Page 160 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

EXPERIENCE Central Honshu

4 such as pouring tea or bowing
to the audience. These early
TAKAYAMA robots feature in festivals all
over Japan.
Between Takayama’s two
festivals, four of the floats are
高山 displayed in this hall next to
the Sakurayama Hachiman
! E4 ⌂ Gifu Prefecture £ JR Takayama line n In front of
JR Stn; www.hida.jp/english/index.html Shrine, along with photo­
graphs of the others. Intricately
Agriculturally poor but rich in timber, characterful carved, they serve as evidence
Takayama has a centuries-long tradition of producing of Takayama’s legendary
skilled carpenters. The city’s isolated mountain craftsmanship. Once you’ve
location has meant the survival of its unspoiled admired the floats, pop into
the gallery next door, which
Edo-period streets – today lined with tiny shops, displays exqui site scale
museums, and eating places – while the pure water models of Nikko Tosho­gu
is ideal for brewing sake. Shrine (p300).

townspeople dressed
1 " in traditional costume.
Takayama Festival Four floats also feature
Floats Exhibition Hall karakuri marionettes.
This form of puppetry
⌂ 178 Sakuramachi was invented in Edo
§ (0577) 32-5100
# 9am–4:30pm daily (Tokyo) in 1617, and
features mechanized
Takayama Festival dates from dolls that perform
about 1690 and takes place traditional actions,
twice a year: in spring, coin­
ciding with planting, and in
fall at harvest time. Both
of these festivals involve A float on display at
processions of 11 tall, lavishly the Takayama Festival
decorated floats, guided by Floats Exhibition Hall
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