Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [188]
Tagata-jinja
Izanagi, the male counterpart of Izanami, is commemorated at this shrine (0568-76-2906). The main hall has a side building containing images of phalluses, left as offerings by grateful worshippers.
The Tagata Hōnen Sai Festival takes place on 15 March at Tagata-jinja, when the highly photogenic, 2m-long, 60kg ‘sacred object’ is paraded, amid much mirth, around the neighbourhood. Arrive well before the procession starts at 2pm.
Tagata-jinja is five minutes’ walk west of Tagata-jinja-mae Station on the Meitetsu Komaki line (¥290 from Inuyama, nine minutes).
Yaotsu
0574 / pop 13,500
This Kiso-gawa town has become a pilgrimage site as the birthplace of Sugihara Chiune (1900–86), Japan’s consul in Lithuania during early WWII. Sugihara saved some 6000 Jews from the Nazis by issuing transit visas against Japanese government orders; the ‘Sugihara survivors’ escaped to Kōbe and Japanese-controlled Shanghai and, later, to other countries. The story was commemorated in the 1997 Academy Award–winning film Visas and Virtue.
On Yaotsu’s Jindō-no-oka (Hill of Humanity; ) is a museum (adult/child ¥300/100; 9.30am-5pm Tue-Sun) with photos and thought-provoking exhibits about this inspiring story. For more information, visit www.town.yaotsu.gifu.jp or contact the city office (43-2111, ext 2253), which has an English speaker available.
Yaotsu is easiest reached by car, but from Inuyama you can take the Meitetsu Hiromi line to Akechi (¥440, 30 minutes) via Shin-Kani, then transfer to the Yao bus to Yaotsu (¥400, 25 minutes); it’s a short bus (¥300) or taxi ride to the museum.
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GIFU
058 / pop 413,000
Historically, Gifu has a strong association with Oda Nobunaga, daimyō (domain lord) of the castle and bestower of the city’s name in 1567. It was later visited by famed haiku poet Matsuō Bashō, who witnessed ukai here in 1688; Charlie Chaplin did the same in his day.
Contemporary Gifu shows little evidence of those historic times, due to a colossal earthquake in 1891 and a thorough drubbing in WWII. Still, the Nagara-gawa remains a popular destination for ukai, there’s a reconstruction of the castle Gifu-jō atop the riverside mountain, Kinka-zan (329m), and a spiffed-up business district. Gifu is also known for handicrafts.
Orientation & Information
JR Gifu Station and Meitetsu-Gifu Station are a few minutes’ walk apart in the southern city centre. Most of the sights are about 4km north, near Nagara-gawa and Kinka-zan, easily reachable by bus (Click here).
The tourist information office (262-4415; 9am-7pm Mar-Dec, to 6pm Jan-Feb) on the 2nd floor of JR Gifu Station provides useful English-language city maps and can make same-day hotel reservations. Some English is spoken.
Sights & Activities
CORMORANT FISHING
During Gifu’s cormorant fishing season (11 May to 15 October), boats depart nightly (except after flooding or on the night of a full moon) from the bridge, Nagara-bashi, or you can view the action from a distance by walking along the river east of the bridge.
Bookings are strongly advised. Tickets are sold at hotels or, if any tickets remain after 6pm, at the booking office (262-0104 for advance reservations; adult/child ¥3300/2900; departures 6.15pm, 6.45pm & 7.15pm) just below Nagara-bashi. Food and drink are not provided on the boats; you can bring food aboard the first departure of the evening but not on later departures. On Monday to Friday, fares for the two later departures are ¥3000/2600 per adult/child. Take the bus to the Nagara-bashi stop.
GIFU-KŌEN
At the foot of Kinka-zan, this is one of the loveliest city parks in Japan, with plenty of water and trees set into the hillside. Inside are the Gifu City History Museum (; 265-0010; 2-18-1 Ōmiya-chō; adult/child ¥300/150; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun), the site of Oda Nobunaga’s home, and Kinka-zan Ropeway (; 262-6784; 257 Senjōjiki-shita; return adult/child ¥1050/520; 9am-5pm mid-Oct–mid-Mar, to 10.30pm late Jul-Aug, to 6pm mid-Mar–late Jul & Sep–mid-Oct), a cable car