Visiting Gifu in spring? Gifu Prefecture boasts stunning cherry blossom spots that attract thousands of visitors every year. This part of Japan is blessed with rivers, natural landscapes, historical landmarks, and amazing mountains.
When I think of Gifu Prefecture, the first things that I remember the most are the three most iconic places, they are – The UNESCO World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go, Hida Takayama, and Gifu Castle.
Gifu’s interesting history, natural landscapes, and traditions together will make your trip an amazing adventure.
When is the best time to visit Gifu for sakura?
To enjoy the cherry blossoms in Gifu Prefecture, you have got to come there at the right time. In a normal year, late March till the middle of April is the best period to see the cherry blossoms in Gifu.
In fact, the southern part of Gifu Prefecture, cherry trees start to bloom from late March to early April, while those in the mountainous north bloom from mid-to late April. When the weather is cold the blossoms will grow much slower than when is warm weather.
Check out our annual Japan cherry blossom forecast and plan your Gifu trip accordingly.
Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Gifu Prefecture
Gifu is an incredible place to visit, and there are many fabulous cherry blossom spots to see. Are you ready to explore some of them here in this post?
1. Kamagatani Park
Being a nature lover, I have to say that this is the most interesting and fabulous hanami spot in all over Gifu Prefecture. It’s located in Ikeda town, where approximately 1,500 cherry trees of 8 different varieties are found.
Kamagatani Park was designated as a Natural Monument in 1928 by the Japanese government for stunning natural beauty, and its unique ecosystem.
If you want to spend a lovely day on the outskirts of Gifu City, it should be Kamagatani Park. The one way ride from downtown Gifu city will take about 40 minutes (depending on traffic). This great hanami spot offers plenty of open space and beautiful landscape to enjoy.
As you take a stroll in the park, you can spot many sakura trees around the valley and surrounding hills. Besides, there are hiking trails in the mountains to enjoy nature to the fullest. For those looking for day trip ideas from Gifu city by car must check this site out for amazing discoveries in spring.
2. Shinsakai River (Hyakujuro Sakura)
Imagine yourself walking along a road lined with hundreds of cherry trees and enjoying the outdoors. It would be a great experience, right? You may have seen that kind of scene in Anime or in Japanese romantic movies. Have you?
In Kakamigahara City of Gifu Prefecture, there is Shinsakai Riverside, which is a perfect cherry blossom spot for hanami picnicking and joggers want to enjoy the spring weather.
Approximately 1,200 cherry blossom trees line the Shinsakai River. This is a 4 kilometer long road lined on both sides, allowing visitors enjoy the sakura from different viewpoints.
The Kakamigahara Cherry Blossom Festival is held here from late March through early April, especially when cherry trees are in full bloom. Hundreds of visitors come there, creating a lively atmosphere, where they can enjoy various kinds of street food.
3. Inaba Shrine
Located at the foot of Mt. Kinka, Inaba Shrine is the most important shrine in Gifu City. Every year, on January 1st, many locals come to pray there as part of the first shrine visit of the year. What makes this shrine unique is that it’s completely unlike anywhere else in Gifu city.
The path (Inaba-dori) that leads you to the shrine is lined with many cherry trees, giving you a pleasant walk along the way. It is impressive to see that there are a number of sakura trees of different kinds dotted all over the shrine grounds.
The pink and white blossoms usually come out in force around late March or early April. They stay in full bloom for a week before falling on the grounds. You can take a leisurely walk right from Gifu Park to the shrine and it will take about 15-20 minutes.
4. Sunomata Castle
Sunomata Castle is a great place to admire the beautiful cherry blossoms in Ogaki city of Gifu Prefecture. It’s not only a place to see sakura blossoms, but also a significant landmark with a great story behind it.
Built in 1566, this historic castle is known as “Ichiya-jo”, which means “one night castle” in Japanese. A legend says that it was built in one night by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), a powerful samurai of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582). The reason for building this castle was to make an attack on Gifu Castle (Inabayama Castle) controlled by Saito Clan.
The current castle was constructed in 1991, and modeled after nearby Ogaki Castle. It serves as a local history museum, which teaches you about the history of the castle, and conflict between Nobunaga and the Saito Clan.
