Hello, Japan fam! I am back with another self-drive adventure through Gifu this time.
Why do I keep doing self-drive plans in Japan? Well, it takes me away from the crowd and gives me the freedom to deviate from my plans when I feel like it. Best of all, I don't have to walk so much and have a place to keep my bags when I don't want to carry them.
Anyway, I collected my car from Nagoya airport, a process that only took 15 minutes and off I went on a one-week long adventure across Gifu prefecture.
Day 1 - Gifu
- AEON Mall Nagoya Noritake Garden
- The Great Buddha at Hotei
- Kinkasan Yama DrivewayAccommodation: Guesthouse Gifu SUAI
Day 2 - Gujo Hachiman
- Monet's Pond
- Hakusui Waterfall
- Gujo Hachiman
- Sample Village Iwasaki
- Explore the canals
- Gifu speciality restaurant 新橋亭Accommodation: Miharaya Ryokan
Day 3 - Gujo Hachiman
- Morning run around the town
- Gujo Hachiman castle
- Stroll around the town
- Soba restaurant そばの平甚 本店
- Sogi-An cafe
- Supple Coffee Roasters
- Izumisaka
Accommodation: Miharaya Ryokan
Day 4 - Shirawaka-go
- Drive to Shirakawa-go
- Park at guesthouse
- Explore the town by foot
- Irori Restaurant- Purin no Ie
- Gassho-Zukuri Minka-enAccommodation: Yokichi
Day 5 - Takayama
- Explore Shirakawa-go in the morning
- Breakfast at guesthouse
- Depart for Takayama
- Explore Takayama's sake breweries
- Chill in hotel
Accommodation: Wat Hotel and Spa Hida Takayama
- Breakfast at hotel
- Depart for Gifu
- Explore Gifu's old town
- Head up to Gifu castle
- Check-in to hotel
- Cycle and run up and down the river
- Witness the Ukai - cormorant fishing at Nagaragawa
Accommodation: Usyounoie Sugiyama
Day 7 - Nagoya
- Head back to Nagoya
- Atsuta-jinju shrine
- Nagoya City Science Museum
- Return car at Sakae
- Check-in to hotel
- Walk to Hisaya Odori Park
- Beer festival
- Dinner at Atsuta Houraiken
- Stroll around the area
Accommodation: Keihan Hotel Nagoya
From here, most travelling are done by train or on foot as Nagoya isn't that big of a city. The train systems are just as efficient as Tokyo's and I wasn't too keen to pay a hefty fee for parking each time. Plus my hotel was within walking distance to almost everything.
Day 8 - Nagoya
- Run around Nagoya Castle
- Breakfast at hotel
- Laundry in hotel
- Shopping
- Lunch
- Shopping
- Beer festival
Accommodation: Keihan Hotel Nagoya
Day 9 - back to Kuala Lumpur
- Take airport bus to Nagoya airport
- Flight back to KL
This itinerary took me from a major city into the mountainous villages and rivers of Gifu, allowing me to see parts of it that not many can. Gujo Hachiman, Shirawaka-go afterhours and the Ukai ceremony will be three parts of this itinerary that will forever be ingrained into my core memory of Japan.
While you may wonder why summer, I will say why not? It was not so hot in the mountain areas, the crowds are far and few and the sceneries lush with green and nature. Driving gave me the freedom to go where trains can't. Limiting my drive time to under two hours kept it enjoyable. I did however rack up a bill on the tolls but it was okay. If I had more people on the trip, it would definitely be cheaper to bare.
The hotels I selected had their charms of their own with hot baths, breakfasts and more that made me more than happy to stay in at times. Best of all, you can get really good hotels for the price it would cost for a hostel in Tokyo or Osaka.
With this, I urge people to explore more of what Gifu has to offer. I do look forward to an autumn trip one day to Mie. Japan Tourism, hook me up please!
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