A landlocked, mountainous prefecture in central Japan famed for the UNESCO World Heritage gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go and the well-preserved Edo-era streets of Takayama in the Japan Alps. It also boasts Gero, counted among Japan's three great hot-spring resorts.
Gifu (岐阜) sits on old trade and battle routes — Sekigahara (関ヶ原), the decisive 1600 battle, was fought here. Mountain isolation preserved Shirakawa-gō's (白川郷) thatched farmhouses and Takayama's (高山) merchant town.
Photos: Shirakawa-go — Yasuyuki_Kawano via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hida Takayama Old Town — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Gujo Hachiman castle town — Isoyan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gujo Odori dance — tsuda via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Takayama is ~2h20m from Nagoya by limited express; Shirakawa-gō by bus.
Top pick
Top pick
Must-eatHida beef (Hida-gyu)
Premium A5-grade wagyu from Japanese Black cattle raised in Gifu for 14+ months; served as steak, sushi, skewers and on rice bowls around Takayama, prized for…
Must-eatHoba miso
Hida-style miso with vegetables (and often Hida beef) grilled on a dried magnolia leaf over a hot plate, giving an earthy aroma; a classic Takayama specialty.
Must-eatTakayama ramen
Takayama's soul-food ramen: thin curly noodles in a simple soy-based broth, distinct from richer styles elsewhere.
Gifu at a glance
Next door
Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Photos: Shirakawa-gō gasshō-zukuri village — FIND/47 contributor via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Shirakawa-go — Yasuyuki_Kawano via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hida Takayama Old Town — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Gujo Hachiman castle town — Isoyan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gujo Odori dance — tsuda via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Shirakawa-go — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hida Takayama Old Town — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Gujo Hachiman castle town — User: (WT-shared) Onyo at wts wikivoyage via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hida beef — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hoba miso — sodai gomi via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Takayama ramen — HQA02330 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Map: Geolonia (MIT).
