Nagara River Basin, Gifu

Nagara River Basin

You'll also learn about the local charms of the Nagara River area in Gifu Prefecture during the broadcast. While located on Honshu, quite far from Hokkaido, the regions have a lot in common, including their focus on sustainability – namely, preserving their incredible natural beauty and effort in preserving their traditional legacy.
 
Mino City's “Mino Washi (traditional Japanese paper)”, Seki City's “Seki Blades” and Gifu City’s “Gifu Wagasa (Japanese umbrella)” are beautiful representative traditional arts and crafts, and cultures of the "Traditional Cultural Inheritance" in Nagara River Basin. They are excellent examples of Japan's rich cultural heritage and another element of sustainable tourism.
 

Mino Washi making with finesse

Mino Washi is the name given to the finely crafted washi paper made in Gifu's Mino City. This ancient craft has a history of over 1,300 years and documents made of Mino Washi are said to be the oldest paper in Japan.
 
Thin but strong and resilient, the paper is of such a high quality, it's featured in museums across the world – including the Louvre Museum in Paris that uses Mino Washi to repair ancient documents and paintings.
 
If you're lucky enough to spend some time in the well-preserved traditional town and paper hub Mino, be sure to experience the finesse art of Mino Washi paper making at Mino-Washi no Sato Museum; it's a popular activity for visitors from all over and a great way to experience traditional crafts!
 

Seki City’s master swordsmiths

Seki’s swords, sharpest blades

Seki City is known as the "City of Blades," and once you spend some time here, you'll understand why. This is the home of some of the best swordsmiths in the world, making it one of the "world's three major production centers of blades," along with Solingen in Germany and Sheffield in England.
 
While over time, Seki's blade industry evolved into making scissors, kitchen knives, and other cutlery used in daily life, the city still keeps its sword crafting legacy alive. The city continues to offer a valuable cultural experience where guests can observe Japanese swordsmiths at work. It's one of very few places you'll be able to experience such a craft.
 

Gifu’s traditional Wagasa

Wagasa (Japanese umbrellas) are iconic symbols of traditional Japan, and Gifu City is home to some of the best wagasa artisans in the world. Gifu City is actually the largest producer of wagasa, with many of these delicate works still meticulously crafted by hand.
 
While some of Japan's more traditional crafts are in danger of extinction, Gifu is inviting guests to come and experience their local cultures as a way to keep them alive for future generations.
 
For more information about sustainability and cultural experiences in Gifu, please visit the website:
https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/tokai/gifu/
 
 
 
Be sure to check out the virtual tour, exploring the extraordinary natural surroundings in the town of Niseko, and the profound cultural heritage of the Nagara River Basin.  We hope the tour will be an inspiration in planning your next visit to Japan!

The original video was broadcasted on 5th February, 2023, you can watch the archived stream from below:

This article is supported by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)