File

2014 - 2015
The guide to all things Seino for the JET community.
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Acknowledgements
The JET Programme has about 10 ALTs stationed in Seino. There are also a fair number of
“has been’s” floating around the area as well. The following information profiling Seino townships
and the city of Ogaki has been graciously volunteered unto the Seino RPAs by ALTs new and old.
Past authors of the Seino guide include:
2003-2004
Audra Loyal
Christian Sheehan
2004-2005
Rachel Victor
Shane Moore
2005-2006
Adele Phillips
PJ Standlee
2006-2007
Josh Brunotte
Kelly Madland
2007-2008
Josh Brunotte
Matt Stoner
2007-2008
Matt Stoner
Erin Plant
2008-2009
Rachel Owen
2009-2011
Jodie Condick
2011-2012
Heather Meehan
2012-2013
Wesley Beltz
2013-2014
Jemina Elliott
Will Law
2014-2015
Jemina Elliott
Simon Ehrlich
Rachel Owen
As much as we would like this work to be the definitive guide to Seino, we realize that it
would be impossible and unreasonable to create such a guide. Please make considerable use of this
compilation, but know that there is so much more out there than what is represented here.
Do not be afraid of asking fellow JETs, coworkers, neighbors, or even random strangers for
help or information. Despite what language barriers there may or may not be, whomever you ask is
likely to help you as much as possible. If they are unable to help, they’ll probably direct you to
someone who can.
Of course don’t forget, your friendly RPAs are here to help, too.
Jemina Elliott
and Simon Ehrlich
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Where We Are
You’re not in Kansas anymore. You are in the Seino area of Gifu Prefecture in the Tokai region of
Japan’s Honshu Island. Still have no clue where you are?
Have a look below!
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西濃地区 Seino-chiku
Gifu Prefecture is comprised of five regions: Hida, Tono, Chuno, Gifu, and Seino. The
southern half of Gifu was once called Mino, while the northern half has been called Hida since time
immemorial, or so we are led to believe. The name Mino (美濃) accounts for the “no” in the names
Seino (西濃), Chuno (中濃) and Tono (東濃), while sei means west, chu means middle, and to means
east.
As its name implies, Seino is the most western edge of Gifu Prefecture. It contains the site
of a historically significant battle, was traversed by the famous Nakasendo trade route, and is known
to this day for water: high water tables, flooding, and tasty potable water.
Seino is comprised of 21 smaller regions. From northern-most to southern-most they are:
藤橋村
ふじはしむら
Fujihashi-mura
坂内村
さかうちむら
Sakauchi-mura
久瀬村
くぜむら
Kuze-mura
谷汲村
たにぐみむら
Tanigumi-mura
揖斐川町
いびがわちょう
Ibigawa-cho
春日村
かすがむら
Kasuga-mura
大野町
おおのちょう
Ono-cho
池田町
いけだちょう
Ikeda-cho
神戸町
ごうどちょう
Godo-cho
垂井町
たるいちょう
Tarui-cho
赤坂町
あかさかちょう
Akasaka-cho
関ヶ原町
せきがはらちょう
Sekigahara-cho
大垣市
おおがきし
Ogaki-shi
墨俣町
すのまたちょう
Sunomata-cho
安八町
あんぱちちょう
Anpachi-cho
上石津町
かみいしづちょう
Kamiishizu-cho
養老町
ようろうちょう
Yoro-cho
輪之内町
わのうちちょう
Wanouchi-cho
平田町
ひらたちょう
Hirata-cho
南濃町
なんのうちょう
Nanno-cho
海津町
かいづちょう
Kaizu-cho
Note: Many of these townships have consolidated and so are technically under a different city name
(市-shi), but still use the same town names (町-cho).
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Transportation
Seino is a relatively easy area to get around in, to and from thanks to the train and bus
systems. Running east and west through the middle of Seino is the JR Tokkaido Line (there’s also a
secondary line running between Ogaki and Sekigahara: the Mino-Akasaka Line). It is the best way to
start off if you’re headed for day trips west towards Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and Hikone, or east to Gifu,
Nagoya, Toyota, Centrair, Tokyo and other destinations.
There are trains running north and south within Seino as well; the Yoro Tetsudo runs north
and south between Ogaki and Kuwana, stopping in Yoro; and northwest line from the Ogaki Yoro
Tetsudo Station to Ibi, that stops in Ikeda, and Godo. Additionally, there is the Tarumi Line
(northeast) from Ogaki JR.
The Shinkansen cuts through Seino as well, but the closest stop, Hashima, is nothing short of
inconvenient for most JETs. If you would like to go somewhere to the west or north of Gifu via
Shinkansen, first take JR to Maibara, and then board the Shinkansen from there.
If you are
interested in eastern Japan, go to Nagoya via JR, and then board the Shinkansen in Nagoya Station.
The Shuttle Ticket, or shatteru kippu, is available for purchase from Ogaki, Tarui and
Sekigahara stations and is a round-trip discount ticket package (Includes Shinkansen and regular rail
tickets) for Kyoto or Osaka. To use the ticket, take the normal JR line to Maibara and then transfer to
the Shinkansen to continue onwards. From Ogaki to Osaka the trip normally takes 1hr 30mins and to
Kyoto, around 1hr 15mins. Prices from Ogaki: Kyoto (round-trip) ¥4480, Osaka (round-trip) ¥6060.
Before running off to the station to gaze at the time tables, or buy a big time schedule book at your
local Book Off, check out these sites first:
www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae
www.hyperdia.com (then click English – and now there’s an app for that …)
Both of these sites are in English and can be very helpful in planning your trips and both are
downloadable (In Japanese) as apps for smart phones. Simply plug information into the required
fields then wait a few seconds while the site generates several itinerary options for you. The
Japanese version of Hyperdia often has more choices and more information available than the English
version. It is recommended that if you are planning a long trip and want to print your schedule, do
it first in English and then in Japanese. That way you’ll have a schedule that has the kanji that you’ll
need to be looking out for, but one that is also easy for you to check.
For those that have a car, finding locations in Japan is not as easy as finding a location like in
America, Canada or other grid-based countries. If you are going somewhere new, it is recommended
you look up the address on Google maps first, and perhaps purchase a road map book for Gifu (If
your predecessor hasn’t left one for you in the car).
