Exploring Mitsuiboshi Kaido: Japan's Artisanal Heartlands

Metropolis Japan

15-05-2025

Kamikochi, a remote mountainous highland valley, located between Matsumoto and Takayama - both destinations on the Mitsuiboshi Kaido. Image credit: Brisana / iStock
The very idea of overtourism—the crowds, the queues, the imposition on locals—makes me feel a little queasy. As record-breaking numbers of tourists continue to arrive in Japan, some of us head in the opposite direction. We avoid the well-worn Golden Route (Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka) and venture into the quieter pockets of Japan. The Mitsuiboshi Kaido , or Three Star Road, is a great pick for intrepid travellers.
This lesser-known route connects Kanazawa, Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, Takayama and Matsumoto. These places remain remarkably under-touristed despite their obvious charm. Though it lacks some of the streamlined transport connections that make the Golden Route so popular, it's still worth the effort. With a car or a taxi, you can reach its National Treasures, World Heritage sites, local artisans, and natural beauty.
My journey began in Takayama, Gifu. Accessible from Tokyo via the Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya and then the Limited Express to Takayama, it is a wonderful starting point. Edo-era merchant buildings dot the town, with the heaviest concentration lining the narrow 'Sanmachi' old town. To the chagrin of local residents, the city's old-world appeal has earned it the nickname 'Little Kyoto.' Its atmosphere, however, is far more relaxed, inviting visitors to slow down and explore. Buildings in the old town area of Takayama, Japan. Image credit: Colin13362
While the crowds have nothing on Kyoto, you'll probably find a queue at Kotte Ushi, where the area's famous Hida beef is served sushi-style on a rice cracker. Nearby, you'll find a miso and sake shop, and expansive souvenir stores selling everything from regional crafts to snacks. One souvenir you'll see again and again is the red sarubobo doll, once given to expectant mothers for good luck. Today, they're also given as tokens of affection to those you hope to remain close to.
Rather than pick one from the shelf, I headed to the Hida Takayama Craft Experience Center to make my own. I added personal touches and a handwritten message—imbuing it with meaning for the receiver.
That night, I retired for the evening at Temple Hotel Takayama Zenkoji. I'd always wanted to try a temple stay, but my fondness for creature comforts (and sleeping in) kept me from going full ascetic. This temple-hotel hybrid was the perfect compromise for mod-con princesses like me: minimalist, serene and private, with modern conveniences throughout its 48-square-meter, three-floor layout.
Despite missing the 6am morning prayers, I joined a 7am morning meditation session—because while I've never gone beyond some light Googling of temple stays, I do like the idea of starting the day right with morning meditation in a temple—without having to change out of my pajamas. The session began with a lesson in Buddhism from the temple's bilingual monk. His reflections on our interconnectedness with nature stayed with me long after I left.
After briefly browsing Takayama's famous morning markets—but being unable to buy anything (pro tip: bring cash when you travel through Japan)—I took a car to Gokayama, known for its preserved thatched houses. On the way, I stopped at Salugabamba restaurant, a spot that wouldn't look out of place in the coolest corners of East London. Think: a disco ball reflecting snow at the entrance, Japanese vinyls on the walls, gender-inclusive bathrooms, and rustic tree-trunk slabs turned into tables. After a hearty meal of fried Ishi tofu with homemade soy mayonnaise and lemon koji sauce, I hopped back in the car and continued to Gokayama.
Gokayama is the lesser-known sister of Shirakawago. Both villages are UNESCO World Heritage Sites where people live and work in historic gassho-style houses. Designed with steep, thatched roofs resembling hands in prayer to make it easy for the snow to fall off. But while Shirakawago was awash with coach tour travelers, Gokayama–a mere 35-minute drive away–was virtually empty.
Deep snow framed the picture-book homes, creating a serene, postcard-like scene. It was the perfect setting for people-free photos. Inside one of the houses open to visitors, you could warm up with a cup of green tea by the sunken hearth.
Visit the Gokayama website for more information about a visit. Gokayama in the snow. Image credit: KKKvintage / iStock
An hour's drive brought me to Inami, a tiny Toyama town known for its woodcarving prowess. At its heart stands Zuisenji Temple, adorned with intricate carvings throughout. With its long history of burning down and being rebuilt, Kyoto woodcarvers were relocated to revive the temple. They passed down their skills through generations of apprentices, who lived and trained with them for five years.
Today, Inami is home to around 200 carvers. Nearly every property is a workshop. Each showcases distinctive works from traditional and spiritual to playful and contemporary. Even the bus stops and vending machines feature wood carvings.
My accommodation for the night, Bed & Craft, leaned into the town's creativity. The decentralized hotel has six renovated properties around the town, each designed in collaboration with a local artisan such as a woodcarver, landscape gardener or potter. I stayed in Taë, created with lacquerware artist Tanaka Sanae. Her vibrant vermilion works were elegantly placed throughout the property; a lacquerware piece on the bedroom wall, chopsticks in the kitchen, a side table upstairs and a lamp in the window overlooking my snow-covered garden.
The idea behind Bed & Craft is that you experience life as an apprentice and live like a local. I drank local wood-infused beer from the pre-stocked fridge, snacked on smoky crisps and had breakfast delivered to my front door for a leisurely morning at 'my' dining table.
Apprenticeship is part of the Bed & Craft concept. So after breakfast, I wandered across the town—not seeing a single other tourist—to meet woodcarver Tanaka Komei. His studio brimmed with glass jars, artfully placed dried grasses, plants and his signature carvings of serene and ethereal women.
He helped me carve a spoon from cherry wood, giving me free rein to choose my wood, design my spoon, and make it my own. He guided me in chiselling with the grain and being 'in conversation with the wood.' It took me some time to remember to work with the wood rather than chip against it and force it into shape. The result was a very distinctive spoon that I'm ridiculously proud of.
With my spoon safely packed into my luggage, I headed to Kanazawa city, just an hour's drive from Inami. The city is known for its traditional crafts like gold leaf, Kaga Yuzen silk dyeing and Kutani ware porcelain. To elevate the area's artisans, Kanazawa City offers studio tours. I visited the young lacquerware artisan Akihiko Sugita in his beautiful home and studio, which was once the property of a low-level samurai. The Tsuzumi ['drum'] Gate at Kanazawa Station. Image credit: TkKurikawa / iStock
Over green tea and wagashi, he explained how he draws inspiration from faded merchant house windows, ageing walls and antiques. This gives his highly functional works a distinctive and contemporary look, remarkably different from traditional lacquerware. He uses tofu to give his pieces texture and is constantly experimenting with color. Using traditional techniques, he gives lacquerware a modern makeover, keeping the art relevant for the 21st century.
Tradition and modernity continue to coexist in Kanazawa, not as a contrast, but as evolution. Its Geisha and samurai districts, castle grounds and famed Kenroku-en garden never feel like relics in a city that pulses with innovation. At the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, visitors are invited to engage with art on an immersive level, sometimes becoming part of the art themselves. Modern restaurants like TILE draw inspiration from Japanese traditions. One example is the use of a low, teahouse-style nijiriguchi door—a nod to traditional design. These elements are contrasted with modern elements, like ambient rap music, chunky crystal bowls, and craft beers.
Want to know more about Kanazawa? Read our guide on how to get there, what to do, where to go and what to eat in Kanazawa .
The beauty of the Mitsuiboshi Kaido unfolds in the details: the grain of carved wood, the peace of a snow-covered village and the lightness and depth of a lacquered surface. The Mitsuiboshi Kaido doesn't demand attention; it just asks you to notice.