Crazy Gifu Fall Festival Week, Oct 6-10

Mark your calendars now, or clear them if you already have something planned.
You do NOT want to miss some of the most incrededible festivals that Gifu (heck, all of Japan!) has to offer.
Chuno, Tono, Seino, and Takayama regions all have something.
It's also a 3-day weekend. So get out and see the unique crafts of our wonderful Gifu!

We'll have some more details of schedule of events at the festivals coming for you, but here are the basics about these festivals:

Seki Sword/Cutlery Festival, Oct Sat 6/Sun 7

Sword making, sword demonstrations, and lots of sharp things to buy.

Mino Lantern/Paper Festival, Oct Sat 6/Sun 7

Tranquile glowing lanterns on traditional streets, and lots of paper to buy.

Ogaki Mikioshi Matsuri, Oct Sun 7

Dress up, carry a shrine, drink a lot. Ask Simon Park for details.

Tajimi Chawan Festival, Oct Sun 7/Sun 8

Lots of ceramics to see, make, and buy.

Takayama Festival, Oct Tue 9/Wed 10

Traitional town with giant gilded floats on parade. One of the "Top 3 Most Beautiful" festivals in Japan. Lots of famous omiyage to buy.


Seki Sword/Cutlery Festival, Oct 7/8

Seki has been the center of sword making in Japan for centuries. A museum in Seki still preserves the fascinating art, even if Seki modern production is more knives and garden utensils. The festival is a celebration of all these. It's an amazing chance to see the swordsmith's entire process of making a Japanese katana. There are also sword demonstrations throughout the day. And the festival is your chance to buy loads of discounted Japanese blades and tools. (The Mino Paper/Lantern Festival is just a 15 minute ride away, so you can make a weekend out of these).http://www.sekikanko.jp/e/index.htmlThere are many events at the festival. Sword making demonstrations, iainuki (drawing your sword and slicing bamboo and straw mats), judo (martial arts), kendo (wooden sword fighting), kyudo (Japanese archery), taiko (Japanese drumming), and shishimai ("lion dance"). (If you want an unobstructed view of the swordsmithing, you can visit the museum a few other times during the year: the first Sunday of March, April, June, November at 10:00, 13:30, 14:30. There is also a New Year sword making demonstration January 2nd, and a "Cutlery Day" November 8th.) Detailed schedule and map, in Japanese:http://www.city.seki.gifu.jp/hamono-maturi/index.htm

Mino Lantern/Paper Festival, Oct 7/8

Mino has long been a celebrated center for high quality hand-made washi paper. This small town celebrates its culture with streets lined with traditional paper shops displaying all their fine paperware products from cards and diaries to lamps and wedding dresses. Every year during the festival they have a lantern competition. At night, the streets are lined with delicately glowing intricately made washi lanterns. (The Seki Sword/Cutlery Festival is just a 15 minute ride away, so you can make a weekend out of these)http://www.greece-japan.com/mino.htmhttp://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/pref/s11355/takumi/dentoumain/minowashi/english.htmlIt's best to view the lanterns at night, from about 6:30 (including one by the famed Seki doll teacher Chisako and some of her students!). Most shops are also open in the evening, but it's best if you can visit during the day to really enjoy the charm of Mino and to do some more leisurely less crowded shopping.

Tajimi Chawan Festival, Oct 8/9

The Tono region of Japan, including Tajimi, is one of the most prolific and long lasting centers of ceramics in Japan and is home to world famous types and methods of ceramics (Shino, Oribe, Seto, etc). Evidence of ceramics tradition there goes back more than 1,000 years. Tajimi today produces more than 50% of all domestic ceramics in Japan and is home to many of Japan’s most celebrated ceramicists. Because of its history, it also has some wonderful museums. The Museum of Modern Ceramic Art opened recently and is an acclaimed museum. The Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Museum details the history and methods of ceramics in Gifu. The Tajimi Ceramics Festival is a chance to explore all these things and also to buy many discounted wares. http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/gifu-2002.html(There are a variety of shops all around town that let you make your own ceramics for a fee).

Takayama Festival, Oct 9/10

Takayama preserves the feel of an ancient Japanese mountain town. With its streets lined with well kept private homes, a host of ancient shrines and buildings, shops filled with famous crafts, and all surrounded by majestic mountains, Takayama is the place to go to capture the mystique of traditional Japan. The Takayama festival is held twice a year. The town is decked out with banners and flags and towering ancient floats are paraded through the town.http://www.hida.jp/english/http://www.hidanet.ne.jp/e02/ematsuri/ekigen.htm
Takayama is well worth a visit when the festival is not occurring to really see everything the town has to offer. Make it super special with a stay in a ryokan.

Your Gifu AJET Family,
[Adam, Chisako, Daniel, Doug, Erin, Ernest, Fiona, Gavin, Matsunami, Nicole K., and Nicole T.]