If you plan on purchasing a Smartphone (and you really should), there are apps for free navigation
systems that make getting around Japan by car that much easier (While Google maps for iPhone is
good, it has been known to get some ALTs lost in the past and so downloading other apps is
recommended). ‘Japan Map Fan’ for iPhone (And perhaps other smart phones) is a great app that
allows you to look up addresses by phone number, address, or key word. It will filter routes using
either regular roads, pay roads, or walking options and will also give you directions verbally. The only
downside is this app only runs in Japanese.
Before you run off to exotic sites outside of Seino, check out what your neighbors have to offer! Listed
below are descriptions of things to do and see in Seino, some including the Japanese websites for the
town. There’s plenty of ways to keep busy in Seino!
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藤橋村
Fujihashi-mura (incorporated with Ibigawa-cho in 2005)
Fujihashi-mura is home to an observatory, and it’s a fairly modest-sized one at that. The
Fujihashi Castle houses the Nishimino Planetarium, as well as a small historical exhibit.
谷汲村
Tanigumi-mura (incorporated with Ibigawa-cho in 2005)
This tiny mountain village north of Ogaki is great for an afternoon outing. Tanigumi is
famed as one of the best places to see fall foliage in Gifu Prefecture. It has a quaint, shop-lined
main street terminating in a large temple complex. The main temple has a ‘key’ of sorts kept in the
darkness under the temple. It is said that if one ventures down through the dark path underneath
and touches the ‘key’ he or she will have good luck.
A short drive away, another temple complex features none other than Japan’s only mummy (ミイラ
miira). Before achieving mummification— enlightenment was never his goal— the former monk
starved himself to death in a cave out of a desire to become something similar to a statue of Buddha,
forever frozen in a state of meditation. He charges 500 円 per viewing.
To get to the mummy, take the Tarumi Line from Ogaki to Tanigumi-guchi (560 円), then take a bus to
Tanigumi-san Temple. The Tarumi train runs infrequently, so it may be best to befriend someone
with a car.
揖斐川町
Ibigawa-cho
http://www.town.ibigawa.gifu.jp/
With its many rivers, big and small, Ibi is known for ayu fishing in the summer. Along the
rivers there are little stalls that locals set up to prepare the sweet fish fresh.
Ibi has a ramen shop named Ban Rai Ramen. To get there, take the Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line from Ogaki
Yoro Tetsudo station all the way to the last stop, Ibi. Walk toward the main road from the station,
turn right and walk north. The shop is readily seen as it has a big yellow sign with red kanji. Ban
Rai is reputed to be “one of the best ramen and cha-han places you’ll be able to find in the area.”
Ibigawa-cho is also home to Yashaga-ike, a pond with an incredible legend. It is located atop a
mountain in Sakauchi-mura and many JETs have enjoyed hiking to this location. Here is a brief version
of the legend:
Once a long time ago during the Heian Period there was a relentless drought in the Godo-cho area.
One day, a man of influence by the name of Yasutsugu unwittingly complained about the weather
to a grass snake. He told the serpent he would offer his daughter in marriage if it would make it
rain. However, this was no ordinary snake. It happened to be no other than an incarnation of the
Yashaga-ike dragon god.
The deity appeared in Yasutsugu’s dreams that night promising to fulfill his wish, and immediately
thereafter rain poured down on the land. As a result, when the deity came in human form to
collect his bride, Yasutsugu had no choice but to make good on his promise. His daughter went to
live with the god in his mountain pond and is said to have become a dragon herself. Some believe
that the daughter’s name was “Yasha” and that the pond was named “Yashaga-ike” in her honor.
Henceforth in times of drought, people go to pray for rain at Yashaga-ike.
大野町
Ono-cho
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http://www.town-ono.jp/
Ono-cho is just adjacent to Ikeda and Ibi. It looks similar to the other towns with its many
stores mixed into rice fields and houses. You’ll probably pass into Ono-cho and not realize that you’ve
left the neighboring municipalities. Ono-cho does have a good onsen and is known for its persimmon
fields. In the fall, when the persimmons are ripe, you can buy 4 persimmons for 100 yen, or enjoy
persimmon flavored soft ice-cream at ‘Green House’. It is also home to the Ono Rose Park— the
highest yielding rose nursery in Japan, accounting for 60% of national production. Roses are very
important in Ono as one of the town rose growers bred and created the ‘Blue Heaven’ rose, which is a
bluish-grey variant of the flower, a color difficult to create in roses.
池田町
Ikeda-cho
http://www.town.ikeda.gifu.jp/
To get to Ikeda via train, take the Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line from Ogaki and get off at either
Ikeno Station or Kita-Ikeno Station. By car, the easiest thing to do is look for Route 417 that comes
out of the North West area of Ogaki and heads north.

Ibi-cha Green Tea. The tea is found in the areas of Ibigawa and Tanigumi as well as Ikeda. If
you are in the town, you can pretty much hit any local tea shop in the area to buy some.

Ikeda Onsen. The onsen is 500 yen per person and they have two facilities next to each other
(they differentiate them by calling them "main building" and “new building"). The onsen is
famous for its water that makes your skin silky smooth when you get out. It's so famous that
its usual visitors are people who live outside of Gifu. One is recommended to go later in the
evening since it's less crowded. Beware, however, it closes at 9 p.m. This place is highly
recommended and is really the best onsen in the area.
How does one get to Ikeda Onsen?
If you don't have a car, then it's really cumbersome and far
to get to the onsen from the nearest train station. The easiest direction by train would be to
take Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line and get off at Kita-Godo Station. Walk south to Route 53, then walk
west along Route 53 (walk toward the mountains). The walk is estimated to be about 45
minutes. Car is the easiest and most convenient way to reach the onsen. However, there is a
bus from Ogaki Station that you can take as well. It runs about once an hour from Bus Stop 1 on
the South side of the station.
 Ikeda-san and Ikeda-koen.
