Experiences

Grab an e-bike and ride into a refreshing and exhilarating exploration of Japan's satoyama (rural areas where the foothills and farmlands overlap), the roots of its thriving in history, nature and community. Swing by wellsprings before enjoying a delectable lunch of Hoba-zushi, a local Hida cuisine, at Sakurano Park. The blossoms of the approximately 300 cherry trees are especially magnificent in spring. Next is Ankoku-ji Temple (northern Gifu’s only national treasure, a storehouse preserving ancient Buddhist scriptures), having tea at a traditional Japanese house, then taking in the vistas along the Araki River while cycling. The rare opportunity of spending time to chat with and connect with the locals, whether in the cozy atmosphere of a traditional Japanese home or during your cycling adventure, will surely be a memorable part of your journey. A part of the fee from this course will be donated to the communities overseeing the conservation of the local culture heritage. 

Immerse yourself in the grand outdoors of Hida Takayama through this gentle, leisurely summer hike through sparkling clear waters, flowing over a massive rock slab formed from volcanic activity thousands of years ago. Savor and learn all you can about nature's wonders from its terrain, flora, and fauna, stopping for a break to enjoy hand-dripped gourmet coffee and tasty baked goodies personally prepared for you by a professional barista. Look forward to a wholesome lunch of sandwiches and soup made from ingredients locally sourced. You will be accompanied by an experienced nature guide and member of the Japan Mountain Guides Association with WAFA and LNT qualifications as you journey through the Soredani mountain stream, tucked away in between Nyukawa Town and Kamitakara Town in Takayama City. Get OFF THE GRID, away from the hustle and bustle of city life and digital connection, as you relax and soak up your wonderful natural surroundings, from the peaceful rippling of the mountain stream, to the melodic harmonies of the wild birds as you sip your gourmet hand-dripped coffee personally made for you.

Go beneath the surface, right into the heart of the hidden gems of the Hida Region, with a guide familiar with the insides and outs of the area, helping you uncover not just the usual tourist locations, but the local, cultural spots and eateries only the locals know of. Start from Hida Takayama, to Hida City, to the World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go Village, and finally, the famous hot springs of Gero City in this special day-long tour with a private guide, made convenient and very accessible by car. Customize various parts of the tour such as stops and activities based on your preferences.

Enter the sanctuary of the Hakusan Shinko (Hakusan Faith), which began at the foot of Mount Hakusan, one of Japan's three holy mountains alongside Mount Fuji and Mount Tateyama. Discover its history at the Hakusan Culture Museum, then move to the Nagataki Hakusan-jinja Shrine, where your guide will show you the ins and outs of correct etiquette when visiting a shrine, and walk you through powerspots and local sites of Important Cultural Properties of Japan. 

A valuable opportunity to experience a formal worship ceremony awaits you at the worship hall. Step up to the stage, normally off-limits to visitors, and receive blessings dedicated solely to you by the chief Shinto priest of the shrine. After that, you will receive a traditional goshuin (red seal), featured in a Taiga (historical) drama, as a memorable token of your journey. 

Take on this very special hands-on tour of the factory behind the highly sought-after and constantly sold-out premium, cemented carbide kitchen knives - a first in Japan, right here in Gifu! Watch the production process, help with sharpening and testing blades. After the tour, create your very own original pocketknife by affixing the cemented carbide (said to be the hardest material next to diamond) blade to the handle, made of wood produced in Gifu. For lunch, enjoy an enticing serving of Hida beef miso sukiyaki with salad sliced and diced with KISEKI: knives at Hana, a restaurant in a traditional Japanese house. Share conversations with the owner of the restaurant, who can vouch for the many excellent features of the KISEKI: knives, adding a little something to your visit.

Invigorate your senses as you experience the way of life in the mountains of Hida Furukawa, and how it connects and blesses people across generations. Visit the Hida no Takumi Bunkakan (Takumikan Craft Museum) and learn of the exceptional skills and works of the local master craftsmen, walk around the old town of stone temples and great white-walled storehouses with a canal, home to 1,000 brilliant carp of many colors, join a local sake brewery tour, try out a herb-mixing activity and feast on a tasty, healthy meal made with local herbs. This place of hidden treasures is only about a 30-minute car ride from popular destination, Takayama. 

Enter the sanctuary of the Hakusan Shinko (Hakusan Faith), and encounter the spiritual culture of Japan from ancient times as you make your pilgrimage in honorable shiroshozoku (white robes). Discover the rich history between faith and nature at the Hakusan Culture Museum, then move to the Nagataki Hakusan-jinja Shrine, where a guide will show you the ins and outs of correct etiquette when visiting a shrine and praying. Be astounded by an afternoon visit to the dynamic Amidaga Falls, one of Japan‘s top 100 waterfalls and a subject of a majestic ukiyo-e piece done by Katsushika Hokusai, a leading artist in Japan's Edo period. Next, draw close to the spiritual grounds of the Hakusan Faith at the Hakusan Chukyo-jinja Shrine, the main place of worship for Hakusan followers, before treading stone steps that will lead you to the Itoshiro Osugi - a great, sacred cedar tree of 1800 years said to mark the beginning of the trail made by Taicho Daishi, the founder of Mount Hakusan. Enjoy a refreshingly delightful lunch of delicious nagashi somen near Amidaga Falls.

Take your very own awe-inspiring photo of Gifu Castle atop Mount Kinka with a supersized full moon as a magnificent backdrop, using only a smartphone at a photography course supervised by Gifu's expert photographer, Atsushi Kobayashi! Enjoy lunch and then, a soak in a private rotenburo (open-air bath) while you take in the grand scenery of nearby Gifu Castle and Mount Kinka from a different viewpoint at Hotel Park, a ryokan with an illustrious history of 130 years. Look forward to a special menu highlighting local specialties and Gifu’s history such as the prized salt-grilled sweetfish and sarasa salmon, with dishes inspired by the cuisine that the local fishermen dined on and more! (Optional) There are also riceballs and the Shokado refreshments available for those who prefer a lighter meal. 
 

All the world's a stage, and this one has a role with your name on it! Check out one of Gifu's treasured local specialties,  ji-kabuki, or country kabuki, distinct from other types of kabuki for its down-to-earth atmosphere and strong connection to the local community. Get up close and personal with the local kabuki troupe, take in the sights, sounds, and stories of the stage and even put on the kumadori make-up yourself as you prepare to act in your very own role in a kabuki play right here in the Kashimo Meiji-za theatre, a designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture established in 1894. Enjoy a specially prepared wariko bento (Japanese lunchbox) after your visit! Then, take a trip to Tsukiji Gorge, a valley tucked away in a fragrant canopy of Kiso cypress, and walk along the stunningly emerald waters of the Tsukechi River flowing from the snowmelt of venerable Mount Ontake. No time to waste - the stage and nature await!

Step into the daring domain of the Japan’s historical warriors with this travel plan featuring sword forging, iai-jutsu (sword drawing), Zen history, philosophy and meditation embodied by the samurai spirit. The best part is experiencing it all firsthand - start by watching the sparks fly up close as master bladesmith Fujiwara Kanemasa puts tried and trusted techniques to astounding work, hammer the steel fashioned into a blade at the workshop of the Cutler SANSYU / Seki Hamono Museum, before calming your heart and mind with Zazen meditation amidst the tranquil surroundings of the Ryutai-ji Temple, and finally, witness the swift but deadly motions of iai-jutsu with a genuine katana on the temple grounds. Unleash the fighter in you.