The memorable Takayama Matsuri takes place twice a year – October 9-10 and April 14-15 in central Japan's ancient city Takayama. Considered among the country's three top and most beautiful festivals (the others being the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Chichubu Matsuri in Saitama), it dates back 350 years, and in 2016 it was among the 33 Japanese float festivals designated collectively as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. A central component is the floats showcasing karakuri ngyo, elaborate marionettes which are an artistic specialty of this region but whose numbers were decimated by... keep reading