Leaving Wanosato, we headed for Takayama, where we strolled the open air market,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWC-gy0KiJwkeUxTyTIoTuEkhqkvmm-eg__LXJCws0Cod_F4TzX2tipTrfKt0FndJYJI36p8_SCGyDuIhrCla5YOJypT5e2NbxidAtuSyLEFfX4Tpl3b4LGzX9dohZZ3fsLKk95wE66M/s400/Takayama+-+4+morning+market.jpg) |
Dried persimmons at Takayam's morning market |
and then wandered the picturesque streets to a couple of interesting local museums.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxL5_RpwIL1tBpRPrCTN3PeaUS6RNREcc4Vo7esBW4_oOMQEas3oPSd2FYDs1MNPiNjkUIhyphenhyphenTSOjn7t_-VPBFYj78XahaVLkb9aUmmos2VhGv-cW3w-aPOuC92tj8BfLPnATye2A2dZU/s400/Takayama+-+18.jpg) |
Persimmons drying in downtown Takayama |
From Takayama we went to Shirakawa-go, perhaps the prettiest village in Japan, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Shirakawa-go features
gassho-style thatched buildings that resemble Alpine chalets, not surprising in light of the huge snowfalls in these, the "Japanese Alps."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0FcGUa-1GU7yyqWRkeWri0M8qGpIPxron6xs7ar8sQpI6kthIGd9R70rEW0ZTzTf7L8_E4eDCObN559Cc0dKwowvldgAWjgY5LLBdxxGSLQ0lP-baKYlNDsMJ76jgvYQy9hPb39VrJo/s400/Shirakawa-go-48.jpg) |
Shirakawa-go: is there a prettier village anywhere? |
After exhausting our camera batteries, we left for the luxurious Beniya Mukayu Inn, a member of the prestigious Relais and Chateau group. The rooms come equipped with private outdoor cedar tubs, but the communal baths (of which I partook) are very lovely, too. The food, needless to say, is exquisite.
Dinner was, as usual for a high-end ryokan, an elegant, seasonal, multi-course
kaiseki affair.
We started with something I can no longer identify (fish roe?), partially obscured by a leaf skelaton, and a pretty spectacular vegetable plate.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUR1denXvLG_uIimsJMoNRu99_j3ZxSyCMbSkWIG7cRCzC-hcSe_yqc6Nb9fyBNwqfbsdbPD7lh2vsu8mfSxZoyPQEF3YtLpua7batDZ7zDKEAYr_30vXfh3qF7yRur2OQh3PphMhhAdc/s400/Beniya+Mukayu+ryokan+-+4.jpg) |
Starters an Beniya Mukayu |
Next was a wonderful, and surprisingly not scary, sea cucumber soup served in a hollowed out real cucumber.
Then a seasonal vegetable medley with a chestnut, some gingko nuts, a half potato, a shishito pepper, a shiitake mushroom and a slice of precious matsutake
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYOVXPRyv9bu5CK4_4Rie1vFhAVdM3XWQ-apFsUhMDFtguBmLUEZ5o9LSBCC6IAkRL4xpmQ2FDoqZb02BvWXJ6xYN6iM612ATMmnntMytfhzpEtY-s-PegLMXS38mAvkqCMdvt3ezHLY/s400/Beniya+Mukayu+ryokan+-+8.jpg) |
Seasonal vegetable medley |
Following this was fish presented hidden between two thin cedar planks, a meatball soup and dessert consisting of an ice cream sandwich and fresh fruits.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R1eeVqqXNbsY6IjTd84qUHOmiHbFyhtcHbFsy8ADAc67Po2tu8O0xfm7IIlwreyYVlRhR5GfElQZHzo8PTV77xmUawTXbcyS-ZncrNGFYeiElEehPGIt67DDVBrNhGnRNDxd2miQTsc/s400/Beniya+Mukayu+ryokan+-+11.jpg) |
Fish, soup and dessert courses at Beniya Mukayu |
A ryokan experience is not complete without breakfast. There was a morning yoga class in the dining room so we had to suffer along with a bento breakfast in the room. But not just any bento, a lovely, healthful and tasty one.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QQRhiHulCIDlnWhZBckH-nM6N7hHlcADpxPRj55_mcsL61KyPsDtKHaeXl6UJezxb-YsM5T4Pkvgdthi8XAjrHYr2tnnsXOmcNzECXdQzb3xiUAZkuji0X8Sg957vh1L04DdqJ1JgI0/s400/Beniya+Mukayu+ryokan+-+13.jpg) |
Breakfast bento at Beniya Mukayu |
The next day, however, we had a more classic breakfast. I had the Japanese one, a small part of which is pictured below, while other had a satisfying Western style meal.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnMpPt_iIn5rlt7knEI7qzSkdwANw5dPfQuEXf0HhS8Me_O4mZ7TEFGu_1STxH31wTUQpZ_pJX0mgVr5VBPxUSN2ilN-O2fjtrN6BRmfHU6ueMyPUTMAR5DN9OLroBONnOBLsyuWtMlY/s400/Beniya+Mukayu+ryokan+-+12.jpg) |
Japanese breakfast at Beniya Mukayu |
Beniya is not exactly on the beaten track, but a great place to go if you are in Central Japan.
Bobby Jay
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