Immortalized in the classic films of Kurosawa Akira,
the samurai remain one of the most iconic and compelling images in Japanese culture
In this video - we’ll take a deep-dive into the history of the Warring States Period on
a three-day trip to Gifu Prefecture - home to beautiful walking trails,
fascinating local traditions and the site of the
epic battle that unified Japan - bringing centuries of warfare to a decisive end.
Here’s the plan…
On day 1, we’ll begin in the historic post town of Magome, a beautifully preserved historical town on
the old Nakasendo trail. From here, we’ll make our way to Seki - a city that has for centuries
produced many of the best knives and swords in all of Japan - before spending the night in Gifu City.
On day 2, we’ll take a deep dive into the history of the warring states with a visit to Gifu Castle,
before making our way to Nagaragawa Onsen. Here we’ll watch an amazing demonstration of
traditional cormorant fishing before checking-in for a relaxing night at a local ryokan.
On our final day, we’ll explore Sekigahara - site
of the epic battle that finally ended the Warring States Period
I’m Matt Evans reporting for Japan-Guide.com - join me as we
explore some of the many historic highlights of Gifu Prefecture.
Day 1
Our trip begins with a visit to Magome,
a traditional post town on the old Nakasendo highway. From here, we’ll board a bus to
Nakatsugawa Station and continue on to the city of Seki by train. From Seki Station,
we’ll take another bus to the Hamono Museum, where we’ll learn about the
craft of Japanese swordsmithing, before heading to our accommodation for the night in Gifu City.
In the centuries before trains and today’s mass transit system, the majority of travel
was done on foot, via a handful of paved roads. Of these,one of the most famous and well-traveled
was the Nakasendo, connecting the old capital of Kyoto with Edo - today Tokyo. Our time in
Gifu begins in Magome - one of 67“post towns” that once broke up the journey along the old Nakasendo.
Post towns like this would have been a welcome sight for travellers like us.
Something to eat, maybe a little bit of entertainment, horses to rent and
a safe place to spend the night. Today, it's best known as the starting point
of one of Japan's most popular hiking routes leading to the next post town of Tsumagojuku.
Of the handful of post towns that survive today, Magome is definitely one of the
best preserved. Here, rustic wooden buildings, authentic period details and unspoilt country
views add to the feeling of stepping back in time.
After exploring the town, we board a bus then change to a train for Seki - a city whose 800-year
tradition of forging swords, knives and cutlery have earned it the nickname “city of blades”.
One reason why the samurai still capture our imagination in classic movies, anime or even
videogames is the unique connection between a samurai and his sword, said to contain his soul.
While Japanese society may have changed almost beyond recognition,
the sword remains a powerful symbol - nowhere more so than here in Seki,
the home of traditional sword making with a history spanning 800 years.
Located between two rivers, with good local clay and easy access to
coal - Seki was blessed from the beginning with the perfect conditions for metalwork.
In the warring states period as many as 300 sword-makers were operating here.
Known far and wide for their superior quality,
it was often said that Seki swords “don’t bend, don’t break, and cut well”.
With industrialization, demand for swords became far less, but the city continued to evolve and
grow - and is now a world-class steel forging powerhouse known for high-quality kitchen knives.
At the Gifu Hamono Museum, visitors can look at up to 2000 locally forged products,
or practice the basics by making a simple paper knife from recycled steel nails.
The samurai may have passed into history, but the art of sword making has endured.To find out more,
we make a stop just south of Gifu City at the workshop of Asano Taro - one of ten
licensed sword makers operating in the region. A master craftsman with 25 years’ experience,
Asano-san has taught around the world, and although we’re just here for a chat,
offers a range of learning experiences from one-day workshops to month-long intensive courses.
With the first day of our trip coming to an end,
we head over to Gifu City, and our accommodation for the night…
Day 2
On day 2, we take a bus to Gifu Park, where a ropeway and short hike will take us to
Gifu Castle. We then take a short walk to Nagaragawa Onsen, where we’ll witness a
performance of ukai, or cormorant fishing before staying the night at a local inn.
We begin our second day with a visit to Gifu Park, from where we take a ropeway and short walk up
to Gifu Castle - an impressive reconstruction, overlooking the city from its perch on Mt Kinka.
Located at the very heart of the country, close to several key highways, the castle
had a key strategic role to play in one of Japan’s most turbulent eras…
From 1467 until 1590 - Japan was torn apart in an unending cycle of war,
rebellion and shifting alliances. Known as the period of warring states - it was both
the heyday of the samurai, and the crucible in which the future of Japan was formed.
The final decades of the Warring States Period were dominated by three legendary warlords,
whose destinies became intertwined with that of the nation itself. The first was Oda Nobunaga,
whose determination to unify the country under his rule would define a generation.
After taking the castle by cunning, Nobunaga made it his home for 10 years. During that time,
he made many improvements to the structure and even coined the
name “Gifu”, after a mythical Chinese mountain.
As you might imagine, life in a castle at the top of an almost-inaccessible
mountain would have come with many challenges - that’s why the lords
who held it liked to live at the foot of the mountain. Oda Nobunaga’s mansion
here was so grand it was known as the Senjo-jiki or “a thousand tatami mats”.
