Takayama Jin'ya (Takayama, Gifu, Japan)

What makes this place special?

At a Glance

Takayama Jin'ya is the former regional government office of Hida Province, in Hachiken-machi in the city of Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. It served the Tokugawa shogunate from 1692 to 1871 and is the only building of its kind to survive in Japan. It has been a National Historic Site since 1929.

Hida was rich in timber and metals, so the shogunate took it under direct rule in 1692. The main building dates largely from a reconstruction in 1816, and the earthen storehouses were moved here from Takayama Castle in 1695. The roofs are covered with wooden shingles rather than clay tiles, which suited a snowy region with plenty of timber. A restoration in 1996 returned the compound close to its Edo-period state, and a morning market is held in front of the entrance.