This is an incredibly peaceful and picture-perfect place where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. During the cherry blossom season, many locals and tourist alike gather on its grounds and enjoy their time roaming around the castle’s area.
Over 1000 cherry trees can be found on its grounds. During the sakura festival, the castle and surrounding cherry blossoms are illuminated at night, making the whole place truly marvelous. This sakura spot of Gifu is just 10 minutes walk from “Sunomata” bus stop.
5. Ogaki Castle
Ogaki Castle is located in Ogaki Park. This is one of the best well-known cherry blossom spots in Gifu Prefecture. The original castle tower was destroyed during the air raids in World War II, though reconstruction took place in 1959.
Used as the headquarters for Ishida Mitsunari (1559-1600) during the Great Battle of Sekigahara, this historic site exhibits a lot of things related to the Battle of Sekigahara and Ogaki Castle. This great battle ended when Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) defeated Ishida Mitsunari forces and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan until 1868.
The castle moats create a canal around the old part of town. Canal areas are lovely at any time of year, but they really come alive in spring. Many sakura trees were planted along the canals and surprisingly you can ride a traditional wooden tub boat and enjoy the cherry blossoms to the fullest. It’s a great adventure and fun activity.
Reservation is required for the boat ride.
6. Gifu Park
If you’re planning a trip to Gifu City, a visit to Gifu Park is a must, especially during cherry blossom season! Located at the base of Mount Kinka, this park is just a wonderful place to spend a day and enjoy hanami picnicking.
You can take a leisurely stroll along the park’s paths and enjoy stunning views of cherry blossoms. The last time I went there, I saw sakura petals falling on the grounds. That scene has made my mind to think that why Gifu Park is a perfect place to enjoy sakura.
Visitors can hop on the ropeway to the top of Mount Kinka, which will be a great experience. Up from there, you can get a beautiful bird’s-eye view of the entire park. From the ropeway station at the summit, it’s just 8 minutes walk to Gifu Castle. This castle has an impressive look which is located at the top of Mt. Kinka with an altitude of 329m.
In addition, the park ground features Nobunaga’s residence ruins and garden, Japan-China Friendship Garden, Kato Eizo & Toichi Memorial Art Museum, and the Gifu City Museum of History.
7. Usuzumi Park
Usuzumi Park is famous mostly for its 1500 years old cherry tree. There are a number of old sakura trees in Japan and one of them is at Gifu’s Usuzumi Park. No surprise that it’s a designated National Natural Monument of Japan and one of Japan’s “Three Great Cherry Tree.”
This mighty sakura tree is about 16.3 meters tall and 9.9 meters wide around the trunk. The tree is illuminated at night, which offers a unique view and feel of Yozakura. Please note that Emperor Keitai have planted this tree in the 6th century.
This park is a 15-minute walk from Tarumi Station.
Is Takayama worth visiting in spring?
Hida-Takayama is a must-see tourist destination in Gifu Prefecture. The old town of Takayama is a beautifully preserved old town, where you can take a stroll and be amazed by the buildings and houses dating back to the feudal ages.
The Takayama Spring Festival is held on April 14-15 annually, and is the festival of the Hie Shrine. It is held to prayer for a good harvest. During the festival tall and heavily decorated floats are produced and you can see them in the parade.
There are notable cherry blossoms spots in Takayama, such as Takayama Jinya, Nakabashi Bridge, and Hida Gokoku Shrine. So, if you come to see the festival in Takayama in mid-April, be sure to visit these places for cherry blossoms.
Takayama is obviously worth your time in spring. I would highly recommend heading to Takayama if you are looking to see cherry blossoms in Gifu around mid-late April.
Shirakawa-go in Spring
Another interesting place in Gifu Prefecture to explore in spring is Shirakawa-go. In fact, it’s one of the best winter destinations in Japan! Shirakawago is famous for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995.
Visit Ogimachi, the largest village of Shirakawa-go, which is a stunning place to admire the gassho-zukuri houses dotted with blooming sakura and snow-capped mountains in the distance.
It’s true that you won’t see tons of sakura trees there, but still the views you will get are very picturesque.
