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Gifu - Japan's Heartland -
Gifu, one of the few landlocked prefectures, is nestled in the heart of Honshu, the main
island of Japan. Steeped in tradition and history, Gifu Prefecture enjoys strong industrial
and technological integration while maintaining a balance with its surrounding nature. From the
sea-level river crisscrossed planes of the Southern Mino Region to the 3,000m altitude mountain
ranges that stretch across the Northern Hida Region, Gifu Prefecture has diverse terrain and
bountiful nature to experience the four distinct seasons of Japan.
Gifu is also blessed with a multitude of 'onsen' mineral hot springs. First among many is
Gero Onsen which is known as one of the three most high-quality hot spring areas in
Japan. In northern Gifu, Oku-Hida Onsengo (Oku Hida Hot Springs Village) is known
for its abundance of naturally occurring 'rotemburo' outdoor hot springs.
Surrounded by Mother Nature, Gifu's multitude of hot springs are excellent for
relaxing and refreshing the weary traveler on his journey through Japan.
Gifu's special brand of culture and abundant natural resources has resulted in its
beautiful festivals and renowned traditional arts. Traditions in sword-smithing,
wood carving, 'washi' paper and lantern production, and pottery are still practiced
and perfected in Gifu. The craftsmanship of Gifu is also seen in the Takayama
Festival, known for its beautiful hand-carved wooden floats.
In Gifu you can experience the authentic soul of Japan.
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| Map of Gifu Prefecture |
Click available city name |
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| Spring Festivals in Gifu |
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| Cherry Blossoms |
 
Known as one of the foremost flower cultivation
areas in Japan, Gifu Prefecture is covered with
blossoming cherry trees, or
"sakura", every Spring. From
roads lined with blossoming
trees for scenic drives to parks
perfect for picnics, Gifu has a
multitude of locations for you to enjoy the season. Gifu is also proud to be the
home of two majestic cherry trees that are over 1000 years old: the
Usuzumi-zakura and the Garyuu-zakura.
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| Furukawa Festival (Hida city) |
In Hida Furukawa, the thawing of winter snows is
announced with the Furukawa Festival on April 19th
and 20th. Events on the 19th are also known as the
"Naked Man Festival" which revolves around traditional
Japanese drumming, or "taiko", performed by
bare-chested men. On the 20th there is a 9
float procession through the old city
whose streets recall days of old.
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| The Spring Takayama Festival (Takayama city) |
The Takayama Festival happens twice a year in the autumn and
the spring. Known as one of the three most beautiful festivals in
Japan, the focal point of the festival is its procession of antique
wooden floats. These floats were hand-carved by the famous
woodworkers of
Hida, known as
the Takumi, and
are known for their
exquisite detail and
meticulous preservation. The
Spring festival is held on
April 14th-15th and the
Autumn festival is held
on October 9th-10th.
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| Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River(Gifu City) |
In Gifu Prefecture, Spring truly begins when Cormorant Fishing, or "ukai",
starts on the Nagara River in Gifu City. A special night-time fishing
technique that has been passed down for over 1,300 years by the families in
this area, the cormorant master, or "usho", commands a flock of cormorant birds to
catch the local river fish, which are attracted to a
bonfire on the front of his boat. As an evening
attraction, guests can have dinner upon special
viewing boats as they head upstream. Once the sun
sets, they are privy to front and center seats as the
usho do their mysterious work on the way down
the quiet Nagara River. Cormorant Fishing on the
Nagara River can be seen every night of the week
from May 11th till October 15th.
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| Summer Festivals in Gifu |
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| The Gujo Odori (Gujo city) |
Summer's most vivacious festival, the Gujo Odori is a dancing festival is held every
year in Gujo Hachiman from mid-July till the
beginning of September for 32 nights. In a
mixture of locals and visitors, hundreds of
people dance traditional Japanese dances
together though the old city
streets. The festival culminates
with the Tetsuya Odori from
August 13th to the 16th where
the dancing continues until sunrise every night.
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| Fireworks Festivals |
In Japan, the classic summer event is a firework festival and Gifu
Prefecture does not disappoint its locals and visitors. Several fireworks
festivals are held throughout the prefecture, and the highlight of it all is
the Gifu City Fireworks Festival, held on two weekends in July on the
Nagara River itself. Locals and visitors alike gather on the shores of the
river to picnic and enjoy a spectacular
of over 30,000 individual fireworks
dancing in the night sky for the course
of 2 hours after the sun has set.
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| Traditional Sights of Summer Tour |
Experience the 1,300 year old tradition of Cormorant Fishing on the
Nagara River and stroll the ancient streets of Gujo Hachiman on a
scenic summer train tour. Take a workshop and enjoy creating your
own famous Japanese plastic food sample.
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| Other Sightseeing Spots |
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| Getting to Gifu |
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Due to its advantageous central location,
the prefectural capital, Gifu City, can be
reached from Nagoya by rail in 20 minutes,
from Tokyo by bullet train in 2 hours, and
from Central Japan International Airport by
rail in under an hour.
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| Information |
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Gifu Prefecture Tourist Federation : http://www.kankou-gifu.jp/
Gifu-city : http://www.city.gifu.gifu.jp/kankou/08_eng.html
Takayama-city : http://www.hida.jp/english/index.htm
Gero-city : http://www.gero-spa.or.jp/english/index.html
Hida-city : http://www.city.hida.gifu.jp/kanko/foreign/en/index.html
Shirakawa- village : http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/index.html
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