From Gifu Park, it’s just a short walk to Nagaragawa Onsen,
where we’ll be staying the night at a traditional hot-spring ryokan.
But our evening isn’t stopping there - on a special riverboat tour,
we’ll enjoy a bento dinner and a display of ukai, or cormorant
fishing - a tradition that has continued in just a handful of places for 1300 years.
On each boat are two boatmen and a fisherman holding 10-12 of the specially trained birds
on leashes. The firelight from the lanterns attracts the ayu,
or sweetfish to the surface and adds a beautiful, almost otherworldly ambience.
The warlord Oda Nobunaga was so enchanted by ukai here in Gifu that he put the local
fishermen on his payroll and even coined the title usho, or master fisherman, that we still use.
Today, the six local usho are employed by the Imperial Household Agency,
which looks after the emperor and his family.
Day 3
For the last day of our trip, we’re leaving Nagaragawa Onsen behind and making our way by
bus and train to Sekigahara, site of one of Japan’s greatest and most decisive battles.
In a military career spanning thirty years, the warlord Oda Nobunaga greatly expanded
his territory, becoming by far the most powerful man in all of Japan. But in 1582,
he was assassinated - leaving his dreams of a unified Japan unfulfilled. It fell
to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a man who had risen from humble origins to become
Nobunaga’s most trusted associate, to avenge his death and continue his work.
Hideyoshi succeeded in bringing the country under control,
but when he too passed away in 1598 the ambitious warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu began to seize power,
setting him and his allies on a collision course with samurai still loyal to Hideyoshi’s clan.
In 1600, Ieyasu marched his army north to fight the rebellious Uesugi clan. His enemies chose
this moment to raise their own army, hoping to block Ieyasu on his journey home. Led
by Ishida Mitsunari, the so-called western army made their stand here, at Sekigahara..
Today, visitors can dive into the history and events of the battle at the Gifu Sekigahara
Battlefield Memorial Museum, located just beside the site of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s Final encampment.
Making our way inside, we start with Ground Vision -
from this detailed display below our feet, we can get a sense of
the sheer scale of the battlefield, and a clear picture of how events unfolded.
Next is the theater. Here, an innovative curved screen combined with immersive wind,
vibration and sound effects puts you in the thick of the action.
From here, we make our way up to the exhibition
room - with impressive displays of weapons, armor and other artifacts.
In the Sengoku Experience Corner, visitors can handle weapons
or pose for the camera in period dress, just like the samurai on that fateful day.
On the uppermost floor is the observation deck,
and a spectacular panoramic view of the battlefield.
After checking out the museum’s attractions,
it’s time to head out and explore some of the surrounding historical sites by ebike…
Early in the morning, the first of the Tokugawa troops made their encampment here
Around 8am, a great beacon was lit, and just like that the battle for the future of Japan had begun.
From the east came the Tokugawa army, led by Ieyasu himself.
The western army under Ishida Mitsunari had already taken their positions here, on Mt Sasao.
At around 8am, an eerie mist that had hidden the two sides from one another
suddenly lifted. Soon, shots rang out, and the eastern army surged forward.
As fighting began in earnest, it was the western army that appeared stronger - but
unbeknownst to Mitsunari, there was already trouble brewing in the ranks…
More a politician than a warrior,
Mitsunari had never quite earned the respect of his allies. As fighting began,
some of his orders fell on deaf ears, leaving whole sections of the army out of his control.
And then there was Ieyasu’s secret weapon - a storm of letters offering land and titles
to any western commander willing to switch sides. One of several generals planning to
do just that was Kobayakawa Hideaki, but as the critical moment approached, he froze.
Mitsunari had suspected that the young general Kobayakawa Hideaki might switch
sides - that’s why he placed him at what he hoped was a safe distance - on Mt Matsuo.
At around 11am, under heavy attack, Mitsunari sent up a flare - the prearranged signal for an
all-out attack. But it soon became clear that several commanders were nowhere to be seen.
With Kobayakawa still refusing to budge from his position,
Ieyasu moved his command post forward to this position. From here, his soldiers fired
a volley of warning shots, finally forcing the young general to finally make a choice.
At last, Kobayakawa brought his forces down the mountain and into
his own side - collapsing the western army in a devastating chain reaction. The battle was over.
One of the most decisive engagements in Japanese history, the battle of
Sekigahara effectively brought the period of warring states to a close,
ushering in the Tokugawa dynasty who would rule unopposed for 260 years.
We’ll never know exactly how many died here at Sekigahara, although the number must be
in the tens of thousands. The heads of fallen warriors from both sides were interred here
at the Higashi Kubizuka, where services are said in their memory to this day.
From old post towns to the mysteries of sword making, cormorant fishing to the scene of
one of Japan’s greatest battles - it’s been a fascinating three days packed with local color
and historical detail. I hope you’ve found some inspiration here for your next trip.
For more information about this trip or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now,
or head over japan-guide.com, your comprehensive, up-to-date, travel guide first-hand from Japan.
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