Things to see and do Chūbu & Japanese Alps

This is the old geisha district. A chaya was a type of restaurant where customers were entertained by geisha. During the Edo period, chaya were located in designated entertainment districts. Kanazawa has three of them (but this is the largest and most interesting). This walk is a must for any visit to Kanazawa. You will stroll from shop to shop, enjoy old chaya still open to the public (Shima and Kaikaro) and feel the atmosphere of the old days most exhilarating.

A must-see for anyone who stops in the city of Nagoya. Originally, a fortress stood on the site of the present castle. It was built by and for the Oda clan. Then Ieyasu Tokugawa built the famous Nagoya Castle for his 9th son, Yoshinao, in 1610, so that he could control the whole central part of Honshū and keep an eye on his opponents, who were still loyal to the Toyotomi. The Tokugawa of Owari remained in possession of the castle until the Meiji restoration. Located on the Tokaido road, it allowed to secure the access to Edo. In 1930, it became the property of the Nagoya municipality. It was bombed at the end of the Second World War in 1945 and rebuilt in 1959 with a reinforced concrete structure.

The foundations of the pre-war Hon Maru can be seen, some parts of which have been collected in the spared keep and now set up as a museum. One can admire the shachihoko (mythical orca-like animals) found on the roof ridge of the castle, and also the fusuma, the painted sliding doors, which are quite remarkable. The visit to Nagoya-jo is particularly spectacular and magical in spring when the cherry trees in the park are in bloom. The foundations of the castle are currently undergoing a restoration which should be completed soon, and which aims at restoring its authentic architecture. This long-term work does not alter the quality of the visit.

This museum exhibits contemporary artworks of an experimental nature. The famous "Swimming Pool" by Leandro Erlich, "The Origin of the World" by Anish Kapoor and "The Man Who Measures the Clouds" by Jan Fabre are all on display. It is a must-see for contemporary art enthusiasts. Visitors can enter the free zone from 9am to 10pm every day, including Monday. The shop also offers a wide selection of accessories and gadgets in the spirit of the place.

This park has an immense reputation in Japan. He belonged to the Maeda family, which led the Kaga area, known nowadays as Ishikawa and Toyama, from the feudal days and for several generations. Built in 1676 and enlarged 1875 years later, the park was opened to the public in. Its name comes from kenroku, which means the combination of six elements: vastness, solemnity, vénérabilité, consciousness, freshness and abundance of water. It is considered one of Japan's three most beautiful landscaped gardens with Kairaku in Mito and Kōraku in Okayama. It has a large artificial pond in its centre and is dotted with hills and pavilions. The large basin named «Kasumigaike» was built as a sea, and the island placed in its centre symbolizes the hope of longevity and prosperity. On the edge of the pond is a lantern of stone and a beautiful fountain. The park is very flowery, with many species like azaleas and iris. But it's in the spring and autumn that the park has its most beautiful assets, with in April the cherry trees and plum in bloom and in October, the leaves that become red.

The construction of the White Castle, as it is called, dates back to the th century and returns to Yoshitake Shiba, who handed it over to the Oda clan. It is Japan's oldest castle. In 1584, Nobuteru Ikeda attacked her but had to abandon him because he was beaten by Ieyasu Tokugawa himself. From the th century, he belonged to the family of Des, the vassal of the lords of Nagoya. You can marvel at its strong foundations. It is the country's last private castle.

On the second floor of Inuyama station: there are maps in English and you can book accommodation there.

Three kilometers north of the station, one can stroll in this park built in 1888, at the foot of a group of hills and small mountains bordered by the Nagara gawa river. One can appreciate there the sanctuary of Inaba-jinja, the museum of the insects of Nawa, the museum of history of the town of Gifu, as well as a pagoda with three floors. The park is dominated by Mount Kinka. Oda Nobunaga, master of Gifu Castle, built his residence here. The cable car to Mount Kinka takes four minutes to reach the top, from which there are walking trails.

This shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu - the sun goddess in Shintoism, from whom it is said that all the emperors of Japan are descended. This spiritual shrine is the second most revered shrine in Japan after Ise Shrine. It is located in a park to which the beauty of the trees and the rarity of the species confer a great majesty. The shrine was built in the year 86 to house the sacred sword Kusanagi no tsurugi (the two-edged sword that mows grass), which unfortunately is not on public display. This sword represents one of the three imperial attributes (which are the mirror, the great ring of eight elements and the two-edged sword). It was given by Amaterasu Ōmikami to a clan leader of Japan, Takeru Yamato, who is considered the first federator of Japan. The latter escaped an ambush after cutting the flaming grass with the sacred sword. The shrine has the same architectural features as the shrines of Ise. A sacred compound, Nakanoe, surrounds the main building, the Hon-gū, and a secondary shrine. In the park are arranged several tea pavilions.

To the east of the park is the Bunka den (open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, except the last Wednesday and Thursday of the month. Entrance fee: 300 ¥) where the treasure of the shrine is displayed. There is a beautiful collection of bugaku masks. On the other side of Hori-kawa river is the pleasant traditional Shirotori garden with a teahouse (open from 9am to 4:30pm, except on Monday. Entrance fee).

You can also get information.

Learn more about the numerous festivals that take place in the region.

First, you will be given a number of information about the peninsula: hotels, recommended sites and different means of transport.

House of Governor Kita whose administration managed a good hundred villages.

Majestic Zen Temple (sect Sōtō) founded in 1321 in Monzen. He was destroyed by a fire in 1898. Now the main temple is in Yokohama while the temple restored after the fire is no longer working as an appendix. From Anamizu station, take a bus to the stop Sōji-ji-mae (40 minutes). Buses go to Monzen every hour or every 2 hours (640 ¥).

It is part of the coast formed by impressive rock formations and cliffs. The most amazing part is between Fukura and Sekinohana. Around Ganmon, a breathtaking view of a few precipices.

A small, pleasant fisherman village with a white sandy beach and a walk to follow the coast.

Created in the th century, it was probably rebuilt in the th century. Bus stop in Ichinomiya, 10 minutes from Hakui.

The name of this valley is explained by its volcanic activity. And the valley of the Inferno bears its name well. Count on several hours of hiking to make the tour. At the end, the reward is rather original: to contemplate the free macaques which splash in hot springs to warm up. This monkey paradise opened its doors in 1964. It is advisable to go there in winter so that you can also experience the onsen in the open air.

The highest point (2,568 metres) of a volcanic chain oriented east-west, Asama-yama is made up of three superimposed volcanoes. This volcano is one of the most active and violent in Japan. It is not possible to climb it, but you will be able to contemplate, in the north of the mountain, the Onioshidashi rocks, solidified lava forming an extraordinary landscape. The latter was formed in 1783 by the last violent eruption of the Asama-yama.

The road to Agematsu runs along the gorge of the Kiso River, called Nezamenotoko. The river has been eroding the granite bedrock since ancient times, so it flows between the vertical walls of the rock. The length of the gorge is about 1.5 km. The most beautiful views are between Kiso Fukushima and Suhara. The cherry trees bloom around the park in spring and the surrounding mountains are decorated with warm colors in autumn.

This sacred explosive volcano, which is forbidden to descend into its crater, was the site of a large number of pilgrimages during the Middle Ages. At 3,067 meters, Mount Ontake is the second highest volcano in the archipelago and the sixteenth highest peak. The ascent can be done by different ways. For example, you can start the ascent from Tanohara Nature Park, which is located 1.5 hours by bus from Kiso-Fukushima. The climb takes about 3 hours. A volcanic eruption took place on September 27, 2014, resulting in the death of 57 people.