Experiences

Go beneath the surface, right into the heart of the lesser known gems of the Hida Region, from Takayama City, to Hida City, to Shirakawa-go, and finally, Gero City in this special tour, made convenient and very accessible by car. 

Enter the sanctuary of the Hakusan Shinko (Hakusan Faith), originating from Mount Hakusan, one of Japan's Three Holy Mountains. Discover its history at the Hakusan Culture Museum, before moving on to the Nagataki Hakusan-jinja Shrine, the most important of all Hakusan shrines in Japan. A 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. You will also receive blessings from the chief Shinto priest during your visit. Goshuin (red seal) featured in a Taiga (historical) drama included.

Take on this very special hands-on tour of the factory behind the wildly popular (to the point it's especially hard to buy before it's sold out), high-grade, cemented carbide kitchen knives - a first in Japan! Watch the production process, help with sharpening and testing blades. After the tour, create your very own original pocket knife by affixing the cemented carbide (said to be the hardest material next to diamond) blade to the handle, made in Gifu Prefecture. You can also buy knives and sharpening stones. Lunch will be miso sukiyaki made with delicious Hida beef and salad, sliced and diced with KISEKI: knives at Hana, a restaurant in a traditional Japanese house.

Fish for Gifu's renowned ayu (sweetfish) using a method tried and tested by time! Presenting the tomozuri (live decoy fishing) style, which you will be introduced to through training videos in a lesson before putting it to practice while standing in the Nagara River with support from a professional guide. Then, dig in to the freshly caught sweetfish, salted and grilled. Enjoy its mouth-watering taste and compare it to that of the locally farmed ayu. Ayu rice will also be served. Discover the goodness of "Ayu of the Nagara River System," a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).

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 a 30-minute car ride from popular destination, Takayama. 

Enter the sanctuary of the Hakusan Shinko (Hakusan Faith). Discover its history at the Hakusan Culture Museum, then move to the Nagataki Hakusan-jinja Shrine. A 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. Don shiroshouzoku (white robes) and tread the spiritual mountain trail until you reach the Great Cedar of Itoshiro, estimated to be over 1800 years old.

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! 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 Theater established in 1894. Enjoy a specially prepared wariko bento (Japanese lunchbox) after your visit! Then, take a trip to Tsukechi Gorge, tucked away in a fragrant canopy of Kiso cypress, 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 detailed explanations and demonstrations of swordmaking by master bladesmiths, Zen history and philosophy embodied by the samurai spirit, and swift but deadly motions of iaigiri. The best part is experiencing it all firsthand - hammer the steel fashioned into a blade, calm your mind and heart with Zazen meditation, and learn about the correct way to wield a katana as the final blow is struck. Unleash the fighter in you.​

Take in the marvelous sights along the pristine Nagara River, one of the three clearest rivers in Japan, as you e-bike the approximately 70km course from Gujo Hachiman to Gifu City. Stop by popular destinations like the Udatsu Wall Historical District of Mino City, the Seki Hamono Museum, Gifu’s Great Buddha (one of Japan’s Three Great Buddha Statues), and Kogane Shrine. This course is recommended for those staying overnight in Gujo City and are planning to travel southwards the day after. Luggage will be delivered separately to your destination.