Hello, I'm Andrew Marston
and welcome to season 4 of Tour Japan
the show where each episode I tell you about a place in Japan and then we go there.
For the past three seasons we've visited a lot of popular tourist spots in Tokyo and Kyoto
that in my opinion are essential to know about when planning a trip to Japan.
But this season I want to take you off the typical tourist path
to a prefecture that is often overlooked but is one of my favorites.
This season we're headed to Gifu
and today's destination is Gifu City
which is only a 20 minute train ride from Nagoya Station.
During the Sengoku period there was a popular phrase:
"Control Gifu, and you control Japan"
As a result, several warlords including legendary Japanese leader Oda Nobunaga
used the area as a base in an attempt to unify and control Japan.
Today Gifu City is famous for several things.
Gifu Castle on the top of Mt. Kinka which you can reach by ropeway
and if you're like my wife and are into seeing adorable animals up close
then while you're up there, I also suggest stopping by Squirrel Village.
There's also the Gifu Great Buddha Statue
which is one of the three great Buddha portrait statues in all Japan measuring 13.7m tall.
And finally cormorant fishing.
This is a 1300 year old tradition where officially appointed master fishermen families
use Japanese cormorants to catch Ayu fish in the Nagahara river at night.
During the day there is even a cafe where you can see the same cormorants up close.
So now that you know a little bit about it, let's go see Gifu City for ourselves.
So if you had to pick one thing to see in Gifu City
would you go with Gifu Castle, the Gifu Great Buddha Statue, the cormorant fishing,
or would you be like my wife and pick the Squirrel Village?
Leave your vote in the comments.
Thanks for watching and sharing this series with anyone you know who might be planning a trip to Japan.
I'm Andrew Marston. See you next time.
You've been watching Tour Japan on the Happy In Japan channel.
Click here to watch another episode and subscribe now.
So the neh...luh...bleblrrr...blebbrrbrbrbr
Lori: Get it all out.
Andrew: *Sigh*