism sincerely and wanted to make it popular.
So, he orderd each district (country) to build Kokubunji Temple and
Kokubun-niji Temple at each country in 741.

Heian Era(794～1185)
～the Age of Civil [Provincial] Wars(1397～1573)
When Heike clan take control of the whole country, Takayama became
a territory of Heike clan.

Kamakura Era(1185～1332)
Takayama has many unknown things. A political center probably moved
to the north, Furukawa-cho.
In the end of Muromachi period(1336 - 1573),, Mr. Geki Takayama built
a castle at Mt.Tenjin (Shiroyama at present). So, it is said that an area
near the castle is called Takayama. Mr. Mitsuki , who had a great deal of
influence over Masuda district, southern Takayama , advanced into
Takayama and built Matsukura Castle. Mr. Mitsuki did not follow Mr.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi and was destroyed by the retainer of Mr. Toyotomi.

Kanamori Era (1586～1692)
Mr. Kanamori entered into Takayama as the lord of .the fief of Hida,
which yields thirty three thousand koku of rice. In 16 years after that,
he built Honmaru (the most important area of castle), Ni-no-maru(the
2nd important area) and San-no-maru(the 3rd important one).
He took the side of Tokugawa in Sekigahara War (1600). At the same
time, he also constructed a castle town where he set the heigher place
at Samurai site so that the site might surround the castle, and set
the lower place at a site of tradesmen and artisans. He layed out
temple group at Higashiyama (east mountain) after Kyoto. To cope
with farmers riot, he let Shourenji temple (Takayama Betsu-in at
present) with many adherents face with Takayama Castle.
In addition, to rest people's mind, he revived temples and shrines,
and various culture such as Souwa style tea ceremony. Suddenly
in 1692, he was ordered to move to Dewanokuni-Kaminoyama
(Yamagata pref. at present), and the politics by him finished.

Tenryou Era - Fief under direct control of Tokugawa shogunate
　　　　　　　　　　(central government) (1692～1868）
In 1695, Tokugawa shogunate issued an order that Takayama castle
should be destroyed, and it was done. In this era, some local
magistrates and deputy local magistrates governed well. For example,
the 8th Mr. Zendayu Kouda let the farmers produce potato to cope
with famine or crop failure. In Hida area, even at present, the potato
is called Zendayu-imo or Zenda-imo. Further, the 20th Mr.Fujinoshin
Toyota started the making of Shibukusa-yaki pottery and made
sericulture flourish.

After Meiji Era(1868～）
the first year: Hida Prefecture is set in this area in May.
　　　　　　　　　Then the name was changed into Takayama Pref.
4th year (1872): transferred responsibility for control over the area to
　　　　　　　　　　Chikuma Pref.
8th year　(1876): Takayama-ichino-machi-village, Nino-machi-village
　and Sanno-machi-village were consolidated to form Takayama Town.
9th year(1877) : Chikuma Pref. belonged to Gifu Pref.
22th year (1890): New town regulation is enforced with population of
　　　　　　　　　　　15,385.
Taisho 15th year (1926): Nada village was consolidated.
Shouwa 9th (1934): national railway Takayama main line was opened to
　　　　　　　　　　　　traffic
Shouwa 11th (1936):Ohnada town was consolidated to form Takayama
　　　　　　　　　　　　　city.
Shouwa 18th (1943): Hozue village was consolidated.
Shouwa 30th (1955): Daihachiga village was consolidated to form the
　　　　　　　　　　　　　present Takayama city.

【Note】The above is summarized by partially adding after quoting
　　　　｢General Pamphlet of Hida Takayama of the Year 2003｣
　　　　 issued by tourist section of industry development promotion
　　　　 department of Takayama city.

Access to Takayama：
Seto～Takayama　 National road route Nos. 248 and 41.
　　　　　　　　　　　　ab.160km 4 hour/one way
Use a by pass from Tajimi to Mino, descend at the final exit and
drive for about 5 minutes, and you can reach New Ohta Bridge.
Thanks to this by pass, it becomes very easy to make access to
National road route No. 41 which is the most nearest and economical
way to Takayama.

Another Takayama sightseeing：
General tourist will walk around Asa-ichi (morning fair) or old streets.
of stores and houses such as Ue-Nino-machi or Ue-Sanno-machi
This will be satisfactory for first time visiting, but if you will visit
again and are a good walker, the following route will be recommendable:

Shiroyama Park (the ruins of Takayama Castle) → Higashiyama
promenade (temples, shrines) → Takayama-Betsuin-Jihoukan
(Takayama-Annex-Temple Treasure House) → Kitayama promenade
→ Takayama Yatai Kaikan (Takayama Float Exhibition Building
→The Miyachi House (free of charge) → The Matsumoto House
(free of charge)

Parking：
\100/20 minutes or \300/hour; Parking lot of \100/20 minutes is
recommendable. If you want to see the sights for a long time, it
will be better to park at the staying hotel or find a free paking space
at a distance of about 30 minutes' walk from the central part.

