Electric Bicycle Tour Around Gifu City

Overview

Take this guided cycling tour to see Gifu City’s attractions: Kogane Shrine, Gifu Daibutsu (Great Buddha), and the historically significant Gifu Castle. You’ll also visit Nagara River Ukai Museum, where you’ll learn about ‘ukai’ (cormorant fishing).

Highlights

Key Information

Description

Discover Gifu City on this refreshing cycling tour! With a knowledgeable local guide, you’ll explore sites that shine light on Japanese culture and Gifu’s beauty. Fondly called the “heartland of Japan,” Gifu City is not only the geographical center of Japan, but also the place where the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga stirred the beginnings of Japan’s unification. Meet your guide at Gifu Station, then hop on your electric bicycle and set off! Your e-bike allows for a much smoother cycling experience, and is easier to use for novice cyclists. Since you won’t easily feel worn down from pedaling, you can enjoy exploring at a leisurely pace. You’ll start off with a visit to some of Gifu’s sacred sites. Make your first stop at Kogane Shrine, where you’ll offer your prayers for prosperity, good luck, and safe travels. Admire its striking golden torii (shrine gate) as well. Then, head to Shohoji Temple, where you’ll find one of the three largest Buddha statues in Japan: Gifu Daibutsu (Great Buddha). Afterward, you’ll pedal your way to Mt. Kinka, and board the ropeway up the summit. Riding the ropeway, you’ll be treated to views of forests, the beautiful Nagara River, and Gifu City from above. At the summit of Mt. Kinka, you’ll get to visit the historically significant Gifu Castle, Oda Nobunaga’s main base for unifying Japan in the 16th century. Then, ride the ropeway down to the base of Mt. Kinka, and proceed to the district of Kawaramachi. You’ll sit down for a Japanese lunch at a renovated private house in the area, before having free time to look around. As you take a stroll down Kawaramachi’s old-fashioned streets, admire the beautiful Nagara River that runs alongside the area. Flowing through the middle of Gifu City, the symbolic Nagara River will be a constant sight on this cycling tour — its waters are one of the clearest in Japan! After taking a look at the area, you’ll make your final stop at Nagara River Ukai Museum, where you’ll learn about the local tradition of ‘ukai’ — a traditional fishing technique that uses trained cormorants. The museum is jam-packed with educational displays and exhibits to introduce you to ukai, which is famously held on summer nights on the pristine waters of Nagara River. Afterward, you’ll cycle back to Gifu Station; your tour ends here. Just 30 minutes by train from Nagoya, Gifu City is easily accessible, and is a great sightseeing destination with an old townscape, shrines, castles, and temples to admire. This tour is best for seeing Gifu’s beautiful scenery, enjoying delicious food, and learning about Japanese tradition all in one day — without thick crowds, and on a comfortable bicycle, too!