Takayama is a beautiful mountain escape around 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Tokyo. In winter it's a great place to enjoy beautiful snowy landscapes and rustic villages, and in summer we recommend walking, hiking, or visiting the Old Town.
There are a few ways to get between Tokyo and Takayama, including the Shinkansen train, the bus, or getting a taxi or private transfer. We recommend the train as the best option combining efficiency and being cost-effective, a private transfer as the most convenient option, and a bus as the cheapest option. An expertly-designed private tour with us will take care of all your travel needs, and that is option 4.
Takayama Jinya Former Government Outpost1. Get the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Takayama: the Best Way
To really experience travel in Japan, you should take the Japanese Shinkansen bullet train at least once. Between Tokyo and Takayama, it's easy to take the bullet train, with just one change in Nagoya.
Between Tokyo and Nagoya, you can take the Nozomi, Hikari or Kodama Shinkansen, and then you transfer to the Hida Shinkansen between Nagoya and Takayama. Your total journey will take approximately 4 to 5 hours depending on which bullet train you take between Tokyo and Nagoya.
Keep reading for more information about this.
Train From Tokyo to Nagoya
Between Tokyo and Nagoya, for the first leg of this journey, you have the choice between three Shinkansen train.
- The Nozomi (the fastest, with fewer stops along the route)
- The Kodama (the slowest, with more stops along its journey)
- The Hikari (which sits in the middle of these in terms of speed and stops)
All three trains are efficient, and which one to take would depend on whether you are buying a Japan Rail Pass, since Nozomi trains aren't covered on this pass without paying an extra fee, but Kodama and Hikari trains are.
With the above information, for your journey between Tokyo and Nagoya we would recommend taking the Hikari Shinkansen if you are going to be traveling with the Japan Rail Pass, and the Nozomi train if you are buying your tickets individually.
| Tokyo–Nagoya Shinkansen Trains | Nozomi | Hikari | Kodama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journey Time (approx.) | 1½ hours | 1¾ hours | 2½ hours |
| Non-Reserved Price (approx.) | US$90 | US$76 | US$76 |
| Reserved Price (approx.) | US$100 | US$85 | US$85 |
| Japan Rail Pass | Extra fee US$28 | Permitted | Permitted |
| Train Frequency (6am–9pm) | Every 6–10 minutes | Two per hour | One per hour |
Tokyo has two main train stations where you can take the Shinkansen, both Tokyo Station and Shinagawa.
Shinagawa Station is smaller than Tokyo Station, so navigating it is a little bit easier, and it less crowded.
Shinagawa is the second stop after Tokyo Station on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, meaning you might get more chance of a seat if you don't have a seat reservation at Tokyo Station. Tokyo Station also has more amenities and shops, so if you are looking for that, or if you are closer to Tokyo Station already, it's worth departing from there.
Train From Nagoya to Takayama
| Nagoya–Takayama Shinkansen Train | Hida |
|---|---|
| Journey Time (approx.) | 2¼ hours |
| Non-Reserved Price (approx.) | US$58 |
| Reserved Price (approx.) | US$64 |
| Japan Rail Pass | Permitted |
| Train Frequency (6am–9pm) | Every hour |
Train times are usually released around 2–3 months ahead of time, and it is not possible to buy your tickets earlier than this. You can check your journey on Jorudan here, including train times and fares.
How to Purchase Tickets or a Japan Rail Pass for the Shinkansen?
Before buying your tickets, you need to decide whether you are going to be traveling on more than one bullet train during your trip, or whether you just want to travel to Takayama and back.
Should you have two or more similar journeys planned in Japan, we suggest looking into a Japan Rail Pass, which includes unlimited travel in Japan for a specific duration (including Hikari and Kodama trains, and Nozomi too but at a small supplemental fee). The prices for 7-day Japan Rail Passes start at US$331, and a Green Pass (the equivalent of Japan's first class on trains), is priced at US$464 each. A Japan Rail Pass does also have 14- and 21-day options if you are traveling for longer.
If you have bought a Japan Rail Pass, tickets are not required. You can just turn up at the station, and take a seat in the non-reserved carriage.
For those traveling without a Japan Rail Pass, you will need to buy a stand-alone ticket. For this, the charge consists of a base fee for your journey as well as a bullet train additional fee. You can also pay a little extra to reserve a specific seat, or a supplement to upgrade to the Green Car (first class).
There is a discount for kids, with kids aged 6 to 11 paying 50% of the adult fee, and two kids under the age of 5 permitted to travel for free which each paying adult.
Do I Need to Buy Tickets in Advance and Reserve My Seats?
