Nagoya to Shirakawago packaged tours
Some tour operators offer package tours to Takayama and Shirakawago from Nagoya Station. If you arrive in Nagoya on the Shinkansen bullet train early in the morning, you can make a day trip from Kyoto to Shirakawago. There are group tours and private tours available.
Group tours
You share the bus with other passengers. The price of the tour is less than 100 USD per person. So it is recommended for solo travelers and small groups.
"Takayama and Shirakawa-go Day Trip from Nagoya" (Chinese guide, English accepted) or
"Takayama and Shirakawa-go Day Tour from Nagoya" (English guide)
Private tours
Tour operators will provide a car for your group. This option is recommended for those who do not like to share a bus or for groups of a certain size.
Nagoya to Takayama and Shirakawago Private tour
Would you like to visit Takayama and Shirakawago from Nagoya City? We offer private tours to Takayama and Shirakawago from Nagoya.
If you need a guide, we currently have guides in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, and Portuguese available from Nagoya.
If you would like to consult us about your itinerary, special requirements, budget, etc., please
Popular tour plans from Nagoya to Takayama/Shirakawago
The table below indicate our popular plans and typical prices. Please enquire for a large group. Tour by public bus is not recommended due to inflexibility of the schedule and the difficulty to book it.
| Tour No. | No. of pax | transport and guide |
duration | price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGO-2 | up to 9
|
train and car without guide |
12.5 hours |
depends on pax |
| NGO-3 | up to 8 |
by Toyota Alphard (max 5) or Toyota Hiace (max 8) with a guide |
11 hours |
from 150,000 yen |
| NGO-4 Special offer Most popular |
good for 9-17 pax |
by 18 seater minibus
with a guide |
11 hours |
from 160,000 yen
|
Overtime charge: 10,000 yen for every additional hour (NGO-3 and NGO-4 only).
Special offer (Tour NGO-4)
This tourNGO-4 is currently not available
A bus company gives us a special offer of their 18-seater minibus from around Nagoya. This is the most recommendable tour plan for groups of 9-17 pax for Takayama and Shirakawago.
Standard duration of the tour is 11 hours. Since this is a private car hiring, departure time and place can be flexible. No additional hotel pick-up charge within the center of Nagoya City, Gifu City, Gifu-Hashima Station or nearby places. Longer tours available with additional costs (10,000 yen per every additional hour).
8:30 Meet with our driver at Nagoya Station or your hotel (free hotel pick up for the hotels in the center of Nagoya).
9:00-11:00 Nagoya-Takayama
11:00-13:30 Tour in Takayama and lunch
13:30-14:30 Takayama-Shirakawago
14:30-16:30 Visit World Heritage Shirakawago Village
16:30-19:30 Shirakawago-Nagoya
Arrangement of lunch in Shirakawago is available for a group of 5 or larger. See this page. The popular traditional set menu with Hida beef is around 1,800 yen (without tax) per person.
Price of the tour is fixed at 160,000 yen (18-seater minibus) including driver, highway tolls, parking fees, an English-speaking guide, and 10% tax. Meals and entrance fees are not included in the price.
During Christmas and New Year's holiday season, high season rate is applied.
In case you have large suitcases, 18-seater minibus may be too small and you need a larger bus.
There is only one mini-bus available a day at this price. So please ask for the availability.
Model plans
To go from Nagoya to Takayama and Shirakawago, there are choices of transportation.
- By train from Nagoya to Takayama, by car from Takayama to Shirakawago - 12 hours 30 minutes
- By luxurious Toyota Alphard from Nagoya - 11 hours
You will need to choose the best mode of transportation for you based on cost, flexibility, capacity, time, etc. If you choose a tour by car, it will give you maximum flexibility, but may be more expensive. A tour by bus is the cheapest, but you can't expect flexibility. If you are a group of four or more, and especially if you have children and/or elderly people, we strongly recommend that you take a tour by car. The tour duration is shorter and the itinerary can be more flexible.
We will advise you on the best option for you.
Meal arrangements are also available. In addition to popular dishes such as Hida beef, soba noodles and Takayama ramen, Muslim and vegetarian lunches are also available.
