Gifu & Nagano, 4–5 days
Takayama’s old town preserves Edo-period merchant houses and sake breweries along streets that have changed remarkably little in centuries, and it draws a fraction of Kyoto’s crowds despite comparable historic atmosphere — a genuinely underrated stop on most first-time Japan itineraries.
From Takayama, the Shirakawa-go villages are a short bus ride away — UNESCO-listed thatched-roof farmhouses (gassho-zukuri, built steeply pitched to shed heavy snow) that look almost unchanged from centuries-old woodblock prints, especially striking under winter snow.
The Kamikochi valley, reachable from Matsumoto, offers alpine hiking with views rivaling the European Alps, accessible without technical climbing experience via well-maintained valley-floor trails.
Typical range: ¥10,000–¥25,000 per night, considerably less than Tokyo or Kyoto.
Sephari’s Outdoor & Adventure Gear collection has the layering pieces this mountain region’s cool temperatures call for even in summer.