Over summer vacation I visited my friend in Hida Takayama in Gifu prefecture. However, due to time and the weather there were some things we couldn’t do. Last weekend I got another chance to go visit my friend and go see those things.
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida1.jpg)
The first was to take a cable car up a mountain to get a stunning panoramic view of the Japanese Alps. It was cold, but the view of the Alps and the sunset behind them were amazing.
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida2.jpg)
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida3.jpg)
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida4.jpg)
I stayed at my friend’s shop again and did some more exploring of the old streets.
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida5.jpg)
I also got a free ride on a jinrikisha as my friend knows the many of the drivers.
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida6.jpg)
Lastly, my friend took me to Kamikouchi. A beautiful nature preserve in the mountains where only buses and no cars are allowed to go. We did some hiking and I have to say that everywhere I looked it was like a picture. The nature was amazingly clean and pristine. I hope to have a full photo gallery up after the weekend.
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida7.jpg)
![](http://www.andysensei.com/blog/wp-images/pictures/Japan/Gifu/hida8.jpg)