Christmas and New Year season
Christmas and New Year season is the busiest holiday season in Japan. During this period (especially 24 Dec - 3 Jan), higher rates may be applied for car hiring, guides, admissions and meals.
If you plan a trip to Shirakawago in December 2018 via Nagoya, we recommend you to postpone it to after 4th January 2019. There is a shortage of car, guide and accommodation in Takayama/Shirakawago area. We cannot guarantee their availability. The cars from Kanazawa are still available on some days in December 2018.
Shirakawago Light-up events 2019
Due to new rule, only those who win the lottery can have access to light-up event of Shirakawago in 2019. So we cannot provide any tour for the Shirakawago light-up. You may still have a chace to experience smaller light-up event near Takayama in February.
Nagoya to Takayama and Shirakawago Private tour
Do you like to visit Takayama and Shirakawa-go from Nagoya City? We offer private tours to Takayama and Shirakawa-go from Nagoya.
If you need a guide, currently guides from Nagoya are available in English, Chinese, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
If you 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 good for 1-3 pax |
train and car without guide |
12.5 hours |
depends on pax |
| NGO-3 | up to 5 |
by luxurious Toyota Alphard with a guide |
10 hours |
from 140,000 yen |
| NGO-4 Special offer Most popular |
good for 4-17 pax |
by 14 seater van or 18 seater minibus with a guide |
10 hours |
120,000 yen 130,000 yen |
Special offer (Tour NGO-4)
Sorry this plan is fully booked for December 2018. Please see NGO-3 plan during December 2018.
A bus company gives us a special offer of their 14-seater (including driver's seat) van or 18-seater minibus from Nagoya. This is the most recommendable tour plan for groups of up to 17 pax for Takayama and Shirakawago.
Duration of tour is 10 hours (more in winter time). 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.
9:00 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 Shirakawa-go Village
16:30-19:00 Shirakawago-Nagoya
Price of the tour is fixed at 120,000 yen (14-seater van) and 130,000 yen (18-seater minibus) including driver, highway tolls, parking fees, an English-speaking guide, and 8% tax. Meals and entrance fees are not included.
There is only one car available. So please ask for the availability.
Model plans
To go from Nagoya to Takayama and Shirakawa-go, 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 - 10 hours
You have to choose the best means of transport for you by considering cost, flexibility, capacity, time, etc. If you choose a tour by car, it gives you the maximum flexibility but can be more expensive. If you use a tour by bus, it's the cheapest but you cannot expect flexibility. If you are a group of four or more, and especially with children and/or elderly people, we strongly recommend to take tour by car. Tour duration is shorter and the itinerary can be more flexible.
We give you advice to choose the most suitable option for you.
Arrangement of meals is also available. In addition to popular food such as Hida beef, soba noodle and Takayama ramen, there are Muslim and vegetarian lunches available.
If you are not interested in private tours and looking for a packaged tour, then visit Packaged Tours from Nagoya to Takayama/Shirakawago.
Itineraries and prices of each tour
Our popular tours are shown below. If your group is large (over 12 people), you need more customizing, you need special arrangements, etc., please contact us from this page.
All schedules are subject to change. Prices are estimates to give you general ideas about the costs. All tours include a guide accompanying you from Nagoya. If you need booking of transport and/or accommodations without taking our guided tour, a service charge for booking is applied.
Overnight stay in Takayama/Shirakawago and tours including Gokayama, Kanazawa and/or Gujo Hachiman also available. Please inquire.
3) Tour NGO-3: from Nagoya to Shirakawago and Takayama tour
by luxurious Toyota Alphard with a guide
about 10 hours
This is the most recommendable tour plan for small groups. Duration of tour is 10 hours and time and schedule can be flexible. Meals and admissions can be included upon request.
9:00 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 Shirakawa-go Village
16:30-19:00 Shirakawago-Nagoya
Prices below are just estimates. Price varies slightly depending on the types of the car available on the day of the tour.
| Car type | Capacity (persons) |
Estimated price (yen) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | 1-2 |
from 135,500 |
| Toyota Alphard | 1-5 |
from 140,000 |
| Toyota Hiace (10-seater) | 1-8 |
from 140,000 |
Prices include a car with driver, highway toll, parking fees in Takayama and Shirakawago, an English-speaking guide, and 8% tax. Prices are subject to change depending on the type of the car, etc. You can include lunch and admissions to the quotation. Please inquire.
If you like to include Gokayama (Suganuma Village or Ainokura Village), you need additional 2-4 hours. Tour price will be higher due to the longer hours. 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 early booking otherwise train seats may not be available especially in holiday seasons.
If you like to visit Gokayama (Suganuma Village or Ainokura Village), you need to leave earlier and shorten the stay in Takayama and Shirakawago. Tour price will be higher due to the longer hours.
Meeting point is Nagoya Station. Hotel pick up is available with additional fees 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 Shirakawa-go 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) |
Estimated price (yen) |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 60,000 |
| 4-9 | 70,000 |
The price of a return tickets 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.
| Size of group (person) |
Estimated price (yen) |
Price per pax (yen) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11,990 |
11,990 |
| 2 | 18,160 |
9,080 |
| 3 | 23,300 |
7,767 |
| 4 | 26,390 |
6,598 |
| normal ticket for 1 during low season |
12,060 |
12,060 |
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 5,000 yen.
An exclusive Shirakawago VIP tour from Nagoya is also available. See here.