1-Day Tour from Takayama: Explore Hida’s Iconic Anime Locations

Hida’s quiet streets and shrine grounds give Your Name fans a chance to see the real places behind the film’s rural setting. This six-hour guided tour connects Hida-Furukawa with two shrines, then returns to Takayama.

I like two things in particular: the kumihimo cord workshop, which turns a film motif into a hands-on craft, and the mix of anime locations with everyday regional culture. An English-speaking guide handles the route and explains why these places matter.

The main consideration is the pace. You leave Takayama at 9:30 and return around 15:30, with several stops and some travel time, while lunch is not included. If you want a slow, unstructured day, this guided itinerary may feel a little tight.

At a glance: places, craft, and cost

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• Hida-Furukawa Station anchors the visit to the small town associated with the film’s search for clues about a distant mountain village.
• Keta Wakamiya Shrine offers a guided look at a peaceful spiritual site with ties to both the story and the Hida region.
• Hie Shrine near Takayama is presented as inspiration for the sacred site in the protagonist’s mountain village.
• Kumihimo weaving gives you a practical introduction to traditional braided-cord work, a craft featured in the film.
• Takayama ramen and other local dishes are part of the food theme, but meals and drinks are at your own expense.
• The starting price is US$140.69, including transfers, admission, an English-speaking guide, and the weaving session.

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Following the film from Takayama to Hida-Furukawa

The tour is designed for people who want more than a quick photo at a railway station. It connects a handful of real locations to Your Name, while leaving room for the region itself to be part of the appeal. Even if you know the movie well, Hida-Furukawa’s calm streets and traditional sites give the day a different rhythm from a city sightseeing tour.

The route begins at Takayama Station and heads to Hida-Furukawa, a separate town in Gifu Prefecture. At the station, you explore places tied to the protagonists’ search for clues about a far-off mountain village. The visit is not just a checklist of screen references: it lets you see the town that gives those scenes their sense of place.

This is a good fit if you enjoy seeing how an imagined setting draws on real details. The tour presents the locations as inspirations, not as a film set built for visitors. That distinction matters: you are visiting working community spaces, including shrines, rather than attractions designed solely around the movie.

The tour has two package options, starting from Takayama or Hida-Furukawa. The detailed schedule supplied for the Takayama departure runs from 9:30 to 15:30. If you choose the other starting point, check the departure details for that package before booking rather than assuming the Takayama timetable applies.

Hida-Furukawa Station and the town visit

At 10:00, the group reaches Hida-Furukawa Station and explores the town. The station is a natural starting point for the film connection, while the surrounding streets give you a chance to notice the quieter pace of life beyond Takayama.

The town visit is described around places the characters passed while looking for clues. Your guide can help make those references legible, which is useful if you remember the story but do not know the locations by name. If you are a committed fan, you may enjoy matching details to scenes; if you are not, the appeal is the chance to see a less-visited part of the region.

Keep expectations grounded. The itinerary does not promise a lengthy free-roaming visit or specify how much time is spent at each particular spot. It is a guided stop within a day that also includes shrine visits and a craft session, so you should expect an overview rather than an unhurried deep exploration of every lane.

Keta Wakamiya Shrine, with context from your guide

The next listed stop is Keta Wakamiya Shrine, scheduled for 11:00. The visit is guided, and the shrine grounds are described as peaceful. Your guide explains the site’s importance to the film and to the Hida region, giving the stop cultural context as well as a connection to the story.

Shrines can be easy to pass through quickly if you do not know what you are looking at. A guide-led visit helps you focus on the place itself and understand why it has meaning beyond its role as a film inspiration. It also makes this portion of the day useful for visitors who are curious about Japanese spiritual sites, not only anime fans.

The schedule leaves a long stretch between the 11:00 shrine stop and the 14:30 Hie Shrine visit. The exact order and timing of lunch, the weaving session, and other activities are not specified, so do not plan your own tight appointments around that interval. The workshop is included, but the tour details do not name its venue or give its exact duration.

Kumihimo: a craft you can take part in

The hands-on weaving session is one of the tour’s strongest features. Kumihimo is traditional braided-cord work, and it is also a craft motif featured in Your Name. Rather than only hearing about the connection, you get to make a cord yourself.

That practical element gives the film reference more substance. A location can be memorable for a photo, but making something by hand offers a clearer sense of the skill behind a traditional craft. You do not need to be an anime expert to appreciate that part of the day.

The information provided does not say how long the session lasts, what designs or colors are available, or whether the finished cord has a particular pattern. Think of it as an introduction rather than a full craft course. If this is the activity you most want to do, you can ask the operator for those details before booking.

Takayama ramen and lunch on your own budget

Local food is part of the tour’s appeal, with Takayama ramen and other dishes associated with parts of the movie highlighted as options to try. The important budget detail is that meals and beverages are not included in the tour price. Bring money for lunch and any snacks or drinks you want during the day.

