What is Gifu known for?

Gifu prefecture, once known for producing the best swords in all of Japan, retains much of the historical beauty and architecture of Japan's past. Deep in the mountains, you can find the heavy thatch roofed gassho-zukuri houses of Shirakawa-go, named for their roof's appearances of hands in prayer. Most beautiful in the winter, the villages turn into a snowy paradise; it's no wonder that they were labeled as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or, for those visiting in the summer, Takayama's Historic …

Gifu is an area in GIFU, Japan.

What are the best places to visit in Gifu?

WOW U lists 18 spots in Gifu. Popular spots include Gifujo Castle, Nagaragawa Ukai Museum, The Site of Reversible Destiny (Yoro Park), Yoro no Taki Falls, Takayama Jinya.

WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.

Gifu | WOW U

Spots in this area(18)

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Culture Experience Beautiful Scenery History Art & Architecture Insta-worthy Onsen(Hot Springs)Outdoor Activities Unesco World Heritage

Gifu

Gifujo Castle

Nobunaga plotted his conquest of Japan from this clifftop keep.

Art & ArchitectureHistory

Gifu

Nagaragawa Ukai Museum

Where trained birds and torchlit rivers define 1,300 years of culture.

Culture Experience

Gifu

The Site of Reversible Destiny (Yoro Park)

Tilted floors and maze-like craters designed to disorient you.

Art & ArchitectureOutdoor Activities

Gifu

Yoro no Taki Falls

Hokusai painted it; legend says its water once tasted like sake.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Takayama Jinya

The last Edo-era government office still standing — unchanged since 1692.

Culture ExperienceHistory

Gifu

Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village

Edo-era thatched farmhouses, lifted whole and rebuilt around a quiet lake.

Culture ExperienceHistory

Gifu

Monet's Pond

Koi drift through spring-fed water so clear it looks painted.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Hirayunomori Onsen

Sixteen open-air pools, pine-scented air, and stars overhead at night.

Onsen(Hot Springs)

Gifu

Shin Hotaka Ropeway

Japan's only double-decker gondola lifts you into the Northern Alps.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Gifu Media Cosmos

Spiral bookshelves bloom under wooden globe lanterns flooding with light.

Art & Architecture

Gifu

World Freshwater Aquarium Aqua Totto Gifu

Piranhas and paddlefish, all fed by Japan's Kiso River.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Gujo Hachimanjo Castle

Japan's oldest wooden rebuilt castle, floating above autumn fog.

Art & ArchitectureCulture ExperienceHistory

Gifu

Chiyoho Inari Shrine

Lottery prayers, fried tofu offerings, and 120 snack stalls at the gate.

Culture ExperienceHistory

Gifu

Sanmachisuji Street

Cedar balls hang over sake breweries on Edo-era merchant lanes.

Culture Experience

Gifu

Magomejuku

Cobblestones, spinning waterwheels, and Edo-era eaves still sheltering real liv…

Culture ExperienceHistoryBeautiful Scenery+1

Gifu

Mt. Kinka Ropeway

Gifu Castle floats above the city—reached in four quiet minutes.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Enakyo Valley

Autumn maples mirror perfectly in a lake born from a 19th-century dam.

Beautiful Scenery

Gifu

Shirakawago Village

Thatched roofs steep as praying hands, still sheltering living families.

Beautiful SceneryCulture ExperienceHistory+2

Frequently asked questions

What is Gifu known for?: Gifu prefecture, once known for producing the best swords in all of Japan, retains much of the historical beauty and architecture of Japan's past. Deep in the mountains, you can find the heavy thatch roofed gassho-zukuri houses of Shirakawa-go, named for their roof's appearances of hands in prayer. Most beautiful in the winter, the villages turn into a snowy paradise; it's no wonder that they were labeled as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or, for those visiting in the summer, Takayama's Historic …
Where is Gifu?: Gifu is an area in GIFU, Japan.
What are the best places to visit in Gifu?: WOW U lists 18 spots in Gifu. Popular spots include Gifujo Castle, Nagaragawa Ukai Museum, The Site of Reversible Destiny (Yoro Park), Yoro no Taki Falls, Takayama Jinya.
What is WOW U?: WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.