Visiting Takayama in Gifu Prefecture, you will see many well-preserved historic buildings and rows of merchant houses built during the Edo Period (1603-1868). Among all buildings, Takayama Jinya is the most famous because it was the government office built during the Edo Period and the only one of its kind left in Japan. It is designated as a National Historic Site.
Locating right by the red Nagabashi bridge and the Takayama morning market, Takayama Jinya historic building is a not-to-be-missed attraction the area. It is a pretty large complex with offices, a conference room, court rooms, interrogation room, the head official’s living room, guest room, and living space for his wife and maids. All Japanese style with tatami floors.
Highlights of the complex: the Japanese-style garden is the most beautiful area, the painting of Yang Guifei, one of the Four Beauties in ancient China is a pleasant surprise, and the wood that feels warm and smells nice is unique. Check it out the next time you visit!
Visiting in the winter, the pine trees are protected by yuki-tsuri, a Japanese technique to protect trees from heavy snow. 冬天來到高山陣屋，會看到松樹會有「雪吊」保護，以防被積雪壓壞。The hollyhock crest on the lanterns by the front gate indicated that Takayama was under the control of Edo shogunate. 前門兩旁的燈籠印上蜀葵代表高山直轄江戶幕府。After paying the entrance fee, you will reach the porch when you will have to take off your shoes to go inside. 買門票後，就可以進入高山陣屋的玄關，要除鞋才可進入。The entrance hall for head officers and special guests. It’s a tatami room with just this nice decoration on the wall. 玄關之間，即外間，是一個榻榻米房間，只有這幅優雅的牆和裝飾，以前只有代理官員和貴賓才可使用。There are a few offices that look similar. Clean with a few small drawers and a couple of cabinets on the side. 官員的辦公室，很簡潔，有幾個小櫃桶和兩個櫃。The north court area used for judging civil cases. 北法院區，是審訊民事的法庭。The hallway between conference room and the offices. The whole indoor area is connected with Tatami floor, very comfortable to walk on. 辦公室和會議室之間的走廊。整個主要建築地台都是榻榻米，行走在上面很舒服。The living room of head official. 代官（首長）的房間。The nice thing about the complex is that many rooms have an access to an open space with trees. 高山陣屋的設計最好的是大部份的房間都有一邊可以直達戶外庭園，可以呼吸新鮮空氣。The living rooms of the official, his wife and the reception room all face the garden. 代官（首席官員）和太太的房間都面向花園，很舒服。With old pine trees and snow, the Japanese garden is really beautiful in the winter. 日本的花園很優雅，冬天更有松樹雪景，每個遊客都會停下來欣賞拍照。A different view from a different room. 每個房間看到的園景都不一樣。A monk’s sedan chair in the room for messengers during the Edo Period. It’s really small. Wonder if people were really that small during that period. 使者之間擺設了一臺寺僧用的轎（駕籠）。轎很細小，前人真是那麼嬌小的嗎？The maid’s room. Women and men were separate, obviously. 女傭人的房間。也有男傭人的房間。Kitchen 廚房The earth floor room is where the workers made need to work outdoor or will get wet. There was no wooden floor. 這裏是土間，是做木工或經常處理一些戶外或有水的地方，所以地上沒有木地板。以前是可以著鞋的。Traditional rain and snow gears were displayed in the room. 這裏有傳統的蓑衣和雪地用的鞋套，都是戶外用品。The rice warehouse is a separate building. There were also some woods and history of wood industry because wood crafting industries were famous in Hida-Takayama area where natural resources were rich. 糧倉是另一個建築，這裏也有一些木頭和有關木業的歷史資料。高山陣屋管轄範圍內有豐富的天然資源，而高山的木匠自古以來的建築和木匠都很有名。The big piece of wood that looked like a face was a special type of wood that you would feel warm touching it. And it has a light scent. 這塊大木頭是一種特別的木，摸上去會有溫暖的感覺，而且有微香。Tax collection was a major function of the government house. Farmers were taxed in rice. Each sack of rice weighted about 60 kg. 財務稅收是官邸的主要任務之一，幾百年前農民繳的是米糧，這些是年貢米，一袋札起來的米大約60公斤重。
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