Ikeda Mountain is beautiful to see during the spring because of its
many cherry blossoms. The mountain is also famous for hang-gliding / para-gliding. There
is a company that does hang-gliding tours there. Furthermore, there is also a hiking trail
that takes you from the bottom of the mountain all the way to the top. It takes about 2.5
to 3 hours to hike up. It is a “brutal non-stop climb up, and a brutal non-stop climb
down.” However, it’s worth it if you can make it to the top. You'll get to see beautiful
views of the Ibigawa, Ikeda, Godo, and Ono townships, as well as the Tarui and Sekigahara
areas. If you have a car, you can bypass the hike and drive to the top, about 20
minutes. The drive to the top of the mountain starts just past Ikeda Onsen. It is a popular
spot to view the night lights of Gifu-ken, just make sure you get there and get out again
before they lock the gates! If your drive to the top of Ikeda-san is not enough to quench
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your thirst for forest driving and you’re looking for thrills, there is another road that heads
off into the trees in a southerly direction from Ikeda Onsen. It will take you on a long
winding trek through dark woods and eventually spit you out just north of Tarui. (Not too
far from Tarui’s red-egg chicken farm!) It is recommended that you start the drive in the
late afternoon at the latest, that way, you’ll get to feel the thrill of being in the dark forest
(it’s light above the trees, but not below!) but in case you do have troubles, it’s not so late
that you find yourself SOL in the MON just about to SYP.
How does one get to Ikeda-san/Ikeda Koen? As with Ikeda Onsen, it's pretty far by train because of
the long walk. However, if you have your heart set on taking the train, take the Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line
to Ikeno Station. Head west through Ikeda town. The walk will be about 40 minutes or so to the
base of the mountain.

Ikeda Disc Golf.
A new discovery in Ikeda is the presence of a Disc Golf course. It is easily
accessed on foot or by bicycle. From Ikeno Station of the Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line head west.
By bike it will take about 10 minutes, and on foot about 20 minutes. Just head west toward
the mountain from the train station, and look for a huge domed gym structure located near
the base of the mountain. You can't miss it because it's among a few houses and a bunch of
rice fields. The Frisbee golf area is visible right before you hit the gym. If you’ve played disc
golf back in your home country, this course will seem rather small, and occasionally people
have picnics in the middle of the course.
However it’s worth heading out for some
good, old-school hippie fun.
 Jyumanryou.
This is an izakaya located off of
Route 53. To get there by train, get off at
Kita-Godo station, head toward route 53,
then start heading east toward Riverside
Mall. The restaurant is located on the north
side of route 53, just past an Eneos gas
station but before you reach the bridge
crossing the Ibi-gawa. You’ll know that
you’re in the right place if there’s a Filipino Snack Bar conveniently located next door.
 Marugen Yakiniku.
This is a reasonably priced yakiniku shop located on the back side of
Jyumanryou. Walk around to the back of Jyumanryou and look for a bright orange sign.
 Bali High.
This is a great restaurant for pasta, pizza, Chinese, and other cuisines. It is a little
expensive but worth going once in a while and a great place to have a party. It is located
very close to the Mega Mart / Max Value shopping complex in Ikeda. The directions are the
same as those for going to the onsen, except that Bali High will be on the south side of route
53 just before getting to the onsen. You really can't miss it. The building may be one of the
least attractive in Japan; it is little more than a steel box on stilts in the middle of a parking
lot. The owner, Mr. Takahashi, or "A-Chan" as most people know him as, is a really cool
guy. If you want to set up a party there, just let him know.
 Ogiya Yakitori.
Gifu-ken is riddled with restaurants of this izakaya chain. Ikeda’s Ogiya is
located right next door to Bali High. It is a great place to go for cheap yakitori (80 yen each)
and an amazing assortment of other ‘bar foods’, drinks, or just to hang out.
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In addition to these delights, Ikeda is also the location of the Kamagatani gorge, named one of
Japan’s national treasures. In particular, the sakura (cherry blossoms) that bloom here are known for
their beauty and ranked amongst Japan’s 100 selected famous places for sakura.
神戸町
Godo-cho
http://www.town.godo.gifu.jp/
Godo’s biggest event is the Godo Hi Matsuri (Fire Festival). It occurs during Golden Week
near the river. At midnight, men in happi coats run through the waterways carrying large burning
masses. It is reputed to be quite a spectacle, but unfortunately none of the Seino JETs seem to have
seen it firsthand.
When it comes to dining in Godo, two places are recommended; Tetchan Yakiniku and Saika
Yakiniku. If you got the money to spend and a hankerin’ for protein these are a couple good places
to go. Techan Yakiniku is located along the main road in the town directly across from the Godo
Yakuba (City Hall), and next to the Godo Post Office. The nearest train station is presumed to be
Hiro-Godo on the Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line.
Saika Yakiniku is located somewhere in the grey between Ogaki and Godo. The biggest
landmark in the area is the women's college, called Ogaki Joshi Tanki Daigaku. The nearest train
station is Kita-Ogaki on Yoro Tetsudo-Ibi Line. If you can figure out where this place is and have a car,
then its worth going to eat there. Again, bring some money!
As mentioned in the above Ibigawa-cho section, Godo-cho is intimately tied to the Yashagaike legend. Today descendents of Yasutsugu still remain in good health in Godo-cho, under the name
Ishihara. Every year on August 17th there is a festival for the dragon god held at Yashadou Shrine in
Yasutsugu, Godo-cho, held by the descendents of Yasutsugu. This shrine is apparently located in a
house, dedicated to Yasha and Yasutsugu. In order to visit the shrine one must contact the residents
of the building and arrange a reservation. Princess Yasha is also enshrined with the name “Yasha
dragon god” at the Yasharyu Shrine.
垂井町
Tarui-cho
www.ginet.or.jp/tarui
Tarui-cho has a number of places to visit and because all trains going west on the JR
Tokkaido line stop there, these are easy to access. Tarui’s most popular site is Guruman Bakery,
conveniently located just 4 minutes south of the station and along the way to Nangu Taisha. In the
front of the store one can load his or her tray with a wide array of baked goods and fresh sandwiches.
In the back you can order any number of items from the store’s varied menu. Additionally, if one
walks through the shop and out the back, he or she can eat al fresco and take a peek into Guruman
Vital, a small shop in which whole grains are milled and used to make wonderful whole-grain breads.
