This is a reserve of old traditional merchant houses built at the beginning of the Edo Period. At the end of the 17th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the most influential warlord of that time, ordered Kanamori Nagachika to conquer Hida. Nagachika attacked the old clan living in Takayama and conquered Hida. He built Takayama Castle and surrounded it with Samurai houses.
There were also a lot of merchant houses in the downtown area. The street is lined uniformly with old Japanese houses with red-marked latticework or lacquer-painted grid work.

Location: Kami-ichino-machi, Kami-nino-machi, Kami-sanno-machi, Katahara-machi, Shinmei-cho 4-chome ; all within Takayama City

Access: About 12 minute walk from JR Takayama Station