Packaged Tours
If you are not interested in private tours and looking for an inexpensive packaged tours from Nagoya, then visit Packaged Tours from Nagoya to Takayama/Shirakawago. This tour is operated by a large touring company.
Itineraries and prices of each tour
Our popular tours are shown below. If your group is large (over 17 people), you need more customizing, you need special arrangements, etc., please contact us from this page.
All schedules are subject to change without notice. Prices are estimates to give you a general idea of the cost. All tours include a guide from Nagoya. If you need to book transportation and/or accommodations without taking our tour, a service charge for booking will apply.
Accommodation in Takayama/Shirakawago and tours including Gokayama, Kanazawa and/or Gujo Hachiman are also available. Please inquire.
3) Tour NGO-3: from Nagoya to Shirakawago and Takayama tour
by luxurious Toyota Alphard or a Toyota Hiace with a guide
about 10 hours
This is the most recommended tour plan for small groups. Duration of the tour is 10 hours and time and schedule can be flexible. Meals and entrance fees can be included upon request. In case of mini bus or larger buses, it takes more time and standard tour duration is 11 hours.
Itinerary (11 hours)
8:30 Meet with our driver at Nagoya Station or your hotel (free hotel pick up for the hotels in the center of Nagoya).
8:30-11:00 Nagoya-Takayama
11:00-13:30 Tour in Takayama and lunch
13:30-14:30 Takayama-Shirakawago
14:30-16:30 Visit World Heritage Shirakawago Village
16:30-19:30 Shirakawago-Nagoya
The prices below are estimates only. Prices may vary slightly depending on the type of vehicle available on the day of the tour.
| Car type | Capacity (persons) |
Estimated price (yen) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan (hired taxi) | 1-2 |
from 140,000 |
| Toyota Alphard | 1-5 |
from 148,000 |
| Toyota Hiace (10-seater) | 1-8 |
from 148,000 |
| Mini-bus (18-seater) 11 hours | 9-17 |
from 160,000 |
Prices include car with driver, highway tolls, parking in Takayama and Shirakawago, English speaking guide and 10% tax. Prices are subject to change depending on the type of car, etc.
If you want to include Gokayama (Suganuma Village or Ainokura Village), please add 2-4 hours. The tour price will be higher due to the longer hours. Additional cost is 10,000 yen for each extra hour. Please inquire.
Tour NGO-2: from Nagoya to Shirakawago and Takayama tour
by train and car with or without guide
about 12.5 hours
We recommend that you book early, as seats may not be available, especially during the holiday season.
If you want to visit Gokayama (Suganuma Village or Ainokura Village), you will have to leave earlier and shorten your stay in Takayama and Shirakawago. The tour price will be higher due to the longer hours.
The meeting point is Nagoya Station. Hotel pickup is available with extra charge for transportation of our guide.
8:43 Depart from Nagoya Station, JR Tokai Express Hida No.3
10:55 Arrive at Takayama Station
Looking around Takayama (morning market, old streets, sake tasting, etc.)
12:00 Lunch
14:00 Depart from Takayama by a car
14:50 Arrive at Shirakawago view point
Visit World Heritage Shirakawago Village
17:10 Depart from Shirakawago Parking area
18:00 Arrive at Takayama Station
18:45 Depart from Takayama Station by JR Tokai Express Hida No. 20
21:02 Arrive at Nagoya Station
Groups with 9 people or over need buses. Contact us from here.
Price varies according to the size of your group (car size), and the train tickets. Those who have JR Pass pay for car (and guide) only. Table below shows the price of car hiring from Takayama to Shirakawago for 4 hours (including highway tolls and parking fees) without guide (self-guided tour).
| Size of group (person) |
Car type | Estimated price (yen) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Sedan (hired taxi) | 72,000 |
| 1-6 | Toyota Alphard | 82,000 |
| 1-9 | Toyota Hiace Wagon | 82,000 |
| up to 18 | Mini-bus | from 110,000 |
The price of a return ticket varies from season to season. During the low season, a special discount ticket is available at JR ticket counter. The price of this special ticket is same for children. Tickets are available at JR ticket office. We can purchase the train tickets for you and send them to your hotel. Service and posting charge is from 5,000 yen.