The store is locally owned, but as it has been rather successful. Branches have been opened in Gifu,
Nishi-Gifu and Ogaki since the store was first founded in Tarui.
If you cross highway 21 at Guruman Bakery, continue south for about 7 minutes, then jog to
the west a little, you will find Tarui’s most significant site:
Nangu Taisha. A very large, very scenic
shrine situated at the base of Nangu Mountain. From the shrine, one can enjoy a brisk, refreshing,
50-minute hike up Nangu Mountain. At the top (It’s not technically the top. To reach the top you’ll
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have to hike 20 more minutes and look for a concrete marker amongst scrubby sasa—a relative of
bamboo), one will find a scenic outlook (there are a few on the way up as well) and a covered picnic
shelter at which you can enjoy your hard-earned lunch. From the outlook you can usually see the
JR-Station towers in Nagoya, and on the clearest days (usually in the winter) one can see the
mountains of Eastern Gifu, plus the Alps in Nagano-ken. The hike is quite popular and everyone is
friendly, so bring your smile and cheerful “Ohayo!”
Nangu Taisha has events all year round, but the best times to visit are New Years (lots of
people!), Setsubun (day before the first day of spring according to the Chinese calendar), and Golden
Week.
Near Nangu Taisha are several small shops. The most famous is Owariya. It carries
nothing too out of the ordinary, except for very large, bright pink, fish-shaped manju (Japanese desert
filled with sweet bean paste). The fish are so popular that the small store was featured on national
television.
If you’re looking for Nangu, you’ll know that you’re headed in the right direction when you
walk under a GIGANTIC red torii. It spans the main road leading to the shrine, and is a good head
and shoulders taller than the Shinkansen tracks that run nearby.
From Nangu Taisha, you can easily get to Tarui’s lovely Asakura Pagoda and temple.
Once
you’ve reached the main corner of Nangu Taisha, turn right and head up the hill. You’ll pass a school
(Fuwa High School) and eventually find yourself standing before some large steps. Climb them, turn
right, and behold: before you will be a very nice, very tall, pink pagoda!
As you are walking to the pagoda and after you pass the school, it is highly recommended
that you turn left and explore a small forest road that joins the road you’re currently walking on just
before you reach the small bridge. If you follow the road, you will not only see a delightful stream,
but eventually you will crest a dam and find yourself before one of the most peaceful, serene, and
least visited spots in Japan. It’s a small, pristine reservoir with a great sandbar perfect for having a
picnic on. It’s also a great place for a dip in the summer heat (please exercise caution of course!).
Well if you haven’t had enough exercise by the time you’ve reached the pagoda, you’re in
luck. Because if you follow the same road that you took up to the pagoda as it turns and gradually
starts back down again, you will find Tarui’s Asakura Park. It is complete with soccer grounds, tennis
courts, baseball diamonds, basketball court (indoor), community swimming pool, bandstands and a
large grassy expanse ringed with an exercise circuit and a variety of playground equipment.
Once you’ve had a good kick-about in the park, you can easily find your way back to the
train station by walking a little north to Route 21, crossing the road, and heading east down the street.
Eventually you will find yourself walking the great East-West trade route that once connected Tokyo
to Kyoto, the Nakasendo. It ran through Tarui and remains the town’s main street. Along it are a
variety of stores and a couple more temples and shrines— which Tarui happens to be riddled with.
Tarui may well have the most Spots of Religious Significance Per Capita in all Japan.
While you stroll the Nakasendo, you can turn left at any time, walk the equivalent of a
couple blocks and find yourself at the banks of the Ai Kawa. It’s a great place to visit from mid-April
to Children’s Day during Golden Week (1st week of May). The banks are lined with hundreds of
cherry trees in bloom and high up across the river are strung hundreds of large koi-no-buri (koishaped windsocks). The river is also great to visit during the warm evenings in June, because one
can watch the random dance of fireflies. Tarui could really be a romantic place…if only it had some
young-folks living there.
Tarui’s northern outskirts have just as many spots of interest as the southern ones, but they
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are a little less convenient. There is:
Takenaka Shijinya—the encampment built by Shigekado
Takenaka, son of Shigeharu Takenaka, a military strategist for the great Toyotomi Hideyoshi; Fuwa
Waterfalls—just as nice as the Yoro ones, but not nearly as popular; a red-egg farm; Fuwa Reservoir—
big and striking, but nearly empty; a mushroom farm; and a handful of hiking courses.
赤坂町
Akasaka-cho (incorporated into Ogaki-shi in 1967)
You can access Akasaka by heading north on route 18 towards Ikeda. If you go west towards
Tarui through Akasaka-cho’s main street, there is a shrine tucked away on the right side, about 150
meters past the Ogaki Kyouritsu Ginkou (Ogaki Paddington Bear Bank). To get to it you have to go
down a tight alley, so keep your eyes peeled. There’s also a little shrine at the top of the adjacent hill
and well worth a look. If you’re lucky and it’s a clear day you can see right across to Nagoya.
This town sprung up as part of the Nakasendo route and later flourished as a marble and
limestone mining town. The area also is home to a fantastical myth about a bodhisattva and a snake:
Long ago, when the bodhisattva now enshrined in Akasaka-cho was just a young
pilgrimaging monk, he paused to urinate in a tuft of grass. Unfortunately, he accidentally hit an
enormous snake. This gigantic serpent was actually a woman that had fallen in love with the monk as
he was traveling through Ise. Her ardent desire to see him again had caused her to transform into a
snake. Now damp and angry, she began to chase after the bodhisattva. The surprised bodhisattva cast
off his straw hat and made to escape.
After some time he became thirsty and pleaded for some tea from a nearby farmer, only to
be rejected. Try as he might to ignore the craving, he had to stop and drink water. After quenching his
thirst at a spring in the area, he began running again. At long last the bodhisattva hid inside a cave in
Mt. Kinshou, but the great snake began to constrict about the cave. As the cave began to collapse the
bodhisattva yelled out, “I will enshrine you above myself. So help me!” With these words the snake
stopped its binding and disappeared. To this day the huge serpent is worshipped as a tutelary god,
Jao Gongen (snake queen incarnation) at Myojyorinji Temple in Akasaka-cho.
