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On the Gifu-ken side of the Central Alps range, in an area known as Hida, lies the lovely town of TAKAYAMA , 110km northeast of Nagoya . Once an enclave of skilled carpenters, employed by emperors to build palaces and temples in Kyoto and Nara, Takayama is now a sprawling modern town, although most of its old merchant houses, small museums, tranquil temples and shrines are clustered into a compact area. Add the area's specialized crafts and cuisine, not to mention warm-hearted locals, and you'll realize why it brings in the crowds. The best time to visit is out of season or during the week, when it's quiet enough to appreciate the town's timeless atmosphere. Takayama is famous throughout Japan for two of its festivals - the Sanno Matsuri (April 14-15) and the Yahata Matsuri (Oct 9-10). During these events, eleven huge elaborate floats, adorned with mechanical dolls ( karakuri ), are paraded around town, a spectacle that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. You can also view these fabulous floats ( yatai ) at nearby Furukawa , a small town which, with its old houses, museums and temples, is like a mini-Takayama, minus the crowds. Less accessible by public transport, but very popular with the tour-bus brigade, are the picturesque villages in the Shirakawa-go and Gokayama valleys , northwest of Takayama, where three villages of gassho-zukuri A-frame thatched houses have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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