Gujo Hachiman Travel Guide: Explore the Castle Town of Water and Dance—Top Spots and Suggested Itinerary

No introduction to Gujo Hachiman would be complete without Gujo Odori, Japan’s longest-running Bon dance festival.
With a history of about 420 years, this traditional performing art is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. In 2022, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as one of Japan’s Furyu-odori ritual dances.
Its greatest appeal is that visitors and local residents all dance together. No special preparation is necessary, allowing travelers to experience an authentic Bon dance with ease.
The steps, including those for the song “Kawasaki,” are very simple, and dancers soon pick them up by following the people around them.
The festival is generally held from summer through early fall. From August 13 to 16, the Tetsuya Odori all-night dancing continues from evening until dawn and draws about 300,000 enthusiastic participants each year.
Participation is free, so step into the circle filled with the sounds of geta sandals and singing for a memorable travel experience.

Gujo Hachiman is known as the birthplace of the realistic replica food commonly displayed outside restaurants in Japan.
The industry’s roots date back more than 80 years, and the area remains a major production center, accounting for about 60% of Japan’s replica food output.
Workshops around town allow visitors to make their own remarkably realistic dishes and desserts.
One process involves dripping colorful wax into hot water and shaping it. Learning the technique is engaging, while the challenge of getting the wax to behave as intended keeps both adults and children absorbed in the activity.
The time required varies by project, but participants can take their finished creations home, making them ideal one-of-a-kind souvenirs.
These workshops are popular, so reservations are recommended.

Exploring the town on foot is an essential part of any visit to Gujo Hachiman.
Homes featuring traditional architectural details, including projecting fire walls and red-brown latticework, still line the former castle town, while clear irrigation channels flow beneath the eaves.
Rather than following a set route, wander freely through the alleys while listening for the sound of water. Along the way, you will encounter scenery that reflects the town’s close relationship between water and daily life.
Take your time and visit the main sites with a camera in hand.

This castle stands atop Mount Hachiman, northeast of central Gujo Hachiman.
Its history began in 1559, near the end of the Warring States period, when military commander Endo Morikazu built a fort here for battle.
The present keep was reconstructed in wood in 1933, based on Ogaki Castle, and is Japan’s oldest surviving wooden reconstructed castle keep.
The scenery created by the white castle and the changing seasons is remarkable and was praised by author Ryotaro Shiba in his travel series “Kaido wo Yuku.”

This retro-style building in Gujo Hachiman’s preserved castle town serves as a comprehensive tourist information center.
Built in 1936, it is a two-story, Western-style wooden building with about 8,611 square feet of floor space.
Its harmonious design features wood-clad exterior walls and tall windows.
The roof uses truss construction, a method often employed for gymnasiums and halls, making the building technologically advanced for its time.
It served as the Hachiman Town Hall until 1994 and was designated a National Registered Cultural Property in 1998.

Founded in 1606, this Zen temple belongs to the Myoshinji school of Rinzai Buddhism.
Located in the castle town, it is known for its rear garden, Tessoen, which is designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty by Gujo City.
The highlight is a seated-viewing garden with maple trees arranged around a pond against a rocky hillside.
Amid the profound and powerful atmosphere created by the sound of a waterfall, the garden takes on different appearances throughout the seasons, from fresh green foliage in early summer and autumn leaves to snowy winter scenery.
A suikinkutsu water harp in the garden produces clear, resonant sounds reminiscent of a koto, allowing visitors to appreciate the atmosphere with both their eyes and ears.
This space, where natural beauty and tranquility coexist, is an ideal place to take a break while exploring the town.

Surrounded by mountain scenery, this is one of Gifu Prefecture’s largest limestone caves. About 2,300 feet of its roughly 1.2-mile total length is open to the public.
Located in the mountains at an elevation of about 984 feet, the cave entrance is reached by a rare wooden cable car.
Inside, cool air with an average temperature of 54–57°F creates the silence of another world.
At the deepest point is one of Japan’s largest underground waterfalls, with a drop of about 98 feet. The abundant flow of water represented by this waterfall continues to shape the cave’s stalactites little by little.

For imposing natural scenery near Gujo Hachiman, visit Amidagataki Falls.
Located in Shirotori, Gujo City, this waterfall has a drop of about 197 feet. It is considered the finest waterfall in the Tokai region and is included among both Japan’s 100 Best Waterfalls and Gifu Prefecture’s 50 Remarkable Waters.
Its main attraction is the tremendous power of the water thundering down between the trees.
A walking trail leads close to the plunge pool, allowing visitors to experience the waterfall at close range.
In addition to the view, the spray feels like a natural shower, and the cool air surrounding the falls offers welcome relief.
In summer, visitors can also try flowing somen noodles at Amidagataki-so.

Seiryu Nagara River Ayu Park is a hands-on facility established as an information center for the “Ayu of the Nagara River System,” a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System.
Visitors can learn about the Nagara River’s natural environment, ayu fishing, and local life while interacting with the river and its fish.
One of the most popular activities is catching ayu by hand in the park’s artificial river.
Even young children can participate, and the ayu they catch can be grilled with salt and eaten.
The experience also provides families with an opportunity to think about the value of life and where food comes from.
A variety of other craft activities are available, including making chopsticks from thinned timber, making bamboo skewers, and painting wind chimes.
The open setting surrounded by clear streams and mountains is pleasant and well suited to experiencing Gujo’s culture.

Gujo ayu is an essential local specialty of Gujo Hachiman.
Wild Gujo ayu caught in the upper Nagara River are raised in swift currents and clean water, giving them firm flesh, a delicate aroma, and a rich flavor.
In 2008, Gujo ayu won the grand prize at the National Clear Stream Ayu Tasting Competition and has since become a nationally recognized brand.
Besides the classic salt-grilled preparation, restaurants serve the fish in many forms, including sweet-simmered ayu, ayu sushi, and rice cooked with ayu.

Keichan is a local Gifu dish long enjoyed in the Oku-Mino region, including Gujo City.
Originating as home cooking, it is made by stir-frying chicken marinated in a sauce based on miso, soy sauce, and garlic together with cabbage, bean sprouts, and seasonal vegetables.
Its defining feature is the closely guarded seasoning recipe used by each restaurant.
Even though the dish is always called keichan, its flavor varies depending on the cut of chicken and seasoning, making it interesting to compare versions from different restaurants.
Simple yet savory and aromatic, it pairs well with both rice and alcoholic drinks. This casual local favorite is widely loved as one of the region’s soul foods.

Pickle steak is a home-style dish long enjoyed in Gujo.
This simple dish is made by grilling kirizuke—winter preserves of salted Chinese cabbage, turnips, and other vegetables—on an iron griddle and binding them with egg.
Pickles that have fermented over a long period develop a pleasant tartness that pairs well with the mild flavor of softly cooked egg.
Though rustic, the dish has considerable depth of flavor, and its unexpected combination of pickles and egg makes a lasting impression.