Discover Gifu Prefecture: The Scenic Beauty of Flying Mountains and Flowing Waters & Fairy-Tale Rural Homes

Photos & Text / Excerpted from "Nagoya: Essence of Central & Hokuriku Japan," authored by Wang Yaoqin.

Gifu Prefecture consists of five regions: Gifu, Nishisonogi, Chūsonogi, Tōsonogi, and Hida, with agriculture and paper manufacturing as its main industries. Renowned traditional crafts include Mino washi (Japanese paper), wagasa (traditional umbrellas), lanterns, Mino-yaki pottery, Hida Shunkei lacquerware, and ichii ittobori wood carving. The most popular leisure and resort destinations are Takayama City, Shirakawa-go, and the Oku-Hida Onsen Villages "Hida-Takayama."

The prefectural capital of Gifu is Gifu City. In addition to being an international convention and tourism city, it preserves numerous traditional events, among which the "cormorant fishing" on the Nagara River in summer is the most famous and entertaining. The southern part of the city and the northern area of Takayama City have significant climate differences. During winter, heavy snowfall makes it an ideal destination for enjoying and playing in the snow.

Gifu Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture rich in natural resources. The south is a plain, while the north features the Hida Mountains and Kiso Mountains, with over 5/4 (i.e., more than four-fifths) of the total area covered by forests. In the Hida region, you’ll find peaks clustered everywhere—on the east are Mount Ontake, Mount Hotaka, and Mount Yari, to the west is Mount Hakusan, and to the south is Mount Ontake, all with elevations exceeding 3,000 meters. Paired with the quaint villages nestled among them, the landscape resembles a painting.

Info
Location: Located in the Tokai region of central Honshu, Japan, adjacent to Nagano Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, and Toyama Prefecture
Prefectures: Nagano Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Toyama Prefecture
Transportation: Take the JR Tōkaidō Main Line from Nagoya to Gifu Station, approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes
Gifu Tourism Official Website:http://travel.kankou-gifu.jp/tw/
Gifu Prefecture Electronic Map:http://goo.gl/WvkX4f