Japan! April 16 Part 2 - More Old Town and Kusakabe

I started the day off with an early morning jog, the road along the Miyagawa river is perfect for it. My aunt warned that there may not be anyone else running, but I did see a man going at a good pace, plus some neighbors walking their dogs. It felt so completely safe. My mom and I then set off on another walk in town. The location of my aunt and uncle's house is so convenient.  The older section of Takayama is well preserved, in specific areas of town you cannot see the more modern buildings in the background, so it feels like you've taken a step back in time.  We visited the Kusakabe Folk Museum, which was formerly a home of a wealthy merchant and is now designated as a Cultural Asset in Japan for its Edo architecture. My aunt and uncle used to manage this building and I remember visiting it when I was younger. That was over 30 years ago, when we ate and played in the area which now houses a unique art exhibit. Still, it brought back a lot of memories, I do remember the fire pit with the large dramatic wooden "hook" above it.