The spot where the bodhisattva cast off his hat is now called Kasanui-cho and the place
where he stopped for a drink is now known as Gama-cho.
関ヶ原町
Sekigahara-cho
www.town.sekigahara.gifu.jp
The Sekigahara Battle Site is where, in the year 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu and 70,000 of his
men defeated an army of 79,000, “paving the way for the creation of the shogunate and the
beginning of the Tokugawa Era.”
That means it’s important! The Tokugawa shogunate lasted until
1868, when the last Tokugawa relinquished power to the emperor of Japan who was at that time
residing in Kyoto. Happily, the battle site is only a five minute walk from Sekigahara Station, which is
the second stop from Ogaki on the JR Tokkaido Line.
Sekigahara is also the site of Sekigahara War Land. First-hand accounts are limited, but
supposedly the park has samurai-robots.
To satisfy the peaceniks among us, Sekigahara hosts a classic Volkswagen show every year in
April. People come from far and wide to show off their gleaming motors. Information about the
show is also available on the Internet.
Although Mt. Ibuki (伊吹山 Ibuki-san) is actually in Shiga-ken, given its omnipresence over
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Seino, its proximity, and the fact that its driveway is in Sekigahara, we’ve included it in this guide. It is
that big rock you see looming over you in the west, the one that gets its white cap in October and
November reminding you that winter is coming.
It is recommended that if you want to make friends
with Ibuki instead of cursing it, you should try climbing it, skiing it, or flying it.
There is a paragliding school based at the bottom of the mountain. The ski resort is pretty
amateur, but it does the trick if you’re craving powder but don’t have the time or money to travel far.
The hike is a fun if somewhat taxing two to three hour round trip from the gondola that takes you
halfway up (1,000 yen for a round-trip ticket). You can also drive to the top if you’re willing to pay
the 3,000 円 toll. The top boasts good views of Lake Biwa on a sunny day, wide fields of wildflowers,
and a small village of food and souvenir vendors.
If the soft-serve ice cream, oden and yakisoba at the top of Mt. Ibuki are not quite what you
are looking for in terms of food, a reliable source has let it be known that Ibuki Restaurant, located
near the corner of routes 365 and 21, is a good place to go if you’re stuck and hungry.
墨俣町
Sunomata-cho (incorporated with Ogaki City in 2006)
The castle itself, Sunomata-jyou 墨俣城, is said to have been built in one night by
Toukichirou Kinoshita (later known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi the second of the three leaders known for
uniting Japan). This area is hands-down the best cherry-blossom viewing spot in Seino and one of the
best in southern Gifu. Arching tunnels of cherry blossoms line the riverside roads in several
directions from the castle, and it’s possible to walk for at least a couple kilometers under the canopy
of flowers. Unless you are a complete hermit, you will likely find yourself invited to a blossomviewing (花見 hanami) party sometime in April.
Hanami are exceedingly popular, but often chilly,
night picnics. Go if you ever have the chance.
If you find yourself looking for food in Sunomata, but don’t have a hanami to attend, it is
recommended that you go to 500 円 Home-cooked Dinners. This little place between Sunomata and
Hozumi offers full Japanese dinner sets for as little as 500 yen. Open only at night, you can get
tempura, katsudon, soba, vegetables with beef and more with all the trimmings: tea, rice, miso shiru,
pickles, and fruit for dessert. The restaurant is actually attached to a house and the older couple who
run it always give you a warm hello when entering. Bring your manga to read with all the other
fanatics or enjoy the wacky television dramas. To get there from Ogaki, go east on Route 21 and
turn right at the light in Hozumi, where you see the giant Statue of Liberty (a pachinko parlor) and
McDonald’s. Drive south for about 1 kilometer, then take a left at the first (and only) light with the
convenience store on the corner. Go straight, then turn right at the stop sign, and look for the large
house and “500 円” sign on the right. You’ll see twinkling white lights in the tree out front.
安八町
Anpachi-cho
http://www.town.anpachi.gifu.jp
Anpachi is set on plains surrounded by Nagaragawa and Ibigawa rivers, and has many
levees to prevent flooding. This region has fertile land for farming and is a leading Gifu grain producer.
Anpachi is also quite an industrial town, since several large businesses have chosen to set
up shop here. One building in particular sticks out from the pastoral landscape: the SANYO Solar Ark.
This colossal structure is a solar photovoltaic power generation facility. The building includes a Solar
Lab, a museum of solar energy and other unique exhibitions. Admission is free and group tours are
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available but these require reservations. There is a bus that runs from Shin-hashima Station, but this
may not be so convenient. Drivers can access the building off of Highway 18 (east of Ogaki City). Also
on Route 18 slightly
If you’re looking for something more scenic, come plum blossom season you can check out
the 139 varieties of plum trees at Anpachi Hyakubaien Park between March and April. This park can
be accessed by bus from Ogaki Station. Get on a bus from stop #2 or #3 on the south side of the
station that is bound for Gifu-hashima Station, get off at 青刈 and walk about 15 minutes.
Other places of interest include Heartpia Center and Anpachi Onsen. Heartpia houses a
library (with a great selection of English fiction and movie classics on DVD), an Observatory, an
insect museum, a small historical museum and the best place to eat a set lunch in town (700 yen).
Anpachi Onsen (300yen) is also a good place to hit up if you’re looking to relax.
上石津町
Kamiishizu-cho (incorporated with Ogaki City in 2006)
www5.ocn.ne.jp/~kamisyou/
If you like scenic country hikes or bike rides filled with nature, Kamiishizu is a beautiful place
for such outings. The Mikadagawa runs along the town and there are many places to go and have a
picnic by the river. There are also tons of mom-and-pop restaurants along the main strip of road
that runs through the town, route 365.
If you are looking for ‘cuisine’, Arapeggio is recommended. It is said to have excellent
Italian food, but it is a bit on the pricey side. The restaurant is located within Nihon Showa Ongaku
Mura, where you can learn about the history of Japanese music and its impact on the world. The
music hall also hosts concerts from time to time. After you’ve eaten your fill and enriched your
mind, you can rent a canoe and paddle about the reservoir. Should you be too tired to go home after
all that, the facilities also over beautiful, fully furnished cottages for rent, although you should
probably reserve ahead of time!
