Experiences

Take the road less traveled - dotted with fresh, gushing springs and paved in epic history blending seamlessly into the present here in Ogaki. Stroll around this city of deep, understated beauty, which flourished as both a post town and a castle town on the Tokaido Highway during the Edo period, and you‘ll be quick to find vestiges of a bygone era sketched into its visage - from the boats ambling down in its river canals, to the sturdy remains of an old lighthouse and port, and the large storehouses that house elaborate festival floats. One can also easily find numerous, famous sites of natural spring water around the area, living up to its name, the “City of Water” from days of old. Delight in the fresh verdure of the cherry trees lining the banks of the Suimon River, the sight of the iconic red Sumiyoshi Bridge, the soughing of the lone weeping willow gently swaying in the wind as ducks and black carp swim idly by while you follow the footsteps of unparalleled haiku poet, Matsuo Basho at the final stop of his major journey on foot, and a setting from his masterpiece - Oku no Hosomichi, (often translated as The Narrow Road to the Deep North).

Try your hand at traditional crafts like mizu-manju (sweet water mochi) making and masu (wooden box) making, with steps inspired by techniques used in tasks like water transportation and sake brewing from the past, cultivated by the region’s abundance in water. Experience it all for yourself here, where folk tales are born of, that speak of the intimate connection between the lives of the local people and the sustenance afforded by water. Let your worries drift away as you soak in the goodness of life here at the Water Capital, rivers undulating like poetry in motion.

Relive the day on which Japan's history was forever changed by its largest, most tumultuous and most decisive battle, fought on the grounds of Sekigahara (also one of the world's three major ancient battlefields) in the year 1600. See with your own eyes and tour the very areas ventured by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, and his opponent, Ishida Mitsunari, as you discover the historical setting of the battle with weaponry and armory. Explore the Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum, featuring revolutionary technology in showcasing the details of main happenings and people of the battle, as well as exhibits both original and models that you can touch and interact with. Equip yourself with Sengoku armor and weapons, before making your way around the remains of Ishida's base camp and taking commemorative photos. Choose between a lunch of delicious Udon with tempura (in either Eastern or Western-styled broth) plus complimentary souvenir, and Sukiyaki made from famous Omi beef. Turn back time and imagine yourself fighting to the very finish, joining in actions of bravery or perhaps, treachery, in the greatest samurai battle of all - the Battle of Sekigahara.

Harvest tea leaves and stroll through the lush, verdant tea fields of the Kamigare Tea Plantation in Kasuga Village, Ibigawa Town, a little-known region dubbed "Gifu's Machu Picchu". Take home tea leaves with a gentle, sweet aroma ready for brewing, as souvenirs after completing your tea plucking activity (please note that due to time constraints the tea leaves you will be bringing home are different to the ones from your harvest). Next, head to Kegon-ji Temple, a destination Japan’s oldest pilgrimage with around 1,300 years of history, and said to grant spiritual gains. Try out "kaidan meguri" (the practice of going down to the basement of the main hall of the temple to search for a lock in complete darkness) for yourself! For lunch, look forward to a delicious and wholesome meal made from Ibi medicinal herbs cultivated at the foot of Mount Ibuki from days of old and local Mino vegetables  - fresh produce proudly grown in Gifu Prefecture.