Hida Furukawa

Often described as a quieter version of nearby Takayama, this small town along the Araki River has the same beautifully preserved Edo-period architecture, white-walled storehouses, wooden merchant houses, and narrow canals filled with colorful koi, but a fraction of the tourists. The town gained wider fame as a setting for the anime film "Your Name" (Kimi no Na wa). A pleasant half-day visit might include the sake breweries along Setogawa canal, the Hida Crafts Museum, and a walk through the atmospheric old quarter. The annual Furukawa Festival in April rivals Takayama's in spectacle.