Experiences

Tap into the mind, spirit, and tradition of the samurai through an essential part of their identity as fearsome warriors - the prized Japanese sword. And what better place to do this than at Seki, the City of Blades, where swords here were known to "never bend, never break, and cut well". Start with a tour of the Nosyudo Factory, one of Japan's rare manufacturers of iaito (practice swords) and authentic Japanese swords with 60 years of trustworthy expertise, before moving on to the exhibition room where you will be shown the different ways to appreciate Japanese swords, as well as insight into the methods of sword production. You can also purchase swords of your liking. After that, it's time to move to the dojo to put on your iaigi and a hakama for a change of pace! Take on the way of the samurai, hands-on by learning the basic kata (form, movement) for iaido, such as battou (sword-drawing), kiritsuke (cutting or slashing), noto (sword-sheathing) using a replica sword. Carve out your own path, the samurai way.

Draw enlightening inspiration from the stories, the techniques, and the masters behind one of Gifu's best-known and well-loved traditional crafts - the intricately elegant Gifu chochin (traditional Gifu Japanese lanterns), while creating a piece of your very own in the city of one of Japan's leading production areas of traditional lanterns. Uncover the rich legacy of lantern-making, which flourished due to the Nagara River and its efficient water transportation system, effectively moving materials of the highest quality for lantern-making, such as Minowashi paper made upstream. Learn from artisans who have been trained in techniques handed down through the ages as you add personal touches to your handiwork. While waiting for it to dry, explore the historical districts around the like Minatomachi, Zaikicho, and Kobikicho, old towns bearing the remnants of a time when the area was known as a thriving merchant river port. Complete your stay with a visit to the "CASA Stella" store, showcasing the artistry and gentle light emanating from beautiful lantern displays, presenting an opportunity for mesmerizing photos.

Gain precious insight into the stories, the techniques, and the masters behind one of Gifu's best-known and well-loved traditional crafts - the beautifully delicate but enduring Gifu wagasa (traditional Japanese umbrellas), before creating your very own miniature piece in the city of Japan's largest manufacturer of traditional umbrellas. Explore the quaint surroundings of the former riverside port district of Kawara-machi District while learning of the origins of the Gifu wagasa, then visit the workshop of one of only two craftsmen in Japan specializing in umbrella frames, deepening your understanding of Japan's crafts and culture. Craft and complete your original mini Gifu wagasa, a wonderful reminder of your unforgettable time in Gifu, along the Nagara River. 
*Closed length (including handle): about 28cm, open diameter: about 35cm

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.

Unravel the threads of Hida Takayama's culture steeped in history and cultivated in centuries of relative isolation, as you visit its key locations accompanied by a local guide in this popular walking tour. Begin from the famous Takayama Historical District, with its traditional architecture made from the artisanal carpentry skills of the Hida master craftsmen, with streets that retain the look and feel of a time from centuries past, then walk across the prominent vermillion Nakabashi Bridge - part of a well-loved and known part of Hida Takayama. Moving on, you'll be encounter the venerable Takayama Jinya (also known as the Takayama Historical Government House), established as the center of politics in the Hida region during the Edo period and the only remaining facility of its kind in Japan, and the Jinya-mae Morning Markets in front selling a variety of folk crafts, local produce and sweets, with opportunities to mingle with the locals. Try delicious local Takayama snacks like "midarashi dango", before walking towards the Hida Kokubun-ji Temple and beholding for your very own eyes a place reputed to be the finest ancient temple in the Hida region. 

Rediscover fine dining done the way of the samurai with the Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi and the Sowaryu-style tea ceremony still thriving well even to this day in Hida Takayama, a town famous for its well-established traditional crafts and historical districts. The Sowaryu-style tea ceremony was founded about 400 years ago by Shigechika “Sowa” of the Kanamori family that ruled the Hida-Takayama domain and passed down primarily through temples in Takayama. It left an indelible mark on the culture of Kyoto as a warrior-style tea ceremony practiced in various places from the gardens of Ohara Town's Sanzenin Temple to the tea rooms of Kinkakuji. Prepared in the refined spirit of the tea ceremony is the Sowaryu Honzen, a kaiseki course said to date back from the late Edo-period, popular with the samurai class, and a rare luxury that very few restaurants continue to offer nationwide. While it originally features a staggering array of 30 dishes, the Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi (simplified) course lunch instead showcases a selection of 11 dishes expertly put together from an abundance of fresh, local ingredients with a profound sense of aesthetics reflected in its presentation, tableware, and dining ettiquette. After finishing your sumptuous meal, you will then be transported to the long-established Nobato Chaho where you will learn about the differences between the tea ceremonies held by the merchant class and that of the samurai class, and enjoy Japanese sweets with usucha ("thin tea" - usually used for tea ceremony). Taste and see the beauty in the silence and ceremony through the way of the samurai.

