FAQ

Please refer to “Useful Content during Your Trip > Tourist Information Center”.

You can download from “Guidebook”.

Please refer to “Suggested Itinerary”.

Please refer to “Flower forecast”.

You can try blueberry hunting in Gujo-shi Yamato-cho.
From mid June to mid September, you can try all-you-can-eat without time limit. Please refer to farm’s homepage.

Gujo-shi is blessed with natural beauty, you can enjoy camping, playing in the river and outdoor experience. You can try food replica making and use screen printing to make your own Japanese towel. Thus, you can play with animals, like horses or alpacas, or catch fish in the northern part of Gujo. And visiting limestone cave and fishing ponds in summer in the southern part of Gujo are popular too.

“Please refer to “GEO” for outdoor experience.
Refer to “Food replica. (Food Replica Workshop, Sample Village IWASAKI, Yama-no-naka no Sanpuru-ya” for food replica making.
Refer to “TAKARA Gallery Workroom” for screen printing to make Japanese towel and ecobag.”

You can find “Gujo Hachiman Tour Guide” introducing the history and other sightseeing spots with Gujo accent. Please refer to the homepage of Gujo Hachiman Industrial Promotic Corporation.

During Bunmei era (1469-1487), Renga (Japanese poem) master Sogi Iio used this spring water for linking his thatched hut to his neighbor. The lord of Gujo, Tsuneyori To, taught Sogi about Kokin Wakashu (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times) in Gujo. The water he used was namaed with his name Sogisui. This water is used by the locals till today. Sogisui Hosan-kai (Sogisui Support Association) is working very hard to protect the historic landmark. Sogisui was appointed as one of the 100 best water in Japan.

There are two method for Gujo Indigo Dye, “Indigo dye” and “Kachin dye”. Carp penant uses the juice of soybean for Kachin dyeing. 2 4.5m long bamboo sticks tie with white cotton cloths, draw with glue and dry. The procedure of dyeing colors with jsoybean juice, drying for 2 days and washing the glue in the stream is called Kanzarashi. Washing the carp penant in cold stream can make the color brighter and sharper. This kanzarashi is one of the winter traditions in Gujo Hachiman. It has been opened for public since 1970 on every 20th January and the first Sunday in February.

It is located at the peak of Mt Hachiman as a symbol of the castle town Gujo Hachiman. It was rebuilt modelling on Ohgakijo Castle which was a national treasure at that time, in 1933. The castle tower, a 5th floor wooden building, is the oldest rebuilt wooden building in Japan.

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Food replica displaying in store window outside restaurant was made by Mr Ryuzo Iwasaki, who was from Gujo Hachiman. It is the reason why there are so many food replica factories in Gujo. You can try to make food replica in those workshop (Reservation needed).

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500 years ago, the lord of Yamato-cho, To Tsuneyoshi taught Renga (Japanese poem) master Sogi about the most repectfull poet Kokin Wakashu (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times). It was known as Kokindenju and became the most important training in tanka poetry.

Enku is estimated to be a child of a woodworker at the foot of Mt Fukubegatake. He entered Kayugawaji Temple, which is a separate temple of Hoshinomiya-jinja Shrine, and was taught sutras and lessons there. It is believed that it is necessary to obtain several credits (In order to become a Buddhist priest) by achieving relief for the common people. It is believed that the credit was obtained at Kayugawaji Temple in 1663. After that, he started travelling around the country from Minami-cho and left many Buddhist statues. Only in Minami-cho, about 160 statues were found, and in Enku Furusato-kan Museum, about 90 works from the early years to the later years was displayed.-

According to the legend, when Fujiwara Takamitsu lost his way to get rid of the demon in the mountain, he was guided by the eel in Kayugawa River to reach the top of the mountain. He released that eel to Yatogabuchi Pool and ordered the residents of the area to cherish it because it was a messenger of God. Since then, local poeple have kept the contraindication of not eating any eel in this area. It was designated as a national natural monument in 1918.

