An old fashioned castle town whose culture continues to thrive like the waters of the nearby river
Gujo Hachiman is a riverside town in Gifu Prefecture set amongst the beautiful mountains and Nagara River. It is famous for its pure, natural water and summer obon dance called the Gujo Odori, which has been held for over 400 years.
The town was first founded in the middle of the 16th century by Endo Morikazu, a feudal lord who brought the Gujo district under his control. He built a castle on top of Mt Hachiman and the rivers running through the town acted as natural moats to protect the castle town. Today Gujo Hachiman keeps it links to the pristine water which are a symbol of the town and have been designated “the most excellent natural water in Japan”.
You can experience the waterways by walking through the town and visiting the many canals and springs that are still in use today. The waterways are used for everyday life including washing rice, vegetables and clothing. The town can easily be explored on foot and most of the main sights are within close distance of each other.
The town was first founded in the middle of the 16th century by Endo Morikazu, a feudal lord who brought the Gujo district under his control. He built a castle on top of Mt Hachiman and the rivers running through the town acted as natural moats to protect the castle town. Today Gujo Hachiman keeps it links to the pristine water which are a symbol of the town and have been designated “the most excellent natural water in Japan”.
You can experience the waterways by walking through the town and visiting the many canals and springs that are still in use today. The waterways are used for everyday life including washing rice, vegetables and clothing. The town can easily be explored on foot and most of the main sights are within close distance of each other.