Whether you need to reserve your seat will depend on what time of the year you are traveling. You can reserve a seat ahead of time in the station or at the Japan Rail website, which we do recommend if you are traveling during a peak season (between March and May or October through to mid-December).
For those heading to Takayama outside of the peak season, you can usually just sit in the non-reserved carriage, and get your ticket on the day at the station.
For those traveling in peak season, we do recommend booking your train ticket ahead of time and reserving a seat as well. Trains do get busy. For the first leg of the journey, we also suggest booking your seat on the right-hand side of the train, or mountain-side. This is where you'll see more of Mount Fuji dependent on weather conditions.
How to Board your Shinkansen Train?
When you get a ticket, you will either get a paper ticket or a digital ticket with a QR code. If you have a paper ticket, you will need to put it into the barrier to get through. Don't forget to take the ticket out on the other side of the barrier as you might get checked on the train too.
For a QR ticket, barriers have QR readers where you can scan your ticket to open the barrier and enter the platform.
With regard to finding the right platform to board your Shinkansen train, you'll find signs throughout the station with platform numbers, and signage throughout the station guiding you to the platforms. Stations also have staff to help you find your train, so don't hesitate to ask for help.
Train Luggage Allowance and Luggage Delivery
A Shinkansen ticket includes two pieces of luggage. Your only limitation here is that each item's combined length, width, and height is not permitted to be greater than 250 cm (or 98 inches). Luggage weight also is not allowed to exceed 30 kilograms (66 pounds).
If you do need to carry oversized luggage on the train, you will have to reserve a seat next to the oversized luggage area. These seats can be reserved in advance online or at the train station when you're buying your ticket.
Because Japan has so many travelers taking the trains, they have also developed an amazing luggage delivery service with which you can ship your luggage to your destination ahead of your journey. This service is called takuhaibin in Japanese, and you are able to arrange for this at your hotel or at the train station.
We suggest looking into using takuhaibin, because it makes it so much easier to transfer in Nagoya, and you don't have to lug heavy suitcases around. Instead, if you pack a day's worth of clothing and supplies, you can have the rest of your luggage delivered to your hotel the next day.
Takuhaibin services between Tokyo and Takayama cost around US$25 per 25 kg (or 55 lbs) suitcase, and while usually delivered the next day, there are some cases where you can have same-day delivery if you pay a little extra or send your luggage off early in the morning.
2. Get a Taxi or Private Transfer: the Quickest and Easiest Way
Because Tokyo and Takayama are around a 4-to-5-hour drive away from each other (traffic-dependent), there is also the option to take either a taxi or a private transfer. While this is definitely the more expensive option for one or two people, if you have to pay for a whole family's worth of train tickets, a private transfer or a taxi is actually not that much more expensive.
On top of that, you won't have to travel between stations, saving some time on your transfer to and from the train station, making it the quicker option even if you stop mid-way to stretch your legs and enjoy the landscape.
Regular taxis will charge around USD$800 for the journey, and will take you door to door without having to worry about your luggage. We recommend avoiding morning and evening rush hours during the week, particularly getting out of Tokyo, as this can push the journey upwards of 5 hours.
3. Take a Bus: the Cheapest Way
If you are traveling through Japan on a budget, we suggest looking into the bus to get between Tokyo and Takayama. While not the most comfortable way of traveling, it only takes around an hour longer than the train or a private transfer, and is more cost-efficient.
- The Nouhi Bus departs from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Takayama Nouhi Bus Terminal five times a day (including an overnight option that departs around 11pm and arrives at 5am, but unfortunately doesn't have beds on board) and takes 5 to 6 hours. Tickets will set you back between US$30 and US$50 depending on how far in advance you book.
- The Keio Dentetsu Bus also serves the route between Shinjuku Expressway Bus terminal and Takayama Nouhi Bus Terminal with around four buses per day, and tickets costing around US$40. These also do not have beds on board.
The Takayama Nouhi Bus Terminal is located close to the center of town, and a convenient place to arrive and start your exploration of the city from.
4. Tokyo to Takayama within a Japan Tour with Asia Highlights
Your other option would be to enjoy the Takayama journey as part of a guided tour through Japan with us. Our team are ready to help make your trip to Takayama and the rest of Japan the best, and we have planned some amazing Japan itineraries that include time in Takayama.
Our 11-Day Japan Tour: Tokyo, Kawaguchi, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima itinerary takes you past Mount Fuji towards Takayama for example, or there are other options listed below. We can also tailor-make your own itinerary or adjust our existing itineraries where needed.
If you have other things you'd like to do or see, please don't hesitate to contact us for more information.
Get Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.
