Gujo Hachiman

Dear Brothers,

Gujo Hachiman, it's a small town surrounded by mountains in Gifu prefecture, and it's one of my destinations to do mountain stream fishing.

I like this town.
The reason is, I can feel some atmosphere of a traditional Japanese life.
Even I grew up in a downtown of Nagoya, a modern big city, this town makes  me nostalgic.
I think that it is a magic or appeal of which this town has.
I'd like to invite you "Summer in Japan" to show some my taken snaps here.
It's my pleasure if you could feel some real Japanese summer.

Gujo Hachiman is a town of water.
There is Yoshida river running through this town.
It is a beautiful stream.
Yoshida river joins Nagara river, a great river,
out of the town and goes far away to Ise Bay or Pacific Ocean.

The town is located at the center of Gifu prefecture, two hours from Nagoya by car to north and one and half an hour from my town Komaki using an express way.

It is one of the best places to have a holiday in summer.

The early morning of a mountain stream in summer is rather quiet.
We can only hear the sound of stream and some chant of small birds.
And we see slight smog covering the river.
The wind is cool or comfortable, the sky is light blue and tree is deep green.
The river scenery looks like a drawing of an ink painting.

Following the sun rise, we expect the start of vivid and energetic day.

One of the big advantages of Gujo Hachiman residents is, they can do fishing in their town.
Yoshida river and Kodara river go through the town.
So this means, behind their house, there are nice fishing spots.

If I try to do fishing around here such early time in morning, I have to leave my house very early in night or stay the night at here!
I exactly envy them...

One of the most exciting plays in summer at Gujo Hachiman is a river swimming.
Diving from the top of a bridge into Yoshida river is a test of his courage.
The height from the top to the river surface is around 10m.
It is a traditional summer event here.
Did I try this? No, I'm scare of heights!
I don't have such courage, just watching his courage.

Of course, not only fishing or diving, swimming is a popular play in summer.

Gujo Hachiman is surrounded by mountains.

The water is purified by the mountains naturally and the air is very clean.

In summer, it is cool in morning but it is getting hot and humid in daytime.

So that the river swimming is the best way to pass over the hot afternoon. 

There are some small channels in Gujo Hachiman down town.

Even these modern days, this water is used for residents.
The water is very clean and cold, just coming from mountain streams.
Cooling vegetables and washing hands or face, it still fits in their daily life.

And the sound of the small channel makes you cool down and relaxed.

This water tub is completely ecological system.
From the upstream, the first tub, the water is for drinking.
In the second tub, the water is for washing foods.
At the fall out point, they use this water for dishing.
There are plenty of water in Gujo Hachiman.
However, they spend water without any waste.

In the channels, there are many fishes.
Some fishes are carps, and some other fishes are mountain trout.
These fishes are for a sight-seeing these days.
But these fishes were used to be valuable protein for eating long time ago.
If I do fishing here, I could arrest many fishes definitely.
And I would be arrested by police officer absolutely!! 

Sogi-sui is a spring and a small shrine.

It is located at the side of Kodara river in the middle of town.

It is famous for selected as one of a hundred of good spring in Japan by Environment Ministry. 

 

Hydrangea likes water.

I think this is one of the most suitable flowers for Gujo Hachiman, a town of water. 

Gujo Odri, a night dance festival, is a special of Gujo Hachiman.
It starts from the middle of July and goes on the early of September every year.
And especially the three days of middle of August, the festival is held as an over nights even until the next morning.

The middle of August, we say this season as "Bon".
Japanese consider that spirits of our ancestors come back our home during this season from beyond the grave.
We celebrate their short term stay and have a dance festival.

Besides, at this mountain area, the summer is rather shorter.
We'd like to enjoy this short summer with much energy we can have.

Not only young people but also elder people or children, everyone enjoys the dance festival.  

Dancing until next morning is quite hard but very fun!  



After the dance festival, the summer has gone and the autumn is coming.

My favorite mountain stream fishing season will be finished soon. 

The river becomes quiet again. 

We send our spirits of ancestors off with colorful candle lights.
See you on the next summer.



If you have a chance to visit Japan during summer, I highly recommend to vist Gujo Hachiman.
You probably could touch the summer of Japan here!

HP of Gujo Hachiman Tourism Association
http://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/index_e.html