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Gifu

Scenic Shirakawa-go and Gero's hot springs

About Gifu
Hilltop view over Shirakawa-go (Photo: Tom Roseveare / JT)

Top Attractions in Gifu

Gifu Top 10

  1. Gifu Light Story
    1

    Gifu Light Story

    Gifu City
  2. A Therapeutic Day in Gero Onsen
    2

    A Therapeutic Day in Gero Onsen

    Beauty & Spa
  3. Suimu Shrine Festival
    3

    Suimu Shrine Festival

    Nakatsugawa
  4. Mont Deus Snow Park
    4

    Mont Deus Snow Park

    Takayama
  5. Gujo Odori
    5

    Gujo Odori

    Gujo
  6. Fox Wedding Festival
    6

    Fox Wedding Festival

    Hida City
  7. Fun Winter Illuminations in Takayama
    7

    Fun Winter Illuminations in Takayama

    Takayama
  8. Subzero Forest Ice Festival
    8

    Subzero Forest Ice Festival

    Takayama
  9. How to Go Fishing in Shirakawa-go
    9

    How to Go Fishing in Shirakawa-go

    Activities
  10. Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition
    10

    Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition

    Mino

Upcoming Gifu Events

Subzero Forest Ice Festival 2026
Culture

Subzero Forest Ice Festival 2026

Sunday - Feb 8th

The Subzero Forest Ice Festival in Takayama is held on the second Saturday of February every year, and it combines icicles and lights..

Free Entry
Shizukumiya Festival 2026
Culture

Shizukumiya Festival 2026

Mid Mar

Running annually since 2003, the Shizukumiya Festival in Hida Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, is a popular event that honors the co..

Free Entry
Hida Ikibina Festival 2026
Culture

Hida Ikibina Festival 2026

Friday - Apr 3rd

Every spring, the Hida Ichinomiya Minashi Shrine transforms into a stage of vibrant color and centuries-old tradition during the..

Free Entry
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Where to eat in Gifu

Ajidokoro Furukawa
Food

Ajidokoro Furukawa

Japan Travel

Ajidokoro Furukawa is a large machiya-style restaurant in the city center, located just over the road from Festival Square and its..

Heianraku
Japanese

Heianraku

Anne Lauenroth

Enjoy delicious Chinese, Japanese and vegetarian food at lovely Heianraku, a cozy restaurant in Takayama.

2
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Places to stay in Gifu

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Latest Gifu Reports

Bokka no Sato
Activities

Bokka no Sato

Kim Bergström

Located on the Hirugano Plateau in Gifu Prefecture, Bokka no Sato is a family-friendly park that offers a mix of nature, animal..

Mont Deus Snow Park
Activities

Mont Deus Snow Park

Kim Bergström

Mont Deus Ski Park in Takayama is a family-friendly ski destination offering wide, beginner-friendly slopes with excellent vis..

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About Gifu

Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Chubu
Island Honshu
Capital Gifu City
Population 2,080,773
Area 10,621.29 km²

Located in the center of Honshu, Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県, Gifu-ken) has the distinction of being the place that changed modern Japanese history forever - the Battle of Sekigahara took place in 1600 in the Gifu town of the same name.

Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged victorious, he and his successors ruled Japan for the next 268 years virtually unchallenged, Japan closed its doors to foreign trade, and Edo (present day Tokyo) became the major city of the country. Sekigahara aside, Gifu still has more than plenty to offer.

Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site, is beautiful all year round but especially breathtaking in the winter, while Gero Onsen is also a popular destination. Can’t make it to Kyoto? Try visiting Takayama, affectionately nicknamed “Little Kyoto.” Kuri-kinton, a chestnut sweet, is the local delicacy, but if you have room to splurge definitely have some Hida beef!

Around Gifu

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