Considering a trip to Japan in winter? If you come to Japan in winter, put Gifu on your bucket list!
Gifu is a city located in the Chubu region of Japan. It boasts beautiful nature and many historical buildings, making it a popular tourist destination. Notably, Gifu Castle, the Nagara River, and the surrounding hot springs are well-known.
Plus, Gifu features the picturesque landscapes of areas like Hida Takayama and the Mino region.
Shirakawago Day Trip
Shirakawago is a beautiful traditional village located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. This area is known for its thatched-roof gassho-zukuri houses and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You can enjoy beautiful scenery in Shirakawago throughout the four seasons, but the winter snow landscape is particularly stunning. The sight of the gassho-zukuri houses covered in snow looks like something out of a picture book.
Also, you can enjoy traditional culture, crafts, and local cuisine in this area.
You can pay an admission fee to enter the gassho-zukuri houses. There are many souvenir shops and restaurants in the village, and you can enjoy eating while walking around.
This region boasts a rich natural environment and historical background, and it also has a rich food culture. Soba (buckwheat noodles) and gohei mochi (grilled rice cake) are famous here.
Buckwheat Noodles in a Traditional Japanese House
Shirakawago is very crowded with tourists. This time, we’re going to a soba restaurant a bit further away by car.
It’s a charming traditional Japanese house that serves soba. We pass through the noren (shop curtain) and enter inside.
The spacious interior is very warm and cozy. You can enjoy soba while admiring the snowy landscape through the window.
In regions with clean water like Gifu, soba noodles are incredibly delicious. I ordered soba to be dipped in warm broth. Since it’s made with 100% buckwheat flour, the noodles break easily. When I go to a soba restaurant, I almost always order tempura as well. The batter is crispy. I enjoy mountain vegetables and vegetable tempura with salt.
I feel that eating tempura with salt is quite sophisticated. Give it a try!
Of course, I also looked up this restaurant on Tabelog.
Sobaya Yamakoshi
Business Hours: 11:30 AM until sold out
Closed: Thursdays
Takayama City Day Trip
When visiting Gifu, it would be great if you could stop by Takayama as well. Takayama has an area called ‘Furui Machinami’ (Old Town), and as the name suggests, it retains its historic streetscapes. I’ll take a stroll through the Old Town and its surroundings.
You can buy souvenirs and enjoy eating while walking around here. There’s a line in front of the popular beef skewer shop.
Hida Beef is a brand of Wagyu beef raised in this region. When you visit Gifu, one must-try dish is Hida Beef skewers.
This area is filled with cafes and restaurants that have been renovated from traditional Japanese farmhouses. We take a break at a cafe we found while strolling around.
The interior is a traditional Japanese-style house with a spacious layout. From the corridor, you can view a small garden.
The combination of the slightly bitter roasted green tea latte and matcha chocolate is simply the best. The monaka consists of sweet potato, red bean paste, and flat mochi sandwiched together.
It’s a place where you can leisurely enjoy traditional Japanese sweets and tea in a harmonious setting.
Takayama is easily walkable without a car. Renting a bicycle to explore the area is also recommended.
