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Castle town of Lady Samurai & magnificent Ruins
A well‒preserved hidden castle town, Iwamura, makes you feel warped into Edo era. Strolling around old houses and shops along the tranquil street, you will reach the ruins of the castle on the hill. Photogenic townscapes reveal the quintessence of Japanese beauty with a tragic story of the chatelaine. You also visit Hiroshige Museum of Art that exhibits lots of Ukiyoe prints of Utagawa Hiroshige.
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Nagoya or at the JR Nagoya station
JR Nagoya station
JR Ena station
You enjoy the most rural scenic view by local train (see video)
Exploring authentic castle town
Iwamura town is a little away from the old highway Nakasendo which has contributed to preserving traditional townscape for long time. The castle town extends over one kilometer long from the station to the foot of the castle‒ruins.
Hiking to the ruins of Iwamura Castle
The ruins of Iwamura Castle are located at the highest place (717m above sea level) for a castle in Japan and has been selected as one of three major mountain castles in Japan. You should try half an hour hiking up the slope to get fantastic views from the ruins. Some parts of the slope are steep, but most of them are well maintained and partly paved. A tragic story about what happened to a beautiful chatelaine makes you feel sympathy for transiency of human life.
Lunch
You enjoy eating some local foods such as Gohei‒mochi, Udon noodles, Japanese pickles and a variety of sweets. Drinkers can enjoy tasting Sake with a quick excursion to the brewery. Almost all the shops are run by citizens of this town and staff members welcome visitors with their best smiles.
Castle town
You enjoy strolling around the street, on both sides of which there are various shops, restaurants, shrines etc. Above all, you should drop into some of the old merchants’ houses such as Katsukawa House, Kimura House and Tosaya. All visitors are free to walk through traditionally designed rooms and beautiful Japanese gardens at will. You will be astounded at the unexpected expanse of living space of Japanese traditional buildings with exquisite design.
Hiroshige Museum of Art
Hiroshige Museum of Art houses and exhibits approximately 1,400 Ukiyoe woodblock prints depicting the people and scenery along old highways, Nakasendo and Tokaido. Visitors can not only see them but also have the experience of creating multicolored prints using imitation wood blocks.
JR Nagoya station
Ending Point
At JR Nagoya station
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Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee and hotel pick-up
Besides guide fee, you have to prepare about 7000yen/person for both you and guide on the tour day. The details are as follows:transportation fee about 5000yen/person, entrance fee about 1200yen/person,entrance fee about 800yen/person.However, if you you have Japan Rail Pass(JRP), it goes down 4000yen/person except for guide
Tour Important Information
(Iwamura Castle)
A one and a half hour local train ride from Nagoya brings you to the old castle town of Iwamura in southeast Gifu. On the way to the town, you will enjoy viewing very simple but calm Japanese rural landscape through the windows of the train (see the video above). Iwamura castle was established in 1185. It is famed for not only magnificent ruins of the castle called 'Asian Machu Pichu', but also the well‒preserved castle town which is listed as one of the Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the central government, like Takayama or Tsumago.
(Tragedy of Chatelaine)
At the end of 16th century,one of Iwamura Castle lords was a woman named Otsuya, who was warring‒time great hero Oda Nobunaga’s aunt. After her husband passed away early, she was reigning the territory by herself with a young adopted son. She was so bright and beautiful that many people liked her. When the town was attacked and under siege by overpowering enemies, she had to choose a political marriage with the opponent’s leader in order to protect her families and her people. Over the next few years, she spent peaceful days along with the new husband. However, she was crucified by her nephew Nobunaga as a traitor in the end. She was a lady Samurai struggling with hardships throughout her life altruistically. Now, blue Noren, shop-front curtains, with the names of proprietresses hang down from eaves. It is evidence that Otsuya is still loved and respected by the townspeople.
*If you are interested in hiking old highway Nakasendo, it is possible for you to walk a part of the route between Magome and Tsumago after visiting Iwamura town. In that case, you have to skip visitting both the ruins of the castle and Hiroshige Museum. Please feel free to ask to arrange the tour as you want.
Important message from the guide
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
Gifu Tour Reviews
“Very enjoyable visit to Shirakawago”
Tetsuji was very professional and we had a great time!
Richard Z.
Monet's Pond, Knife‒city Seki & Washi‒hometown Mino
“Detailed plan with flexibility, strong local knowledge”
Due to the bad weather, Tetsuji offered alternative to Monet's pond with Inuyama Castle. The change worked out well. The eel lunch in Seki was very good again. Perfect recommendation that only local knows. The old town of Mino and washi paper arts are memorable. Seki was the town for sword making. Traveling 3 cities with local trains within one day needs detail local knowledge. Tetsuji worked out detail plan, also with flexibility due to the weather change. I would recommend Tetsuji for non Japanese speakers want to visit local towns. That will make the trip much easier.
Tetsuji Y.
(33 reviews)Thank you for a superb review full of praise of my job. Now, I have got emotional with so much detailed nice words for me. I feel extremely honored to have worked as a guide for a lovely intelligent couple for two days in a row. I enjoyed myself not only guiding but also talking with you and Jane. I really hope you visit Japan and chat with me again. Please give my best regard to Jane.
“Well planned tour with many details”
Tetsuji guided us to Shirakawa-go. The tour was great. Starting from Gifu with train ride to Takayam, the train ride is a tour itself. The view was so beautiful that making the train ride was enjoyable. Right after arrived Shirakawa-go, Tetsuji put our name for a very good restaurant that serves hida beef. The lunch was perfect. Tetsuji was very detail person. Every detail is planned. All the activities that Tetsuji planned have their meanings, which we can feel it. And, Tetsuji took so many pictures of us. I believe those pictures will help us to reminding us about this trip. I would recommend Tetsuji to anyone that come to Shirakawa-go for the first time.
Tetsuji Y.
(33 reviews)Thank you for a superb review full of praise of my job. Now, I have got emotional with so much detailed nice words for me. I feel extremely honored to have worked as a guide for a lovely intelligent couple for two days in a row. I enjoyed myself not only guiding but also talking with you and Jane. I really hope you visit Japan and chat with me again. Please give my best regard to Jane.