That separation gives you some choice over what to eat, but it means the US$140.69 starting price is not the whole cost of your outing. If you are comparing it with a tour that includes lunch, add a realistic meal budget before deciding which offers better value. No restaurant or set menu is specified, so you should not expect a reserved meal or a particular dish as part of the package.

A tour account describes lunch as tasty, but that does not change the practical point: you pay separately. Treat the food element as a chance to sample local specialties if they appeal, not as a guaranteed meal included in your booking.

Hie Shrine and the return to Takayama

At 14:30, the schedule returns to Takayama for a guided visit to Hie Shrine. The shrine is described as an inspiration for the sacred site in the protagonist’s mountain village. This gives the day a final film-linked stop after the Hida-Furukawa visit and the craft experience.

The guided explanation is useful here, too. The tour connects Hie Shrine to the fictional setting while still letting you experience it as a real place in Takayama. If you have been following the film references closely, this stop helps tie the day’s locations together.

The tour concludes at Takayama Station at about 15:30. You can accompany the guide back to the station or remain in the area and explore Takayama’s Old Town at your own pace. That flexibility is handy if you want to continue sightseeing, though the tour itself does not include a guided Old Town visit after the scheduled finish.

What the price covers, and what it does not

At a starting price of US$140.69, this is a moderately priced day out, not simply a transfer between towns. The fee includes round-trip transport to and from the meeting point, an English-speaking guide, admission to attractions, and the traditional weaving session. Those inclusions are useful in a region where arranging several stops independently can take time.

For a six-hour schedule, the starting cost works out to roughly US$23.45 per scheduled hour before meals and personal spending. That is only a rough comparison, since the advertised price is a starting rate and the value depends on how much you care about the film links, guided explanations, and workshop. Fans who would otherwise visit these places independently may find the bundled transport and craft experience worthwhile.

The trade-off is limited flexibility. You follow a set route and schedule, and traffic or weather can change the timing. If you prefer to linger at one shrine or spend a longer spell exploring Hida-Furukawa, an independent visit may suit you better.

Meeting point, children, and booking details

For the Takayama departure, meet outside the ticket gates at JR Takayama Station at 9:30. After leaving the gates, look left for a walkway and a carving depicting an ornate wagon. Arrive 10 minutes early; late arrivals and no-shows are not refundable.

The tour runs on the date shown on your voucher, which you present on your phone. Children aged 0 to 5 can join free if they do not occupy a separate seat. Children aged 13 and older pay the adult rate.

You receive confirmation within minutes. If it does not arrive, contact customer support. Cancellations made at least 24 hours before the activity date, in local time, qualify for a full refund. In extreme weather or other unforeseen events, the operator may cancel and offer either a rescheduled date or a full refund.

Who should book this Hida day tour?

I would put this tour high on the list for Your Name fans who want to see real places connected to the film without arranging local transport themselves. The cord-making workshop adds an active cultural element, while the English-speaking guide helps connect the stops to the region and the story.

It also suits curious visitors who want to see Hida-Furukawa and a pair of shrines on a compact day trip from Takayama. You do not need to know the film to enjoy the craft session and regional setting, though the references will mean more if you have seen it.

I would skip it if your priority is a long, flexible visit to one town, or if you need lunch included in the tour price. For fans and culture-minded visitors who are comfortable paying separately for food, the combination of transport, guided context, shrine visits, and hands-on weaving makes the price easier to justify. Book it if those elements match your interests, and keep the afternoon free in case the schedule shifts.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The Takayama option meets outside the ticket gates at JR Takayama Station, at 9:30. After you exit the gates, look to your left for a walkway and a carving depicting an ornate wagon.

What time does the Takayama tour return?

The scheduled return is 15:30 at Takayama Station. You can return with the guide or stay and explore Takayama’s Old Town on your own.

Which places are included?

The scheduled stops include Hida-Furukawa Station and town, Keta Wakamiya Shrine, and Hie Shrine. The shrine visits are guided.

Is a guide included?

Yes. An English-speaking guide is included.

Is the kumihimo workshop included in the price?

Yes. The package includes a hands-on traditional weaving session.

Are meals included?

No. Meals and beverages are not included. Takayama ramen and other local dishes are highlighted as options, but you pay for your own food and drinks.

How much does the tour cost?

The starting price is US$140.69. The package includes admissions, transfers, an English-speaking guide, and the weaving session.

Can children join the tour?

Children aged 0 to 5 can join free if they do not occupy a separate seat. Children aged 13 and older are charged the adult rate.

What happens if I arrive late or need to cancel?

Arrive 10 minutes before departure, since late arrivals and no-shows cannot be refunded. A full refund is available for cancellations made at least 24 hours before the activity date, in local time.