Maze River & Ayu (sweetfish) Located in the middle of Gifu prefecture in central Japan, over 95% of the land in Maze village in Gero city is covered by forests. Forests provide a great source of water, making the Maze River the best fishing place for river fish, especially, ayu (sweetfish).
This is a magnificent winter natural object created by spring water frozen by the winter cold where appears near the headwaters of the river. Some viewpoints such as seen from suspension bridges, while it illuminated, it can be enjoyed by variety of perspectives. Please be careful when you moving by car while the road were freezing over.
River boating down the Arakawa River in a Japanese-style boat manned by a skilled Sento-san (boatman) is one of the best ways to truly experience Japanese nature. You get to watch the mountainous scenery while the boat hits occasional rapids – it’s almost like rafting. In the winter, slow and calm rapids offer you a relaxing experience. The boats in the winter are equipped with kotatsu, which keep you warm while you enjoy the famous Iwadatami.
This festival, which was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016 with a history of 300 years, colored the nights of Chichibu with spectacular floats and fireworks. There are numerous legends about the origins of the festival, including that it is an annual meeting between the female deity of the shrine (Myoken Bosatsu = female deity of the Big Dipper and patron god of sericulture) and the male deity of Mount Mukou (Ryujin = male deity of water). Another legend has it that the festival is a way of returning the water that brought about a good harvest to the mountain (Mt Mukou). Fireworks and colourful floats brighten up the night in Chichibu.
A long-established brewery founded in 1753. The brewery was built over 200 years ago and is a nationally designated tangible cultural asset where is well worth to visit. The water which used rainwater that falls in the nearby mountains, soaks deep into the ground, it naturally filtered over a long period of time and gushes out into the city of Chichibu as underground water. You can bring your own bottle to take this famous water away from the shop. You also can taste several types of sake, there are many types of sake available, as well as amazake (sweet sake) and liqueurs in the shop.
Ine, which is designated as one of the most beautiful villages in Japan. The village is notable for its funaya houses, which are built with space for storing a fishing boat.
Two locations for your sightseeing list are Manno-ike Reservoir, one of Japan’s largest reservoirs, and Honen-ike Reservoir, Japan’s first multiple-arch dam whose towering structure resembles a medieval European castle.
You can thoroughly enjoy abundant historical resources such as ‘Tsuyama Castle (Tsuruyama Park)’ which is one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom spots, ‘Joto, Josai’, two preservation districts for traditional buildings, daimyo garden, etc.
Many visitors are drawn to Shikoku to walk the pilgrimage route, which provides time for serious reflection and contemplation. The many attractions of Sanuki are also great additions to your social media feed and will leave your followers astounded.
In Yawatahama, the trawling fishery (offshore seine fishing) began in 1918, and the production of fish meat paste products made from a wide variety of fish has been developed. “Jakoten”, which uses so-called “small fish” such as firefly-fish, is famous, and is used as an ingredient in citizen’s soul food “Yawatahama Champon”. The umami that spreads with the crunchy texture is a unique specialty.
