🇯🇵 🍡 Day 21 🍡 🇯🇵

Our “rest day” in 高山 (Takayama) began at 5:30 a.m.—which, if you ask me, felt more like waking up to deliver the Des Moines Register newspaper back in high school than a lazy day off. But with the promise of the famous morning markets, we couldn’t resist. By sunrise we were wandering the stalls of 宮川朝市 (Miyagawa Morning Market) and 陣屋前朝市 (Jinya-mae Morning Market), surrounded by the chatter of vendors setting up and the earthy aroma of fresh produce and street foods sizzling on grills.

Breakfast came in the form of steady grazing: skewers of grilled 団子 (dango), crispy たい焼き (taiyaki)—a fish-shaped cake traditionally filled with sweet bean paste but now often stuffed with custard or chocolate, beloved across Japan as a nostalgic festival treat; 焼きそば (yakisoba) with rich 飛騨豚 (Hida pork); and a stick of sizzling 飛騨牛 (Hida beef), the pride of Gifu Prefecture, famous for its intense marbling and melt-in-your-mouth flavor, often compared to Kobe beef and considered a true delicacy. Somewhere along the way we nibbled on 焼きおにぎり (grilled rice ball) brushed with miso, and then stepped into the warm embrace of Takayama’s oldest coffee shop, Coffee Don.

Family-owned since 1951, Coffee Don still carries the scent of 昭和 (Shōwa)-era nostalgia mixed with the aroma of strong morning brew. We ordered the classic set: toast, a hard-boiled egg, orange juice, coffee, and a small biscotti cookie. As I fumbled through my Japanese (「日本のテレビに出るかもしれません！」—“We might be on Japanese TV!”), the owner and his daughters lit up with excitement. Photos were snapped, laughter filled the shop, and we left smiling. But just half a block away, one of the daughters came running after us, breathless, carrying a box of beautifully wrapped roll cakes. The kindness of the gesture nearly brought both Lisa and me to tears. Later in the day we circled back to thank them again, sharing our blog’s QR code so they could follow along. I was so glad we chose their coffee shop instead of a vending machine that morning.

By 9:00 a.m., our “rest day” already felt like a full day. We had visited both markets, sampled fresh produce, bought a juicy 梨 (nashi pear) and a small gift for Masa back in 山梨 (Yamanashi), and walked more than 2 miles (3.2 km). Lisa wisely suggested a mid-morning pause at the hotel so she could catch up on work while I updated Find Penguins. We also made time to FaceTime Lisa’s mom. It felt good to catch up! ❤️

Not long after, we set out again, tracing the route I had originally mapped for cycling. It carried us through 城山公園 (Shiroyama Park), a green haven where tall cedar trees muffled the sounds of the town below. The serenity was a gift, but soon enough we were back in Takayama’s lively streets, browsing antique shops in search of a rare marble (spoiler: no treasure today). Still, people-watching and weaving through the aromas of sizzling street food was its own reward.

The rest of the day was a dance between relaxation and small adventures: numerous cups of coffee, leisurely walks, and holding hands as we meandered. By the time we tallied it up, we realized we had logged nearly 7 miles (11 km) on our “rest day.” I’m starting to think “rest day” in our vocabulary really means: no 50-mile bike ride, but definitely a 10k walk—snacking every few blocks.

Evening found us stretching tired legs before wandering to 7-Eleven for a humble dinner run. We grabbed fried rice and curry rice—proof that even convenience store meals in Japan can hit the spot.

As the sun began to set over the 陣屋 (Jinya), we headed up to the rooftop bar to catch the final moments of daylight. There we met Liam, a friendly bartender from Sydney, Australia, and swapped stories about living in Japan.

Later, we returned to our hotel room, warmed up our pre-made meals, and enjoyed a quiet dinner. With our bellies full and our hearts lifted by the kindness of the day, we felt refreshed by this slower rhythm in Takayama.

Tomorrow, the mountains call again as we ride toward Kanazawa to see Kakeru and his family.Read more