Kamiishizu is home to the Tokiyama Mountain Time Bluegrass Festival. At the southern
end of Kamiishizu, the beautiful village of Tokiyama hosts a number of musicians from Japan and
other countries to sing and play good ol’ bluegrass music.
The date varies, but usually the event
happens in June.
Unfortunately, no trains go to Kamiishizu. However, there are busses that run from Ogaki
to Kamiishizu and probably from other towns as well.
養老町 Yoro-cho
http://www.town.yoro.gifu.jp/
Yoro Koen is the most popular reason for going to Yoro.
Yoro Koen is a pleasant
mountainside park that is great for viewing fall foliage and cherry blossoms. A short hike up through
the park will take you past several omiyage shops, small food vendors, hand-holding couples, and will
eventually lead you to Yoro Falls. This area is famous for a legend about its Kikusui Spring near the
falls:
Long, long ago, there was a woodcutter in this Mino area who, although poor, took care of
his aging father. One day when the woodcutter went into the mountains to gather firewood the smell
of sake came wafting from between some moss covered rocks. Thinking this was odd, he tasted the
water and found that its flavor was indeed that of sake. Happily he filled a gourd with that water and
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brought it home. He had his father drink it and it is understood that the old man joyfully said: “This
sake is second to none!”
The celebratory and merry laughter of father and son was eventually heard all the way in
the capital of Nara. Gensho, the empress of the time, responded to the news: “This must be praise by
the gods of heaven and earth for the virtues of filial piety.” With this interpretation, the empress
herself made her way to the versatile wilds of Yoro, and bathed in the beautiful spring that had
transformed into sake, now known as Kikusui-izumi.
Empress Gensho then stated, “This is a spring of amazake, and its water restores youth. I
too have become younger.” She decided to commemorate that auspicious year, renaming the era as
Yoro to commend filial piety and loyal wives.
Yoro also boasts the enigmatically-named Site of Reversible Destiny, a large-scale
experiential art installation designed to make visitors question their state of reality. The installation
could use a bit of maintenance, but it’s worth the visit just to take home the hilarious English
brochure. Admission is 700 円 and worth it if you bring along friends who are of the right mind-set.
To get to Yoro Koen or the Site of Reversible Destiny, simply follow signs from route 258 (pronounced
“nee-go-pa” by the locals) or take the Yoro Tetsudo-Yoro Line from Ogaki. Get off at Yoro Station,
then walk up the hill towards Mt. Yoro. The Site of Reversible Destiny will be to your left, and Yoro
Koen will be to your right.
輪之内町
Wanouchi-cho
http://wanouchi.n-hp.com/
Wanouchi is a small rural town, with a population of about 9000. The name of this town
literally means “within the circle” and this refers to its position surrounded by dikes, as well as the
Ibigawa 揖斐川, and Nagaragawa
長良川 rivers. It is situated between Kaizu and Anpachi on the
Eastern edge of the Seino region. Wanouchi was founded in 1954 when the three smaller towns of
Nikki, Fukuzuka and Oyabu merged.
Wanouchi, although small, has a long history. When the current Junior High was built in
1949, pottery from the Yoyoi Period (400 B.C. to 300 A.D) was found. Perhaps the most significant
historical event in Wanouchi was the building of the dikes/levees that surround the town. During the
mid to late 1700’s the ruling Shogun Tokugawa Ieshige attempted to weaken the power base of the
powerful Satsuma samurai clan, which was located on the Kyushu Islands. The Shogun ordered the
Satsuma feudal lord to send samurai and resources to the Mino region to help with embankment
work along the three Kiso Rivers (木曽三川): the aforementioned Nagaragawa and Ibigawa, as well as
the Kisogawa (木曽川). As part of their work the Satusuma Samurai created embankments and
modified the rivers to make the land safer and prevent the constant flooding that affected the area.
Building the dikes and altering the rivers was very dangerous and difficult work. In total 88 men lost
their lives. Many men died by sacrificing their lives to help support pillars in the fast moving water,
while others were buried alive. Numerous samurai actually committed ritual suicide by
disembowelment, including the foreman Yukie Hirata who took his own life following the completion
of the construction. Many of these men’s graves remain in Wanouchi and there are also
commemorative monuments in place. Every year Buddhist services are held to honor the sacrifices of
the samurai whose work still protects the town to this day.
Another place of interest in the town is associated with local legend. During the Edo Period
in Niremate Shinda Village 楡俣新田村 (now within Wanouchi) there lived a peasant youth by the
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name of Kanne 勘右衛 who possessed both a kind spirit and extreme physical strength. One day
when Kanne was on his way home after loading his horse’s back with harvested rice, he encountered
a water administration magistrate, along with a procession of attendants from Tara. Since the road
was very narrow there was no way to avert the meeting, however Kanne agilely grabbed his horse’s
feet and lifted the animal onto his shoulders to dodge the company. The surprised and impressed
feudal lord that witnessed the feat bestowed Kanne with many rewards. From this time on the
location was established as Umayokeba and villagers refer to the site as Kanne no Uma Yoke-ba in
appreciation of the peasant’s feat and the lord’s recognition. Today a small plaque marks this spot.
平田町
Hirata-cho (incorporated as Kaizu-shi in 2005)
On the last day of every month, Ochobo Inari Jinjya holds a festival. From dusk until the
wee hours of the morning, regardless of season or weather, you can enjoy the usually festival
trappings of food, drinks, games, produce, and cheap oddities. Great any weekend, regardless of
what day of the month it is, you can people-watch, taste-test, and even buy inari tofu for about 30 円
apiece to throw at the shrine. Why, you ask? For good luck of course! To get to Ochobo Inari
Jinjya, follow signs with a fox symbol, or just stay on route 213 until you see giant red torii gates.
Also in the Hirata area is the Sagi-cho Matsuri.
It is held at the Imao Jinjya on or near
th
February 11 . This matsuri is your chance to see inebriated young men in makeup and floral
kimono light bamboo pillars on fire, knock them over, and then push the burning debris away, over
and over and over again. Why? We don’t know. But it’s designated as an “important intangible folk
cultural asset” to Gifu-ken. And it’s probably the second most entertainingly dangerous festival in Gifu
(taking a back seat to the Tejikara Fire Festival, held every spring).
