| Gifu ((ja)岐阜 県, Gifu-ken) | |
 | |
| View of the Northern Alps in Japan, near Shin-hotaka | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Chūbu |
| Regional capital | Gifu |
| Area | 10 621,17 km² |
| Population | 1 975 397 hab. () |
| Density | 185,99 inhab./km² |
| Spindle | UTC 09:00, Japan Standard Time |
| Location | |
&groups=aller,circuler,voir,faire,acheter,manger,sortir,loger,ville,destination,diplomatie,masque,around,buy,city,do,drink,eat,go,listing,other,see,sleep,vicinity,view,black,blue,brown,chocolate,forestgreen,gold,gray,grey,lime,maroon,mediumaquamarine,navy,red,royalblue,silver,steelblue,teal,fuchsia) 35 ° 51 ′ 0 ″ N 137 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
Gifu is a prefecture japanese, located in the region of Chūbu, in the center of Honshū, the largest island in Japan.
Understand
Self-proclaimed "Heart of Japan", the prefecture was once two distinct provinces: that of Hida (飛 騨 国, hida no kuni) to the north and that of Mino (濃, mino no kuni) South. The main feature of Hida is to be the northern section of the Japanese Alps, which is made a top destination for three popular pastimes in Japan: the Trek, the ski and the hot Springs. The elevation of the western mountains combined with a type of climate it shares with the coastal region of Hokuriku causes the region to experience significant snowfalls in winter. While snow can make things difficult for residents, it is very attractive to people in the Kansai and Tōkai regions where snow is scarce.
The ancient province of Mino in the south of the prefecture is home to many ancient castles and historic sites. The old Nakasendō road crosses the entire region, arriving through the prefecture of Nagano and continuing in that of Shiga ; it has left a number of preserved buildings and historic sites near its old stations.
Cities
- 1 Gifu (岐阜) – The eponymous capital of the prefecture.
- 2 Hida (飛 騨) – Famous for its festivals and historic district around the Seto River.
- 3 Mino (濃) – Holds a Japanese paper lantern festival and competition every year in early October.
- 4 Ōgaki (大 垣)
- 5 Seki (関) – Known for its traditional metalwork, including an annual sword-making demonstration and the sale of high-quality household knives.
- 6 Tajimi (多 治 見)
- 7 Takayama (高山) – The walled city of the beautiful northern region of the region of Hida (飛 騨), with an excellent open-air museum and well-preserved houses.
- 8 Toki (土 岐)
- 9 Yōrō (養老 町, Yōrō-chō) – Small town whose park shelters the site of Reversible Destiny with its sloping surfaces and its quite bizarre design intended to confuse visitors.
Other destinations
- 1 Gero Onsen (下 呂 温泉) – One of the most famous hot spring towns in Japan.
- 2 Hakusan National Park (白山国 立 公園, Hakusan Kokuritsu Kōen)
- Oku Hida Onsen Villages (奥 飛 騨 温泉 郷, Oku-Hida Onsengō) – A series of tiny spa villages nestled in the mountains.
- 3 Sekigahara (関 ヶ 原) – Site of an epic battle that ushered in the Tokugawa Shogunate.
- 4 Shirakawa-gō (白 川 郷) –
Famous for its traditional houses gasshō-zukuri, Unesco heritage.
To go
By plane
- 1 Chūbu International Airport (IATA : NGO) (on an artificial island in 30 min South of Nagoya) – The Meitetsu Line connects Gifu Town to this airport up to 2 times per hour (1 340 JPY without reserved seat; reserved seat compulsory for μSKY trains, 1 700 JPY).
By train
The main JR Tōkaidō Line passes through Gifu Prefecture on its way to Nagoya at Kyoto and Osaka. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen also makes a one-time stop at Hashima in the southern part of the prefecture.
From the station Tokyo, the best way to reach the center of the prefecture is by taking a Tōkaidō Shinkansen train (Nozomi or Hikari) To Nagoya, then change to a local train from the Tōkaidō Line to Gifu. (2 h 15 in total; 11 190 JPY by Nozomi, 10 990 JPY by Hikari).
The same correspondence can be made from Kyoto and Osaka in Kansai, and other stations on the Shinkansen system in the west.
Four Shinkansen trains typically stop hourly, two in each direction, at the station Gifu-Hashima: the slow train Kodama which serves all stops on the shinkansen route between Osaka and Tokyo, and a Hikari who makes all the stops between Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya, then go straight to Tokyo.
There is no charge if you take the trains Hikari or Kodama with the Japan Rail Pass.
By car
TheChūō highway Central, which largely follows the route of the Tōkaidō Line, also passes through southern Gifu.
Circulate
By train
The JR Takayama main line (高山 本 線 Takayama-honsen) part of the city of Gifu, crosses the province along the entire length (on a north-south axis), winding through the picturesque valley of Hida by Gero Onsen and Takayama, and continue until Inotani in the neighboring prefecture of Toyama.
See
- Pay homage to the Gifu Castle dear to Oda Nobunaga (Gifu).
- Stroll the historic streets and try Hida's beef at Takayama.
- Relive history by retracing the stages of the armies that fought in the Battle of Sekigahara (Sekigahara).
- Explore Magome, a station on the historic Nakasendō route, and walk part of the route to Tsumago (Nakatsukawa, Kiso Valley).
- Hike Yōrō Falls (Yōrō).
- Stroll among the well-preserved old farmhouses which now form a World Heritage Site (Shirakawa-gō).
- Explore the historic ruins of Iwamura Castle and the remains of the small castle town below (Ena).
- Learn the history and development of Seki's swords (Seki).
- Think of Kansai Kannon's pilgrimage route to Kegonji, his last temple (Ibigawa).
- Touch the time of yore with a walk through the ancient small town udatsu (Mino).
Make
- Watch traditional cormorant fishing on the Nagaragawa River (Gifu)
- Make your own Mino-washi paper (Mino)
- Try to make your own food replicas in the city famous for their making (Gujo).
Eat
Gifu's most famous specialty is hōba miso (ほ う ば 味噌), a version of the ubiquitous Japanese bean paste, grilled on a leaf hōba and served as a dip or to eat with rice as is. It looks simple enough, but the taste is exquisite.
Gifu is found in Japan about as far from the sea as it can physically be, so it's a place where seafood isn't in demand. Instead, Gifu is known for his Hida beef, profusely marbled with fat and very expensive. Products grown in the surrounding mountains are also famous, especially persimmons, chestnuts and mushrooms. A popular souvenir is the kurikinton (栗 き ん と ん), a candy made from steamed chestnuts crushed with sugar and reconstituted into a chestnut shape.
Have a drink / Go out
There are a number of great little sake breweries in Gifu. Look for the small brands of the brewery Niki shuzo (二 木 酒 造; [1]), whose Tamanoi (玉 の 井) and Himuro (氷 室).
