Gujo Hachiman Castle is Japan’s oldest castle reconstructed out of wood. Building of the fort began in 1559 by Endo Morikazu and by 1667 the shogunate government recognized it as a castle. In 1933 the current castle tower was rebuilt with reference to Ogaki Castle at that time. The sight of the castle appearing to float in the morning mist is a spectacle to behold and is why the castle is also known as the castle in the sky. The four layered wooden castle tower with five floors has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Gujo City.

The World Freshwater Aquarium recreates a natural freshwater environment with a focus on fish found in the Nagara River from its source to the river mouth, and freshwater fish from around the world. The aquarium houses around 220 species of fish and amphibians totaling about 20,000 animals, and about 30 species of aquatic plants with about 2,000 plants in all. The aquarium features the world’s largest river environment learning zone and one of the world’s leading displays on breeding freshwater animals. The whole building is easily accessible for wheelchair users, and there is a restaurant and shops selling original goods. It is also possible to hire out the aquarium and restaurant after closing as a venue for events.

The Takayama Museum of History and Art in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture has a collection of around 75,000 items relating to folk traditions, of which 900 are on permanent display. There are 14 display rooms with exhibits focusing on how the castle town developed and the unique culture of its residents; topics covered by the displays include the Takayama Festival, “machiya” (traditional wooden townhouses), the creation of the castle town, famous writers and artists that had a connection to the Takayama area, and the famous monk and Buddhist statue carver Enku, who also had a close connection with the Hida area. The buildings in which the Museum is located were originally warehouses, built from Japanese Cypress wood, belonging to the Nagata family of merchants; they are highly atmospheric. There is no charge for entry to the Museum.

The Kita-Alps Ohashi Bridge, which is 150 meters long and 70 meters high, links the Shin-Hotaka Onsen and Nakao Highlands area with the Nabedaira resort area; it is a very popular spot for a scenic drive. There are spectacular views extending as far as Mt. Kasaga-dake; the scenery is especially beautiful in May, with the spring greenery, and around October, which is the autumn foliage season.

Hirugano Kogen Bokka-no-sato is a farming theme Park providing visitors with a range of hands-on activities to do with plants and animals. The huge flower field is divided into four gardens and it is strikingly colored with flowers and green throughout the seasons. The farm is home to various animals such as horses, alpacas, sheep and rabbits. Events are held from time to time each season. In the park restaurant and cafe you can enjoy fresh food from Hirugano Highland and local foods from Mino and Hida. There is also a hot-spring where you can enjoy a herbal and outdoor bath.

The oldest hot spring district in the Okuhida Onsenkyo hot spring village sprawling at the foot of Mt. Norikura. According to the Hishushi written at the end of the Edo period, the area was discovered when the mighty lord Takeda Shingen invaded the Hida region and happened to follow an old, white monkey to a hot spring. There are some 40 source springs in the district, and, depending on the location, visitors can enjoy a variety of hot spring qualities, including hydrogen carbonate springs, chloride springs, sulfur springs, and simple springs. Located close to Kamikochi and Mt. Norikura, the district is also used as a base for mountain climbing activities. Hantai eggs, boiled eggs with firm yolks and soft whites, are a popular local specialty made using the area's high temperature hot spring waters, which reach up to 90 ° C.

The Shinhotaka Ropeway is an aerial lift transport system linking Shin-Hotaka Onsen Station with Nishihotakaguchi Station in the Oku-Hida Onsen (Hot Springs) District of Gifu Prefecture. The Ropeway comprises two sections: the No. 1 Ropeway and No. 2 Ropeway. By traveling on both sections in succession, visitors can reach the top of the mountain. The No. 2 Ropeway is the only aerial lift system in Japan to feature double-decker gondolas; passengers can enjoy the sensation of “strolling in the air” at an altitude of over 2,000 meters above sea-level while looking out at the magnificent scenery below. The roof observation deck at the mountain-top Nishihotakaguchi Station offers an almost 360-degree panoramic view of the mountains of Japan’s Northern Alps; this view was awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide to Japan.

