Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan is a museum and exhibition hall devoted to the unique and spectacular floats of the Takayama Festival .
The Yatai Kaikan is to the north of the Sanno-machi area, beside Hachiman Shrine.
Each April and October, Takayama holds what are regarded as being among the finest traditional festivals in Japan. The streets fill with thousands of locals and visitors enjoying food from stalls, refreshments alcoholic and not, music, dancing, and a strong community spirit.
The highlight is the parade of 11 floats, called yatai, through the narrow roads. Pushed by teams organized by town district, these floats are hundreds of years old and are the pride of Takayama. Their decoration and movement are taken very seriously despite the festive atmosphere.
The Yatai Kaikan exhibits four of the fantastic floats alongside information about the history of the town and festival and details about the individual decorations that adorn the floats.