Jinya is an all encompassing name meaning office, officers' residences, storehouses and gate. A typical jinya was a somewhat fortified government office, built for small domains (based on rice production) where the lord did not have the qualifications to be a castle lord or governor. However jinyas often are listed as castles in books and materials about castles.
The Takayama Jinya served as a branch office of the Edo government (the Tokugawa Shogunate) from the early 1600's until the mid-1800's and was involved in such activities as tax collection, finance, police action, legal judgments (trials of sorts) and timber management. It also served as the living quarters for the local governor. The Shogunate put Takayama and the surrounding Hida Province under his direct control with a local governor at this complex because the area was rich in timber, gold, silver, copper and lead.
This complex is the only remaining Jinya in existence from the Edo Period. The current main building was constructed in the early 1800's. The whole complex was in use until the late 1960's when it was converted into a museum.
Old Town is a beautifully preserved area of Takayama. Many of the structures (houses, stores and sake breweries) date from the Edo Period (early 1600's to the mid-1880's) when many rich merchants lived and did business in Takayama. Old Town still has many shops, homes, restaurants and sake breweries (because of the purity of the mountain water). One reason that many of the structures in Old Town survived for so long is the isolated mountain location of Takayama - not subject to destruction from internal or external wars.
Takayama is surrounded by mountains and has an old world feel. It was a big supplier of timber during the Edo Period, the feudal period from the early 1600’s to mid 1800’s when the town was under shogunate control.
Takayama is located in the mountainous Hida region. The town often is referred to as Hida-Takayama to distinguish it from other places named Takayama.
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