A nagashi somen flowing noodles restaurant a 20 minute drive from the Shiratori Interchange and near Amidagataki Falls, a waterfall selected as one of the 100 most beautiful in Japan. This area is famous as being the place where nagashi somen was invented, and here you can enjoy this fun and tasty dish surrounded by lush forest. The restaurant’s springy noodles are set adrift on slides filled with ice cold flowing spring water for diners to catch; when you’ve got some noodles in hand, dip them in the restaurant’s special tsuyu sauce, made with mountain wasabi, before eating. The restaurant’s system is all-you-can-eat until you run out of dipping sauce. The restaurant also serves char grilled with salt shioyaki style, and roasted dango rice cake skewers. The restaurant is open every day from May to September and continues to operate until around mid-October.

Tsukechi Gorge is a marvelous natural environment in which to relax and unwind. It has been ranked as one of the best 33 places to view autumn foliage in the Hida and Mino region. The sparkling Tsukechi River and the coloration of the leaves on the trees are so beautiful that they almost take your breath away. The footpath in Fudo Park is ideal for taking a refreshing walk in the woods. In the spring, visitors can see flowers such as rhododendron and azalea; in the summer, they can enjoy camping or fishing.

The main enshrined deities are Taiso-no-Okami, Inari-no-Okami, and Oyagami. Yoshitaka, the sixth son of Minamoto-no-Hachimantaro Yoshiie, at the time of establishing a branch family was granted by Yoshiie that the ancestral spirits be protected forever. After that, their descendant Mori Hakkai opened the village of Suwaki. It was these gods that became the origin of the shrine. It is one of the three major Inari (god of harvest) in Japan, and two million people come to worship here every year. The shrine is said to generate business prosperity. Worshipers purchase sake and fried tofu at a shop near the entrance of the shrine and make offerings to the gods. Along the road leading up to the shrine you’ll find many shops.

Hirayunomori is a large Onsen (hot springs) resort located in the Oku-Hida Onsen District of Gifu Prefecture. Covering an area of approximately 50,000 square meters, and surrounded by verdant natural forest, Hirayunomori has a total of 16 hot springs baths (with separate baths for men and women) with different levels of mineral content and with different water temperature. All of the baths are supplied using the Gensen-kakenagashi (Free-flowing) method directly from a natural hot springs source. The baths include open-air baths with great views of the surrounding natural scenery, as well as a retro-style large indoor bath. There are ski resorts and campsites in the vicinity, making this a marvelous area for leisure activities. There is plenty for children to do as well, so this is a great choice for a family outing.

The Otaki Limestone Cave is said to have been formed through groundwater erosion in the faults of the Palaeozoic limestone rock formation. There are lots of things to see along the approximately 700 meter section such as the ‘tenjokai’ group of stalactites and the mysterious Otaki (waterfall). There is a fishing pond close by where you can catch and eat your fish there and then.

This is one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls, boasting a height of about 30 meters and a width of about 4 meters. The sight of the clear water cascading downward and causing foam to bubble beneath will enrapture you. The spray is like a fine mist, and you can even feel its coolness in the summer. According to the “Yoro Koshi Densetsu” (Legend of the Dutiful Child of Yoro), this waterfall’s water transformed into sake (rice wine).

In addition to being one of Japan’s top rockfill dams in terms of total water and bank volume, the Tokuyama Dam is a dam constructed to be coexistent with nature. The dam is open for viewing everyday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. However, use of fire is strictly forbidden, and you must take all your trash with you. Descriptions of the Tokuyama Dam are provided in the Forestry Learning Hall. (Reservations required.)

With its unusual four-tier main tower, Ogaki Castle has become a beloved symbol of Ogaki City. Ogaki Castle is famous as having been the headquarters of Ishida Mitsunari (the commander of the Western Army) at the time of the Battle of Sekigahara. In the Castle museum, visitors can view a diorama of the Battle of Kuise-gawa, and Rensho Kinzei-no-Sho (a prohibition jointly signed by the commanders) of the Western Army and Eastern Army immediately prior to the Battle of Sekigahara. There is also an experiential activity zone where visitors can handle matchlock muskets, spears and bows that were actually used during the Sengoku (Warring States) period. Ogaki Castle is located around 10-minute walk from JR Ogaki Station.

