25 Mar 2018

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


21 Mar 2018

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. 
 
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

Making food samples

Gujo dance Viewing






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:
phone: +81 577 62 9545 (from overseas)

11 Mar 2018

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