To get to the Hirata area, take a bus from Ogaki station leaving from stop #2. One of the
buss’s last stops is Imao (look for the kanji ‘ima’ 今 and ‘tail’ 尾). The cost is about 740 円.
Alternatively, you can take the Yoro Tetsudo-Yoro Line from Ogaki towards Kuwana. Get off at
Komano (460 円) and meet a friend there with bikes (or take your own on the train, its ok!). To get
there by car, follow route 258 south from Ogaki and turn left onto 213.
While moonlighting with other prefectures is generally frowned upon by those of us who
live too far inland to do the same, JETs in southern Seino may want to join the Mie-ken yahoo group.
Kuwana, in Mie-ken, has a big mall with movie theater (MyCal Kuwana), shuttle bus to Centrair
airport, and a bus to Nagashima Spa Land—a nice amusement park, water park, onsen, and outlet
mall…all in one!
Furthermore, there is a good alternate route to Nagoya via Kuwana for those in
south Seino.
南濃町
Nanno-cho (incorporated as Kaizu-shi in 2005)
Nanno-cho is home to Sui Sho No Yu 水晶の湯.
This onsen is lovely: big and new, and
right on the side of a mountain. It’s only 500 円, has indoor and outdoor baths, saunas, and
massage (which costs a bit extra). The views from the outside baths are great (especially at night—
they’re usually open until 9). You can look down on the valley below, and often see as far as the
twin towers in Nagoya. (Tel. 0584-58-1126.)
To drive there, take route 258 south towards Kuwana (桑名). After about 30 minutes you’ll
be driving through Nanno-cho. You’ll see signs for the onsen (in kanji) and will need to turn right to
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get there. If you pass the little green convenience store on the left of 258 opposite the cliff then
you’ve gone too far.
By train: take the Yoro Tetsudo-Yoro Line from Ogaki station, towards Kuwana (Yoro Tetsudo platform
1). It’s ¥460 to get to Komano Station, and it takes about 40 minutes. From there you’ll need to
take a taxi (there are usually a couple waiting at the station), which will probably take about 5
minutes. Ask for “Sui Sho No Yu”, or if you can’t remember that, “Nanno Onsen” should do the trick.
It is also possible to walk; it takes about 20 minutes. From the parking lot at the bottom of the
mountain, there’s a free shuttle bus that will take you up to the onsen. I think there might be hiking
trails, too.
Also in Nanno-cho is a great little café called M & D’s Café. The owner Keiko Deguchi is
extremely nice and the food is great. It is within a walk-able distance from Ishizu Station.
At the very southern tip of Gifu-ken is Kisosansen Koen (Three Rivers Park). The park is not
actually all-Gifu. The majority of it lies in Mie and Aichi kens. The park is where 3 major rivers
meet: Ibigawa, Nagaragawa, and Kisogawa. The park has grassy patches which are nice for playing
Frisbee or sitting around, a tulip festival in the spring, and “illumination” in December (Christmas
lights ALL OVER THE GROUND- weird but nice). To get to the park, take the Yoro Tetsudo-Yoro Line to
Ishizu station or Tado station, and then a bus to the park.
海津町 Kaizu-cho (incorporated as Kaizu-shi in 2005)
http://www.city.kaizu.lg.jp/index.jsp
http://www.city.kaizu.lg.jp/english/english_top.jsp
Kaizu is a marshy area encircled by the Three Kiso Rivers 木曽三川. It also contains part of
the Kisosansen Koen mentioned above in the Nanno-cho section. Within this portion of the park
there is a famous row of pine trees called Zenbonmatsubara, planted by samurai from Kagoshima
who also helped save Kaizu from flooding (same Satsuma clan that worked in Wanouchi, see
Wanouchi section).
In more modern times, Kaizu-cho was selected along with Ogaki City as one of the “100
Selected Water Spots” in Japan during the mid-1990s (they actually chose 107, but who’s counting?).
This campaign aimed to promote water conservation, and honored those cities that “have been
particularly successful in sustaining and developing local tradition or unique life styles around water
and advancing local development by preserving and making use of [the] water environment,” (Water
Resources; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport site).
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大垣市
Ōgaki-shi
Ōgaki, city of water, is known as being the most centrally located city in Japan. It
has a population of approximately 160,000, and is one of the largest cities in Gifu
prefecture. Ōgaki has quite a few restaurants, drinking spots and leisure facilities,
and so can be a good place to hang out. The JR train station has good links, so it’s
Flag of Ōgaki
easy to meet friends from other areas of Seino and Gifu here.
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Orientation
There are two main roads intersecting Ōgaki. Route 21 runs east (towards Maibara) to west (towards
Gifu), through the north end of the city. Route 258 (known locally as the ‘ni-go-pa’) runs north to
south, east of the train station.
Ōgaki is easily explored on bicycle. There are several bike parks surrounding the station. So, if you
find yourself coming to Ōgaki often, but don’t live here, it would be an option to leave a bike in the
city for when you visit. (It’s also where your Seino RPA’s live)
Tourist Information Center
For more information on Ōgaki, especially its events and festivals, please call into the Ōgaki Tourist
Center at the station. You’ll find it nestled among the shops on the south side of the station. It’s an
extremely small place, so be careful not to miss it. There should be a sign on the pavement outside
though. The staff may or may not speak any English, depending who’s manning the Center when you
call. Nevertheless, you should be able to pick up some leaflets in English.
Ōgaki’s official website is here: http://www.city.ogaki.lg.jp
Festivals and Events
Jumangoku Matsuri
Held in central Ōgaki on or around the 10th of October. This is pretty much your standard shrinecarrying, shouting and alcohol-drinking festival. It can get rather noisy! But it’s made special by the
fact that, as international visitors to the area, Seino JETs are often invited to help carry the City Hall’s
omikoshi (portable shrine). Plus, a drinks cart is pulled alongside the parade, which means free drinks
as you go. Mark your calendars!
