1-Day Hida Furukawa Walking Tour
Route Overview
- Suggested Time
- One day
- Transport
- By Foot
Ohbora Kimono Shop
For a truly memorable experience of Hida Furukawa, start at Ohbora Kimono Shop with a kimono or yukata (summer kimono) rental. This quaint establishment is run by an endearing woman and features an array of colorful attire. The shop also offers braid-weaving workshops, allowing you to craft your own bracelet or keychain by hand.
Textiles and dyeing play a critical role in the culture and history of Hida and Gifu Prefecture as a whole. A centuries-old craft, the locals here are...
Three-minute walk (Get directions)
Yoshida-ya
Yoshida-ya is a beloved grocery store that crafts premade lunches and onigiri (Japanese rice balls) daily. The store captures the taste of Hida home cooking and offers a variety of local dishes. You can opt for a premade meal or customize your own lunch to your liking. For scenic dining, enjoy your food along the Seto Canal or Araki River.
Yoshida-ya is a small grocery store beloved by locals for its authentic Hida dishes and homemade bento boxes. The supermarket changes its bentos daily...
Five-minute walk (Get directions)
Honkoji
Resting along the Araki River, Honkoji is a Buddhist temple known for its masterful carpentry. The massive main hall, which is the largest wooden building in the wider Hida region, exudes grandeur, while still retaining a serene atmosphere that harmonizes with the environment.
Honkoji Temple, located alongside the Araki River and a 5-minute walk from Hida-Furukawa Station, is an architectural feat of carpentry. The temple’s...
Five-minute walk (Get directions)
Shinshuji
After admiring Honkoji, follow the Araki River for five minutes to Shinshuji, another Buddhist temple. This impressive temple features captivating craftsmanship and natural hues that beautifully align with the encircling nature. Be sure to check out the nearby Imamiya bridge as well. The vermilion structure crosses the Araki River and makes for an ideal photo spot.
The temple sits along the Araki River in Furukawacho Sannomachi and is a short 10-minute walk from Hida-Furukawa Station. The muted wooden tones of the...
Five-minute walk (Get directions)
Enkoji
End your short pilgrimage of Hida Furukawa’s three main temples with a stop at Enkoji. Located beside the Seto Canal, Enkoji showcases mesmerizing carpentry and wooden tones that create a simultaneously awe-inspiring and welcoming temple visit.
Enko-ji is one of Furukawa’s three main temples and conveniently located about 5 minutes from Hida-Furukawa Station. The temple’s rustic wooden buildings,...
Two-minute walk (Get directions)
Seto Canal and Shirakabe Dozogai Street
The Seto Canal is arguably one of Hida Furukawa’s most iconic landmarks. This small stream flanked by traditional architecture paints a fairytale-esque scene that immediately sets your mind and body at ease. From white-walled storehouses to wooden facades interspersed with greenery, the idyllic scenery is engaging from beginning to end. From April to November, the Seto Canal is full of vibrant koi and features numerous self-serving fish food stations so you can enjoy feeding the fish. The calming flow of water, enhanced by the sound of swimming koi, grants the area a peaceful melody. Leisurely stroll beside the canal or rest on one of the area’s many benches to soak in the visuals.
Hida Furukawa's Shirakabe Dozogai Street is a charming and non-commercial heritage site which reflects, perfectly, the culture and history of the...
The Seto Canal is one of Hida Furukawa’s most scenic features. The artificial water channel runs parallel to three of Hida Furukawa’s oldest streets,...
One-minute walk (Get directions)
Watanabe Sake Brewery
Hida Furukawa is home to two sake breweries that are known for their high-quality sake nourished by Gifu’s pure mountain water and cold winters. Watanabe Sake Brewery is famous for its award-winning Hourai brand, which is sold in first class seating on All Nippon Airways (ANA) flights. The sake is easy to drink and has a pleasant aroma. If you are interested in sampling some of the brewery’s products, simply ask the cashier for a tasting. The shop even has a gacha (capsule toy) machine where you can win various types of sake!
Surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges and blessed with a supply of some of the purest water in Japan, Watanabe Sake Brewery (established in 1870) is...
Two-minute walk (Get directions)
Kaba Sake Brewery
Located next to Watanabe Sake Brewery, Kaba Sake Brewery has a history dating back over 300 years and is best known for its Shiramayumi brand—a three-time gold medal winner in The Fine Sake Awards Japan competition and a gold medalist in numerous national competitions. The brand’s yuzu, plum, and yogurt varieties are perfect for beginner sake drinkers since they have sweet flavor profiles. Feel free to try a variety of sake, and choose your favorite for a tasty souvenir.
Due to the geography of Hida, surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges, the quality of rice and sake due to the pure mountain water is known as being some...
Three- to four-minute walk depending on lunch spot (Get directions)
Sobasho Nakaya
After filling your stomach with alcohol, it is time for some lunch! Sobasho Nakaya serves handmade soba noodles made with local buckwheat flour and water sourced from the Oku Hida region. The menu offers an assortment of cold and hot noodle dishes. For an authentic taste of Hida, try the egoma soba. Egoma are perilla seeds and have a sesame seed-like flavor. For this dish, the restaurant’s staff hand-grind the egoma in a mortar and pestle to release its flavor. You may even have the opportunity to grind the egoma yourself! The egoma’s nutty aroma pairs wonderfully with the earthy notes of the soba noodles.
Savor Nakaya’s authentic handmade soba noodles made from Hida Shokawa-produced coarse buckwheat flour and locally sourced water from the Oku Hida region....
Katsumi
Another option for lunch is Katsumi. This kappo-type restaurant offers a delicious array of Japanese staples, including sashimi, tempura, salt-grilled ayu sweetfish, Hida beef dishes, and more. One of the restaurant’s distinguishing features is that customers can visit in advance to request what they would like to eat at a later time. The chef then creates a menu that caters to their food preferences and prices it accordingly. Enjoy a customized and genuine Hida meal at Katsumi!
Three- to eight-minute walk depending on lunch spot (Get directions)
Inohiro Confectionery Store
Inohiro Confectionery Store has been crafting miso wheat crackers, called miso senbei in Japanese, since its founding in 1908. The shop follows traditional baking methods and offers an assortment of unique flavors, such as egoma, sweet potato, green tea, and tomato. The satisfyingly crunchy and flavorful snack is a perfect Hida souvenir.
Inohiro, established in 1908, is known for its Miso wheat crackers (Miso Senbei) baked in a traditional style that is largely unchanged since its inception. The...
How about a night walk?
Hida Furukawa’s dreamscape transforms into an even quieter getaway at night. With many of the residents at home for the evening, the empty streets seem to exist solely for you. Lanterns and street lights cast a soft glow on the townscape, and the comfortable silence encourages introspection and mindful observation. The gentle burbling of the Seto Canal seems amplified at night, lulling you into contentment. Night-cloaked Hida Furukawa is a sight you will not want to miss.
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