“Kunita Family Shiba-zakura in Meiho area is famous.
Inheriting the thoughts of Ms Kanae Kunida, volunteers in the area are taking care of the whole area of Shiba-zakura. This pink flower field spread over a vast site of 3,000 m2. The road to Kunita Family Shiba-zakura is a comparively narrow, and it is a one-way road from Hachiman during the flowering season. Although you can see it from Seseragi Kaido, as the traffic volume is very heavy during the holiday season, please refrain from parking on the street to prevent accidents.”

It is enshrined at Nenkoji Temple near Wara Clinic. It is said that Fujiwara Takamitsu, who was famous for Kogasan Faith, has defeated a demon who appeared at Mt Fukubegatake. Kayugawa Taroemon brought and enshrined the demon’s skull at Nenkoji Temple .

There are 10 ski resorts. The total number of visitors of one season is about 1 million, making it the largest ski area in western Japan. In Takasu area, a large scaled ski resort named TAKASU Mountains provides a common lift ticket connecting ski slopes and snowboarding halfpipe on the moutnaintops. You can enjoy various routes with this common ticket. In Meiho ski resort, you can enjoy a 5,000m ski slope and try playing with snow. There are also three ski resorts in Shirotori and Yamato area where you can enjoy both skiing and snowboarding.

As Gujo is long in shape from north to south, the autumn leaves take a month to go south from the end of October. Three most recommended spots of autumn leaves are Hirugano Plateau in Takasu-cho, Amidagataki Waterfall in Shirotori-cho, and Seseragi Kaido running from Meiho to Takayama from mid-October to mid-November. Gujo Hachiman Castle’s autumn leaves are also very famous and it is in full bloom from early to mid-November. Around Gujo Hachiman Castle, Momiji Matsuri is held during the maple season, and you can enjoy various events like illumination of Gujo Hachiman Castle. In recent years, the autumn colors turn red later han usual, so please contact us before you come.

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Please feel free to inquire about the condition of the mountain trail. In Gujo, which is a wide area, the tourist association in the local area with mountains can provide more accurate guidance. Please also check with each tourist association in the city. For the popular Mt Dainichigatake, please contact the Shirotori Tourism Association or Takasu Tourism Association by route.

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Gujo Odori is an Obon festival dance held in Japan with the longest history of about 400 years and is designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property. We combine songs with fast tempo to slow songs making the dance more interesting. Gujo Odori Dance Festival is held for about 30 nights from mid-July to early September, and from August 13th to 16th, it is an overnight dance until dawn.

After the end of the season, the schedule for the following year will be decided and announced around December. Dance schedule is mostly on Saturdays and Sundays in July, and the dates are almost fixed in August, so I hope you can refer to the schedule of the year before.

Shirotori Odori is another dance that represents Oku Mino along with Gujo Odori. It has exciting fast tempo with traditional Kiriko lanterns. It is said that Kiriko lantern, hanging during Obon Festival and having a deep connection with Buddhism, is hung at the worship hall of Nagataki Hakusan-jinja Shrine during syncretistic fusion of Shintoism and Buddhism. This habit spread at various shrines all over the country. Dancing starts from mid-July to late August, especially on 13th, 14th, and 15th of August, around the dancing stage illuminated by Kiriko lanterns, locals and dance lovers from all over the country gather and dance until morning.

Muika Matsuri is held on 6th of January every year. It is a national important intangible folk cultural property “Nagataki-no-ennen (A Shinto ritual)” which is dedicated in an ancient style. On the last day of the meeting held at Hakusan Chugu Choryuji Temple for seven days starting from New Year’s Eve, young monks appreciate monks and priests, and in the New Year, they pray for national peace and fertility. It is also called “Hana-bai Festival” because strong young men are competing for the large flower hung on the ceiling which takes place from the middle of “Ennen”. It is said that taking this flower will bring abundant silk moths, a good harvest, family safety, and prosperous business.

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In Gujo Hachiman, Gujo Hachiman Castle Town Fireworks Festival is held every year on August 7th. In Yamato area, Gujo Nagaragawa River Dream Fireworks is held every year on August 14th, and in Minami area, Enku Furusato Summer Festival is held on the 4th Saturday of August every year. In addition to the fireworks launched during the festival, hand-held fireworksis also welcomed. Thus, a local fireworks display is held in Shirotori and Meiho area in August .