Note:
＊　Almost all sightseeing spots in Takayama is charged. Seeing at
　　 random should be avoided.
＊　Both temples and shrines are free of charge. Seein them will be
　　 useful for learning Takayama.

Note
１　In "Geo-Dome"(underground dome), floats for Takayama Festival
　　are always exhibited. 11 floats are towed in the festival, and 6 of
　　these are exhibited.
　　Geo-Dome： keeps the influence of ultraviolet rays, electromagnetic
　　wave, radioactivity to a minimum, and keeps the fluctuation of
　　temperature/humidity to a minimum. Keeping those to a minimum is
　　important for storing works of art - especially woodwork or lacquer
　　work.
２　Shizukuware
　　"Ana-gama" (cave-like kiln for pottery) have been made by
　　Mr. Tadahiro Nakanishi (born at Takayama in 1970) in 1996, and
　　is called Shizuku-gama(kiln). Shizukuware is pottery fired at the kiln.
　　(interpreting after quoting from his background pamphlet)
３　Shibukusaware
　　In 1842, Mr. Katsunoshin Toyoda, deputy local magistrates of Hida
　　district invited Mr. Ryuuzou Toda, pupil of Mr. Shuntai Kato who was
　　famous as excellent potter in the domain of Owari so that Mr.Toda
　　might make a kiln at a place of Shibukusa which is located in a suburb
　　of western Takayama and begin making potteries. Shibukusaware
　　uses chaina clay of good quality produced at Hida district and
　　many such clays are fired with decoration called Gosai or Akae.
　　The pottery works were called Hida-akae
　　Succeeding to the intention of Ryuuzou the First, working out, and
　　drawing Akae (red picture) or Sometsuke with painting brush, the
　　present Shibusawaware is handmade-unique and elegant potteries.
　　(summarizing after quoting from pamphlet of Shibukusaware)
４　Yamadaware
　　A kiln place is located on the hill surrounded by the copse.in a
　　suburb of western Takayama. The kiln was made during the period
　　of 1764 - 1772, and have continued to make kitchen utensils,
　　ceramics for construction and potteries for tea ceremony by
　　firing the clays.
　　(summarizing after quoting from an explanation sheet titled
　　"About Yamadaware"　written by Mr. Houzan Kobayashi)
５　Koitoware
　　For a period of 1624-1644, a potter from Kyoto was invited by
　　the lord of Takayama castle of taste and made a kiln.
　　In 1837 after that, wealthy merchants of Takayama, Mr. Kisuke
　　Hosoeya and Mr. Tadaemon Uchihoya invited Mr. Ryuzou Toda,
　　capable potter from the domain of Owari. Mr. R. Toda revived
　　the kiln at the present place, Koitozaka Toda At present,
　　Mr. Nagakura is making potteries as potter of Koitoware.
　　(summarizing after quoting from an explanation sheet titled
　　"About Koitoware"　written by Mr. Yasukuni Nagakura)
６　Tree of "Ichi-i"
　　"Ichi-i Ittou-bori"(carving with a single stroke of chisel) is carved
　　on wood of "Ichi-i". Not coloring traditional art work. The color
　　of this work is changed to glossy brown in about three years.
　　The color of the wood of keyaki, a Japanese tree of the genus
　　Zelkova is not changed.
　　(a carver in this building, "Ichi-i Ittou-bori Kaikan" taught me.)
７　Sake｢Hida-no-Jingorou｣
　　 I bought an earthenware sake bottle carrying a name of
　　"Hida-no-Jingorou" at a souvenir shop in Hotel.
　　Sake of Hida is put in this bottle.
　　Name,"Hida-no-Jingorou" is associated with a master hand,
　　Hidari Hingorou. This bottle seems to be glazed by Oribe. I was
　　wondering if it has been fired at Takayama. But, a shopgirl confirmed
　　it was surely fired at Takayama, so I bought it.
８　Hidari Jingorou (Mr. Jingorou Hidari)
　　It is said that Hidari Jingorou was unprecedented master hand
　　in construction/sculpture in Edo Era (1603 - 1867). In his
　　boyhood, he had his life at Takayama, improved his skill as a
　　carpenter at Kyoto, was engaged in large scale reconstruction
　　in Edo Castle, erection of Nikko Toushougu Mausoleum(1634 -
　　1636) and Kan-eiji Temple in Ueno (established by priest, Tenkai
　　in 1625; Head temple of Tendai sect of Buddhist in eastern Japan
　　area). Sculptures, "Sleeping Cat" at Nikko Toushougu and "Rising
　　Dragon at belfry" at Kan-eiji Temple are said to be made by him.
　　He might be a legendary or fabulous person. In other words,
　　A story about expert workmen in Hida might bring about a kind of
　　fabulous hero, Hidari Jingorou. The expertise has been improved
　　and still been living on in construction/sculpture in Hida.
　　(summarizing after quoting from an explanation printed on fancy
　　box of the earthenware sake bottle carrying the name of
　　"Hida-no-Jingorou")

Shizukuware（Note２）	Shibukusaware（Note３）	Yamadaware（Note４）

Kiln (gas/wood)	Shop managed directly by Koito Kiln	Koito Kiln