Hidden away in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, Hida Takayama is probably most famous for its biannual Takayama Matsuri, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from across Japan to see one of the most amazing parades of historic floats in the entire country. The next festival takes place in April 2017, giving you some time to book a hotel and prepare for the crushing crowds of people who will be attending with you. The area has also earned the nickname “Little Kyoto” for its neighborhoods of well maintained historic buildings from the Edo period. Most tourists see the area on a train + bus tour that includes several other significant area attractions.