Gifu city, Ogaki, Sekigahara Travel Guides

Gifu City, Ogaki, and Sekigahara area have sightseeing spots such as Ibukiyama, Yakushiji Temple, and Yoro Falls, sightseeing events such as the Air Festival, Ibigawa Marathon, and Nagara River cormorant fishing, and local gourmet foods such as mizu-manju, sweetfish cuisine, and Kakamigahara kimchi.

Gifu is an area with a very large number of historical sites, including Hida Takayama, known as "Little Kyoto," and Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site. There are also many hot spring resorts scattered throughout the area, including the very famous Gero Onsen.

Gifu is also the birthplace of Saito Dozan, known as the "Mamushi," and is the site of the "Dozan Festival" and many other events.

Ogaki City is located in Gifu's Seino region and is the second most populous city after Gifu. Sekigahara is the site of the famous "Battle of Sekigahara," known as the "Battle of Tenka-Shime no Kassen" (Battle of Sekigahara).

This area is very much a tourist area with many historical sites and famous scenic spots, as well as a rich townscape culture and gourmet cuisine. Gifu has the famous morning market "Takayama Jinya" in the city, and it is a good idea to take a stroll through the old townscape on your way there.

Takayama's "old streets" present very picturesque scenery. Magomejuku, an inn town on the Nakasendo Highway, was the first inn town in Japan to be designated as a preservation area.

The Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observation Deck offers a wonderful view of the Gassho-zukuri architecture under the umbrella of the castle. Gifu Castle stands at the top of Mt. Kinkasan, and Koriyama Hachiman Castle, with its magnificent keep, can also be seen.

On the way back from Shirakawa-go, you may want to take a dip in Gero Onsen (Gero Hot Springs) to recover from your fatigue, or stay overnight and enjoy the famous "Hoba Miso Beef" (beef with miso paste).

There are many historical sites in Gifu, including the Hida Kokubunji Temple near Shirakawa-go and the Nagataki Hakusan Shrine, which is also known as the Shosoin of Okumino-area. In the Kakamigahara area, there is "Inami Shrine" located at the foot of Mt. Kinka, and "Sofukuji Temple" famous as the family temple of Nobunaga Oda.

Ogaki is famous for Ogaki Castle and Yokozo-ji Temple, which is said to have been built by Saicho, and the mummy of Myoshinboji enshrined there. There are so many historic sites and important cultural assets that there is no end to the list, such as the "Oku no Hosomichi Musubi no Chi and Sumiyoshi Lighthouse," the place where Matsuo Basho's Oku no Hosomichi ended.

Other seasonal attractions such as "Cormorant fishing," "Yoro Park," and "Sekigahara History and Folklore Museum" can also be enjoyed, while "River Environment Paradise Oasis Park" and "Aqua Toto Gifu, the World Freshwater Fish Aquarium" are family-friendly tourist spots that are great for children.

As for gourmet food, "Kuro-soba" (black buckwheat noodles), which can be enjoyed in Shirakawa-go, is famous here as well, and dishes made with "Hoba Miso" (bean paste) are so delicious that you will almost fall on your cheeks. Sweets are also famous, and you will want to compare their tastes.