NorthWest WaSeki (knife capital)
Seki City official site; Seki is Japan's knife capital with a centuries-old blade tradition.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Japan › Onsen & Travel Directory › Chubu and Hakone area › Gifu
Gifu
Old Japan at its most photogenic: Takayama's merchant streets and Shirakawa-go's thatched farmhouses.
📜 A little history
Shirakawa-go's gassho-zukuri farmhouses are UNESCO-listed. Gifu was the base of Oda Nobunaga.
🌸 Best time to visit
Spring and autumn for the Takayama Festival; winter snow at Shirakawa-go.
🚄 Getting there
Shinkansen to Nagoya, then limited express to Takayama, about 4 hours from Tokyo.
🍜 Famous local food
Hida beef and Takayama ramen.
🎁 Omiyage to bring home
Sarubobo dolls and Seki knives.
6 hand-checked listings, each linked to its official site. Travel times are approximate; check timetables before you go.
🍜 Food Ramen, sushi, markets and local specialities
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
🎁 Omiyage and craft Souvenirs, sake and local crafts
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
🏆 Meibutsu Famous local speciality products
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
📍 Travel spots Sights and official guides
Gifu tourism (official)
Official tourism guide for Gifu Prefecture: sights, events and local food.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
🎆 Festivals and seasons Matsuri, sakura and autumn leaves
Takayama Festival
Spring and autumn festivals in Takayama with ornate floats and mechanical puppets.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
♨️ Onsen and ryokan Hot springs, inns and day baths
Gero Onsen
Gifu hot-spring town, traditionally counted among Japan's three famous springs.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Okuhida Onsen
Five mountain hot-spring villages in the Northern Alps of Gifu, known for open-air baths.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
🎿 Ski and snow Resorts and snow country
Shirakawa-go
UNESCO gassho-zukuri village, magical under snow; winter light-up events.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Coming soon. Suggest a business or list yours free.
Free: Onsen Etiquette & First-Timer Checklist
A 2-page PDF so your first soak is stress-free.
Get the free checklistA 2-page PDF so your first soak is stress-free.
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Plan your trip
Free: Onsen Etiquette & First-Timer Checklist
A 2-page PDF covering what to bring, how to wash before you soak, tattoos, towels and the little rules that make a first onsen visit stress-free. Plus a short Japan travel email (coming soon).
Download the free checklist (PDF)
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Affiliate disclosure: some links in this directory are affiliate links (marked "Affiliate link", or in the "Plan your trip" box). If you book through them, NorthWest Wa may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How we list: listings are free and chosen for usefulness; paid placements are always labelled Sponsored. Facts come from each business's official site; prices, hours and rules (including tattoo policies) change, so always check before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.