• Shirakawago (白川郷):

hands down the prettiest village in Japan, walking through it is amazing and despite the hype, is not as touristy as you would expect. Shirakawago is as serene as it gets. Shirakawago consists of a collection of small villages, so be sure to visit the small ones as well, as they are equally as pretty, quieter, and more serene.

• Hida Takayama (飛騨高山):

the closest town/small city to Shirakawago has well-developed infrastructure despite its remoteness, a testament to the appeal of the area for tourists. Hida Takayama has a well-preserved historical ‘old city’ where you can see merchant houses, government buildings, and samurai houses from the Edo period. Food - Like anywhere else in Japan, the region is blessed with great water and produce, making for amazing local cuisine: local soba, beef, noodles, and more.

•  Like anywhere else in Japan, the region is blessed with great water and produce, making for amazing local cuisine: local soba, beef, noodles, and more.

• Hida Takayama is best accessible by rapid train from Nagoya or Toyama. So the fastest from Tokyo would be to change trains in Nagoya.

•  There are multiple tourist buses/tours that run from Hida Takayama to Shirakawago, and I am sure there are services between the small villages of Shirakawago.

• Of course, I would recommend driving to Shirakawago, the best perk is that it is right across the mountain (not as close as you would expect but close enough) from Kanazawa. Like I say, find any excuse to go to Kanazawa, so my best recommendation would be to take the train from Nagoya, rent a car in Hida Takayama, drive to Shirakawago, and then drive into Kanazawa (from which you have an airport and shinkansen).

• Nothing too notable. The area does have onsens like anywhere else in Japan. My general rule of thumb is to stay somewhere with an onsen.