Delve deep and engage with two integral practices of bushido, the way of the samurai, thriving well even to this day in Hida Takayama, a city well-known for its traditional crafts and historical merchant districts. The first featured through this course is the Sowaryu-style of tea ceremony, founded about 400 years ago by Shigechika “Sowa” of the Kanamori family that ruled the Hida-Takayama domain. Passed down primarily through temples in Takayama, this warrior-style left an indelible mark on the culture of Kyoto, influencing the tea ceremonies held in various locations from the gardens of Ohara Town's Sanzenin Temple to the tea rooms of Kinkakuji. Discover what it's like for yourself by joining a Sowaryu-style tea ceremony, and enjoy Japanese sweets with usucha ("thin tea" - usually used for tea ceremonies) while you learn about the differences between the tea ceremonies held by the merchant class and that of the samurai class. After that, it's time for a change of clothes and pace for iaido! You'll put on kimono and hakama, before moving to the Emaden (shrine building where votive picture tablets are hung) of the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine. Calm and steady your heart as a hanshi (master instructor) of the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaido, one of the two most widely practiced schools of iaido in Japan, guides you through a series of kata (form, movement), such as battou (sword-drawing), kobo (attack and defense), noto (sword-sheathing). You will receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the iaido activity. From the calm and graceful steps of the tea ceremony, to the swift and powerful moves of iaido, walk the paths of righteousness the way the samurais did in the spirit of bushido.

Unearth calm repose, encounter the world of Zen and enlightenment in creation through this course with a guide, taking you through the peaceful, scenic grounds of the Kokeizan Eiho-ji Temple of Tajimi City, a Zen temple founded by the Zen monk Muso Soseki during the Kamakura Period. The temple grounds include the designated National Treasure, Kannon-do Hall, and the well-known Suigetsugama Kiln, built in 1946 by the late and esteemed Toyozo Arakawa, a past Living National Treasure. The living legacy of these treasures ensure that the traditional methods of making Minoyaki (Mino ware) live on to this very day. At the Suigetsugama Kiln, tour the climbing kiln and learn of how it revolutionized the ceramics industry centuries ago. For lunch, feast your senses on Japanese cuisine carefully plated on tableware crafted by Mino ware artists, taking in the delightful harmony in presentation and taste.

Ride the waves of time, back into the Sengoku and Edo period with this tour jam-packed with the artistic, historical, and culinary highlights of Ena and Imamura. Start by immersing yourself in the vivid world of ukiyo-e art from the Edo Period by famous woodblock print artist Hiroshige Utagawa at the Nakasendo Hiroshige Museum of Art. Then, hike the historical grounds of the Iwamura Castle Ruins, one of Japan’s three greatest mountaintop castles, situated at an altitude of 717 metres above sea-level, where you will have the chance to see up close the defensive construction from three different types of stone-piling utilized. The castle is also well-known for having an “Onna Joshu” (lady castle lord) - Lady Otsuya, one of Japan's few lady castle lords and the aunt of warlord Oda Nobunaga. Enjoy time strolling around the ancient castle town, full of historical charm and a culturally significant preservation district of historic buildings in all of Japan, third in Gifu after Sanmachi in Takayama and Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go. For lunch, feast the way the warlords did back in the Sengoku period, with a delicious and hearty recreation of the Sengoku cuisine at Iwamura Sanso, prepared over an irori charcoal grill with local, seasonal ingredients. Conclude your journey with the the exclusive "Kakuuchi", at the Iwamura Jozo Brewery, with a distinguished history of 230 years. Buy sake and drink it right there and then in its original, raw and unprocessed form - a rarity of Japanese culture afforded by this very place. Take a trip through this multifaceted gateway into Japan's exquisite past. 

Unfold the rich tapestry of culture and tradition at the heart of Gifu City through this illuminating course. Learn all about ukai (cormorant fishing) at the Nagara River Ukai Museum before visiting the home of a Cormorant Fishing Master, who will show you around and explain the ins and outs of his work, recognized by the Imperial Family of Japan. Alternatively, choose an option highlighting the artistry of one of Gifu City's beloved traditional crafts, Gifu lanterns, by visiting the private space of world-renowned artist, Isamu Noguchi's AKARI Gallery displaying his "sculptures of light". After a delightful teatime at the Gifu Grand Hotel lounge, enjoy a splendid dinner of grilled ayu (sweetfish) aboard one of three exclusive luxury observation boats, with a dedicated chef and wait staff. Witness the ukai as it begins at sunset, from a vantage view afforded in the comfort of your bench seat, transporting you back in time with its subtle yet profound beauty.