This dam straddles the border between Shizurase-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture and Kushihara, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture. The parabolic concrete arch dam is positioned in the upper reaches of the Yahagi River. Visitors can tour the control room, the tunnels below the dam body, and other areas (reservation required). The dam also holds dam discharge viewing events several times per year. It is also possible to enjoy the rich natural scenery of the area surrounding the dam and Lake Okuyahagi, its dam lake, including cherry blossoms and fall foliage.

The Hida Great Limestone Cave is located between Hida Takayama and the Okuhida Onsengo. Running a total length of about 800 meters, it is among the greatest tourist limestone caves in Japan. In the cave you can also see a rare form of stalactite known as a helictite, the only known occurrence in Japan. These bizarre looking cave deposits grow in all directions. As well as the limestone cave there is the Ohashi Collection Kan Museum which displays artworks collected by Sotokichi Ohashi, the discoverer of the Hida Great Limestone Cave. About 1,000 pieces of artworks are on display.

Tanigumisan Kegonji Temple located at the end of Prefectural Route 251, Tanigumitokuzumi, Ibigawa Town is a temple which was established in 798. It is the 33rd pilgrim stamp office for the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. Since being granted names for a mountain and a temple by Emperor Daigo, it has attracted worshippers for about 1,200 years, and has been affectionately called Tanigumisan as a temple for fulfilling and completing a goal. It is also known as a famous place for cherry blossoms and fall foliage.

This tea shop located in Kamagataki on the way up Mt. Kataji from National Route 156 was opened in 1964. They are the original place where you can enjoy authentic nagashi-somen (flowing wheat noodles). The somen noodles are all-you-can-eat and come with a bowl of tsuyu noodle dipping soup. Because it is near a waterfall, one of its draws is that it feels cool even in the summer. There is also a fishing spot where you can fish for trout, and you can even salt-grill the fish you catch there. In addition, they also offer an extensive menu with items such as salt-grilled natural trout and uniquely-developed gohei-mochi (pressed rice grilled on skewers topped with miso bean paste). Everyone from children to adults can enjoy the country taste.

Oku Hida Bear Park is located in Okuhida Onsengo Hitoegane. Nearly 100 black bears and brown bears are kept here, and visitors can feed them, take photos, and see bear-themed shows. The “Forest Product Store” sells “bear oil,” “bear power drinks,” stuffed animals, and other bear-themed merchandise.

Gero Onsen Gassho-Mura is an outdoor museum featuring a collection of traditional gassho-style thatched farmhouses that have been moved to the site from areas such as Shirakawa-go. There is also the Kage-e Geki Shirasagi-za shadow puppet theatre, displays about traditional folk customs, and workshops where visitors can try their hand at craft activities, etc.; at Gero Onsen Gassho-Mura, visitors can get a real feel for how people used to live in the Hida region. Visitors can also enjoy the “Gassho no Ashiyu” footbath, which uses water from the Gero Onsen hot springs (one of the top three ranked hot springs systems in Japan).

This hot spring bathing facilities is in Itadori River Onsen in Itadori, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture. It has two subtly alkaline hot spring sources and is known for the abundance of its water. Besides being effective for neuralgia and muscle pain, people say the water is great for the skin. Both the men's and women's sections have indoor and open-air baths, and there's a rest area to unwind after your soak. You can purchase hot spring water in units of 100 liters from their onsen stand for enjoying its benefits at home.

The Amidagataki Falls, which are famous for having been depicted by the ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai in his “Shokoku Taki Meguri” (“Journey to the Waterfalls in All the Provinces”) collection, have been ranked among the Top 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan and the Top 50 best water landscapes in Gifu Prefecture. With a height of 60 meters, this is without doubt the most famous waterfall in the Tokai region. There is a footpath leading up close to the plunge pool, so visitors can appreciate the power and beauty of the waterfall at close hand. Amidagataki Falls are located around 30-minute drive from the Hakucho Interchange of the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway.

This place developed as a result of the dam constructed during the Taisho period, becoming a beautifully verdant prefectural park, and then named Ena Gorge in 1920. A walkway has been created on the peninsula jutting out into the gorge, and there is also a tour boat, allowing you to enjoy different views. Approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Ena Station.