The Shokawa Valley is the standout day trip from Takayama — home to the UNESCO-listed gassho-zukuri villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, where the steep-roofed farmhouses are particularly dramatic under winter snow. Buses run from Takayama station. The Okuhida Onsen hot spring villages to the east offer another option, combining mountain scenery with a soak in an outdoor bath.