Originally Posted by
mtimmer
I appreciate all the suggestions/recommendations. And following Angeisse's comment about the direct train between Takayama and Kyoto, I was about to look that up and then came AlwaysAisle's posts with the precise times!
Regarding a few of the comments made here, yes we are hoping to include Shirikawa-go as part of the trip and need to figure out what the logistics to that are. What are folks thoughts if we end up making self connection in HND from either ITM/KIX or from Komatsu? Clearly routing on one ticket is preferred, but I'm juggling some award options and those domestic legs don't always cooperate.
It is very easy to do Shirakawago as a day trip between Kanazawa and Takayama via bus. The bus station has ample luggage storage (or you can ship ahead of time, although this will mean one night without bags). Take them with you on the first bus, store them at the Shirakawago bus station and go around town, pick up and board the second bus.
I don't think there is enough in Shirakawago to warrant the hassle of staying overnight (this is a personal preference of course, some people don't mind changing hotels), but it can be a complete zoo during the day so the late evening / early morning does have that going for it. On the topic of transit-accessible thatched roof options, Gokayama is calmer but logistically a bit more complicated, and there are some who feel that Hida Folk Village (in Takayama) is "close enough" for what they want to see.
The bus company is called Nohi Bus. Timetables:
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus...awago-line-en/