Information

Gifu Prefecture, which is located in the center of Japan, is surrounded by seven prefectures including Aichi. It is one of the only inland prefectures with only 8 prefectures in Japan, and its area is the 7th largest in Japan.
The northern Hida region is lined with mountains over 3000m above sea level, such as Mt. Ontake, Mt. Norikura, and Mt. Okuhotaka. And the Mino region in the south where the Noo plain formed by the pure flow of the Kiso, Nagara, and Ibi rivers spreads. This wonderful nature, symbolized by “Hida no Mizu” (Hida Mountains, Mino no Mizu), is a world-class treasure of Gifu.

Access

Gifu Prefecture, located practically at the center of Japan, can be easily accessed from Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and other main cities situated along Japan’s Golden Route, as well as from Nagoya, Kanazawa, and other tourist spots in the neighboring prefectures, using highway buses, and the shinkansen and other trains.
Access from the Central Japan International Airport is also convenient — a Meitetsu Limited Express arrives in Gifu City in around one hour.

5 MUST-SEE spots

Nameless pond (commonly known as Monet’s pond)

Nameless pond in Itatori, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture (commonly known as Monet’s Pond)
The water lilies that bloom in the highly transparent spring water are very beautiful,
The appearance of Nishikigoi swimming gracefully in the pond is like Monet’s masterpiece “Water Lilies”.
The time when the water lily flowers bloom in early summer is a superb view, so
Please come by all means!
The location is difficult to find, so when you come by car
Please register the facility “Flower Park Itatori” in front of the pond in the navigation system.

Information

Address: 〒501-2901 Itatori Shiratani, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture
Phone number: 0581-57-2111 (Itatori office)
Price: Free
Access: [For those arriving by car]
Mino IC → National Highway 156 → Prefectural Highway 81 → National Highway 256 → Seki City Itatori Shiratani
[For those coming by transportation]
From JR Gifu Station, take the Gifu Itatori Line to “Horado Kiwi Plaza”
Take the Itadori Fureai Bus and get off at “Shiratani Hydrangea Garden”
Arrive on foot 150m
Parking: Ordinary passenger car 200

Oze cormorant fishing

Oze Ukai, which unfolds from May 11th to October 15th in the village of Oze on the banks of the Nagara River, has a history of more than 1,000 years. The highlight is the simple emotion. Rather than cormorant fishing as a show, you can see the original appearance of cormorant fishing as a fishing method. In the darkness of jet black, the hand rope judgment of the uncle who relies only on the light of the bonfire is a masterpiece. The three Utsukushi will delight the eyes of visitors with the old-fashioned fishing method that has been maintained for generations as the Utsukushi of the Board of Ceremonies.

Information

Address: 76-3 Oze, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, 501-3265
Phone number: 0575-22-2506 (Seki Yusen Co., Ltd.)
Business Hours: May 11th-October 15th
Open daily during regular holidays
Fee: Charter fee
May / June / October Ofuna 20-seater / ¥ 52,000 Digging-type 18-seater / ¥ 58,000 Digging-type 14-seater / ¥ 38,000 Small boat 10-seater / ¥ 28,000
July / August / September Ofuna 20-seater / ¥ 54,000 Digging-type 18-seater / ¥ 60,000 Digging-type 14-seater / ¥ 41,000 Small boat 10-seater / ¥ 29,000
Shared charge
May / June / October Adults / ¥ 3,400 Children (elementary school students and younger) / ¥ 2,400
July / August / September Adults / ¥ 3,600 Children (elementary school students and younger) / ¥ 2,500
Access: From Meitetsu Gifu Station or JR Gifu Station, take the Gifu Bus Seki Itatori Line and get off at Oze Yusen Mae.
5 minutes by car from Seki-Hiromi IC on the Tokai Kanjo Expressway

Hida Takayama old townscape

The center of the castle town, the upper town of Takayama, which has developed as a merchant town, and the three lines of the downtown are called the old townscape.
Water flows under the eaves where the grids are lined up, and in the sake brewery, “Sakebayashi” made of cedar leaves falls, and the Oto of the townhouse and the long-established Noren are lining the eaves.
In Uemachi, there are many candy stores, traditional craft shops, and the famous “Mitarashi Dango” shop, which are crowded with many tourists.
Shitamachi is a valuable townscape with stores related to citizens’ lives.
It is an old-fashioned townscape with sweets, rice cake shops, antique shops, farm equipment, tatami mats, stationery, post offices, restaurants, etc., and is a popular tourist spot in Takayama.

Information

Address: Kamiichinomachi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, etc.
Phone number: 0577-32-3333 (main) (Takayama City Tourism Division)
Access: 12 minutes walk from JR Takayama Station

Shirakawa-go Gassho-zukuri Village

It is one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, and in this region with a harsh climate that was said to be an unexplored region of Japan until a while ago, a private house made of gassho-zukuri has been living for as long as four months while enduring heavy snowfall.
Centered around a gassho-zukuri house that has been built for hundreds of years, there is a “living world heritage site” where the nature that nurtures the life of the village, the long history, and the modern life is in perfect harmony.

Information

Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Prefecture 501-5627
Phone number 05769-6-1013 (Shirakawa-go Tourist Association)
Business hours: 8: 00-17: 00
Access: By car
From Nagoya Gifu
Tokai Hokuriku Expressway Shokawa IC-National Highway 158/156
From Matsumoto / Takayama
Tokai Hokuriku Expressway Shirakawago IC-National Highway 156
From Toyama / Kanazawa / Hokuriku Expressway
Tokai Hokuriku Expressway Gokayama IC-National Highway 156
For public transport
From Takayama Station on the JR Takayama Line (50-60 minutes by Nohi / Hokuriku Railroad Bus)
From Kanazawa Station on the JR Hokuriku Main Line (75 minutes by Nohi / Hokuriku Railroad Bus)
JR Tokaido Main Line Nagoya Station (Gifu Bus 165 minutes)
From Takaoka Station on the JR Hokuriku Main Line (141 minutes by Kaetsuno Bus)

Magome inn

Magome-juku is a post town along a slope with cobblestones. You can spend a stylish time away from everyday life, feeling the murmuring of water, the chirping of birds, and the wind crossing the highway.
At the middle point of the post station, the site of the birthplace (Honjin) of Toson Shimazaki, a literary master who was born in this area, also tells the history of Magome as a museum.
Peek into a grocery store that isn’t in the city, have a cup of tea at a retro cafe, or pretend to be a reki-jo who loves Kisoji. Why don’t you enjoy yourself with your loved ones, even though it’s new?

Information

Address: Magome, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture
Phone number: 0573-69-2336 (Magome Tourist Information Center (Magome Tourist Information Center))
Access: ◇ Public transport
About 25 minutes from JR Nakatsugawa Station on the Kitaena Kotsu Bus Magome Line, get off at “Magome”
◇ Car
About 20 minutes from the Nakatsugawa IC on the Chuo Expressway. Turn right at the “Okita” intersection toward National Highway No. 19 Matsumoto / Kiso. Go straight on Prefectural Road 7 and turn left at the information sign.