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Bushido tour of 4 highlights

Gifu Private Tour - Inuyama Castle stands on a small mount beside the Kiso River. Which is not only beautiful setting but also protected the castle during the war.

Inuyama Castle stands on a small mount beside the Kiso River. Which is not only beautiful setting but also protected the castle during the war.

The main castle tower is said to be the oldest standing castle tower in Japan, which is registered as a national treasure.

Gifu Private Tour - Inside the castle tower, visitors can walk around and see some valuable antiques, maps and documents. Going up and down very steep and narrow steps, you might feel how samurai soldiers were struggling to prepare for fighting in the warring era.

Inside the castle tower, visitors can walk around and see some valuable antiques, maps and documents. Going up and down very steep and narrow steps, you might feel how samurai soldiers were struggling to prepare for fighting in the warring era.

Gifu Private Tour - On the top floor, everyone enjoys panoramic view while walking along the outdoor corridor. You could imagine what the castle lord was thinking about when looking down on the town in those days.

On the top floor, everyone enjoys panoramic view while walking along the outdoor corridor. You could imagine what the castle lord was thinking about when looking down on the town in those days.

Gifu Private Tour - Tea-house 'Joan' is highly renowned as one of the best three tea ceremony houses in japan, and designated as a national treasure. It was built by Oda Urakusai who was a younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, a great warlord in Japan.

Tea-house 'Joan' is highly renowned as one of the best three tea ceremony houses in japan, and designated as a national treasure. It was built by Oda Urakusai who was a younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, a great warlord in Japan.

Gifu Private Tour - The main room of Joan is as narrow as only three and a quarter tatami mats. Through the tea ceremony in such a small space, a host and guests have a chance of 'a once-in-a-lifetime encounter' that is one of the significant factor for learning the secret of the simple aesthetic value of life, 'Wabi' and'Sabi'.

The main room of Joan is as narrow as only three and a quarter tatami mats. Through the tea ceremony in such a small space, a host and guests have a chance of 'a once-in-a-lifetime encounter' that is one of the significant factor for learning the secret of the simple aesthetic value of life, 'Wabi' and'Sabi'.

Gifu Private Tour - Three tea houses are located in a beatiful Japanese garden with many trees and seasonal flowers. The atmosphere might bring you back to the medieval days. (You can enjoy informal tea ceremony in the one of tea houses.)

Three tea houses are located in a beatiful Japanese garden with many trees and seasonal flowers. The atmosphere might bring you back to the medieval days. (You can enjoy informal tea ceremony in the one of tea houses.)

A tea ceremony is sometimes held outdoors on such a fine day throughout the year.

At Seki Traditional Sword Smith Museum, visitors can learn everything of traditional swordsmith techniques.

Many masterpieces are on display in Seki Traditional Sword Smith Museum. Visitors give a sigh of admiration when they see them.

Gifu Private Tour - The core of Mino city is designated as an Important Traditional Constructions Area. It is famous for the unique townscape made by 'Udatsu' which are a fire walls sticking out from the roof between houses. It is fun for visitors just to wander and see the traditional buildings in a row.

The core of Mino city is designated as an Important Traditional Constructions Area. It is famous for the unique townscape made by 'Udatsu' which are a fire walls sticking out from the roof between houses. It is fun for visitors just to wander and see the traditional buildings in a row.

Visitors can stroll around japanese rooms and gardens in a few old houses.

A cozy lantern shop in an old wooden building. All those electric lights covers are made of Mino-Washi.

Small footlights shaded with designed papers are a good choice for a souvenir.

Bushido tour of 4 highlights

Day Trip

Joined 2015

Tetsuji Y.

4.92 / 5

(64 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Gifu

Japanese (Native), English

8 hrs 30 mins

Private tour (only you and Tetsuji Y.)

Up to 6 people

Don't you want to know how the Samurai spirit ‘Bushido’ was raised and kept in those days in Japan? You will find some hints by joining this tour. In this tour, there are four highlights relating to Bushido; Castle, Tea-ceremony, Swordsmith and Japanese paper ‘Washi’. I am sure you realize that these cultural elements contributed to create a unique Japanese refined value of life, Bushido.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:00 AM

Meeting Point

At JR Gifu station, JR Nagoya station or At Meitetsu Inuyama Yuen station

08:00 AM

JR Gifu station

09:10 AM

Inuyama castle

Inuyama Castle (national treasure) is the oldest castle in Japan. You can touch and feel the authentic wooden building, climbing steep and narrow steps toward the upper floor. On each floor, you see some antiques, maps and documents to learn stories about the castle. From the top floor, you have a panoramic view while strolling along the outside corridor.

10:00 AM

Tea-house 'Joan' with matcha tasting

Tea-house ‘Joan’ in Inuyama is located in a beautiful Japanese garden near the castle, You find a simple aesthetic value based on Zen Buddhism in it.

12:00 PM

Lunch in Seki

01:00 PM

Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum

In this museum, you can learn not only the history and the forging-process of swordsmiths but also enjoy seeing many masterpieces of swords and knives. Many visitors give a sigh of admiration seeing them. Then you drop in cutlery shops where you enjoy shopping for souvenirs.

03:00 PM

Former Imaike Residence ( Mino Museum)

Mino is the hometown of traditional Japanese paper ‘Washi, which was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2014. This building was constructed in the end of the 19th century and used as a Washi-paper wholesale merchant's house. The chief of a family also served as a headman of this town. You could get detailed information about a typical townhouse of the Edo period.

You can enjoy strolling around traditional building areas which include beautiful old houses and souvenir shops.

03:40 PM

Mino Washi Akari Art Gallery

This gallery provides you a fantastic atmosphere made by collaboration with paper-art and lights. Many competition masterpieces are on display telling the possibility of paper in daily lives.

05:30 PM

JR Gifu station

Ending Point

At JR Gifu station

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

guide fee

What‘s not included

transportation fee for guide and guests

entrance fee for guide and guests (total fee is about 2000yen/person)

lunch,tea and dinner for guide and guests

Tour Important Information

1) The tour is not possible during extremely bad weather, such as typhoons or snowstorms.

2) The destination is flexible. It will be customized according to your interests, preference and physical condition.

3) Food preference information is important. I would like to know your likes and dislikes in advance.

4) Hotel pick-up is possible according to the location.

Important message from the supplier

I can guide in Kyoto in case you support transportation fee.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2015

Tetsuji Y.

4.92 / 5

(64 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Tetsuji Y.

Hello everyone. I am Tetsuji. I worked as a public servant in the local government for 35 years. I belonged to the department of Redevelopment, Town-Landscaping, Preserving historical areas and Architectural Guidance. (I have a national 1st-class architect license.) I devoted myself to revitalizing the city by making plans and improving infrastructure for citizens.

Gifu is located in central Japan near Nagoya. As just being the crossroads of the West and the East, there are many unique attractions that are hard to discover in hectic big cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. I had a hand in restoring and preserving some of them throughout my career and want to introduce them to tourists from abroad. That’s why I became a guide-interpreter in Gifu.

I also enjoyed traveling around the world. My favorite part of each trip was walking around the city and talking with local residents. Traveling has taught me lots of things during my lifetime. Now, I would like to help others have similar experience in Japan. Shall we enjoy fantastic journey in Gifu?

Reviews

Matthias W.

5 / 5

Jun 2, 2026

Best Choice for one-day Takayama tour