Ōgaki Matsuri
Ōgaki Matsuri is held in central Ōgaki in early May, featuring the
eleven traditional floats of Ōgaki making their way on a tour of the
city. There is also a wide range of foods and vendors who show up for
the fun. It’s a relatively sedate affair, but is a pleasant way to spend a
weekend afternoon.
Mizu Matsuri (Water Festival)
This festival includes the typical stands of festival food. Some highlights include paper lanterns being
floated down the Suimon River, Tanabata decorations along the street, and local Ogaki folk dances.
This festival is typically held around the first weekend of August.
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Weekend shopping festivals
Ōgaki also has numerous weekend shopping festivals throughout
the year. Many local shops are suffering, due to the number of large
shopping malls that have appeared in Ōgaki in recent years. These
weekends have a kind of festival atmosphere, and are a good chance
to buy from local traders and show your support. They are friendly
affairs, often with food, music and dance performances. Recent
shows have included singer/songwriters, belly dancers and the local
hip-hop troupe.
Every 1st Sunday of the month there is also a Idol/Cosplay/Music
event on the main road south from the train station (whether it’s
any good is up to you to decide )
Things To See
Ogaki Castle and park
Ogaki Castle (Ogaki-jo) 大垣城 is situated in the center of the city. It is located in a pleasant park
and during the spring, the cherry blossoms around the park and the castle are particularly beautiful.
The park is a good spot for meeting friends and having a picnic (but no bbqs).
Sumiyoshi lighthouse area
Heading south of the park past City Hall is the Sumiyoshi Lighthouse and canal area. This is a nice
enough walk, especially during the blossoming spring months. The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō
finished his famous journey (Oku no Hosomichi or, in English, The Narrow Road to the Interior) is here
too. It’s marked by a statue of Bashō with his traveling companion, Sora. You’ll also find a red bridge,
which looks perfect in photos against the springtime blossom. The wooden boat in the river is a
reminder of Ōgaki’s importance as a trading post in times gone by. There’s a small museum close by,
but there’s little English information.
Sunomata “Ichiya (one night)” Castle
There’s another castle in Ogaki – and, as legend would have it, the
Sunomata Castle was built in just one night. The castle, in the east of the
city, was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a general of Oda Nobunaya, while
performing a siege on Inabayama Castle.
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Water springs
If you have an afternoon to kill, you could do worse than wandering around Ōgaki, and tracking down
its fresh water springs – there are many of them, and several within walking distance of the station.
Bring empty bottles, and drink to your heart’s content. The water really is good here, and is used to
make local products such as mizu manju, a sweet. From around spring, mizu manju (‘water cake’, but
more like a jelly) can be found in the traditional sweet shops along the high street. Look for the carts
outside of the stores. Some shops serve the sweet together with muicha, (refreshing tea), so you can
enjoy a nice sit-down if the sauntering gets too much.
Rest posts on the Nakasendō
In the Edo Period, the Nakasendō (otherwise known as the
Kisokaido) was one of the five major routes across Japan, used for
trade and traveling. Along the route – which ran from Nihonbashi in
Edo (now, Tokyo) to Sanjō Ōhashi in Kyoto – were 69 rest stations.
Perhaps the most famous stops on this route are in Magome and
Tsumago, where the old towns are extremely well-preserved. Locally,
Hiroshige’s impression of
rest stations were Meiji-juku (Mizuho), Akasaka-juku (Ōgaki), Tarui-
Akasaka-juku
juku, Sekigahara-juku and Imasu-juku (Sekigahara). Akasaka-juku
was the 56th of the 69 stations, which flourished during the Edo
Period as it was located in a fertile valley, next to a river.
Eating & Drinking
The best approach to finding the hidden gems in Ōgaki is to simply explore; don’t be afraid to walk
into a bar or restaurant. The locals really get a kick out of seeing foreigners in small establishments
(usually since they want to try out the few English words they know!)
RESTAURANTS
On Route 258, running north-south of the city, there are many places to grab a bite. At the
northern end, towards Route 21, you can find several noodle shops. However, most of the
restaurants on this road are south of Loc City. Heading out of the city towards Yoro, you will find
Denny’s
Coco Ichiban (the curry shop where you choose the level of
spiciness you can handle), and numerous other places to
eat.
Also on this road is Staminataro, the buffet restaurant, which has become slightly infamous among
local JETs. Here, you can eat as much as you like for ¥2000 over a ninety-minute period. Choose from
yakiniku, curry and rice, agemono (fried foods), sushi and desserts.
For cheap eats on Route 258, go to McDonalds, Sukiya, or the takoyaki stall.
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On Route 21, running east-west through north Ōgaki, you can find Coco’s California
Restaurant and Saizeria (family restaurants with diverse menus), Coco Ichiban (curry),
Bronco Billy (slightly expensive but good American-style steakhouse), a (rather tatty)
KFC (for everyone’s Christmas chicken desires)
Sushiro a kaitenzushi (Conveyor belt sushi) place and a 24-hour McDonalds
(refurbished in July 2010). There are also yakiniku and ramen shops here.
Heading north out of Ōgaki on Route 18, cross Route 21, and you will soon find a
Brazilian supermarket ‘Amigos’ (Located near Sushi Roll). As well as being good
for cheap meat, cheese, and products imported from Brazil, which are great for
Spanish cooking, upstairs there is a buffet café, which also serves big fat burgers and the like.
Routes 21 and 258 are fairly long roads, so some places are best reached by car. However, if you
don’t mind cycling, the city is your oyster.
The road alongside Aeon Town (formerly Loc City)
The road running east next to Aeon Town has a few treats too. Here you can find Marino’s, an Italian
restaurant with English menus. They specialize in set meals to share (appetizer, salad/soup, pasta,
pizza, drinks and dessert), which are very reasonably priced. The pizzas are thin and crispy, and
cooked in a stone oven. Marino’s also does takeout (pizzas only), and you can choose ‘half&half’ for
an additional ¥100. You’ll have to pick your order up, but you can place your order on the phone.
A little further down this road, maybe a kilometer past Softopia, is Mos Burger. It’s on the left. Try
the burgers which have the bread bun replaced with rice cakes!
There are also ramen and yakitori places on this road.
Route 18
Route 18 has some excellent places to eat. Heading west (on the right-hand side), is Babyface Planets,
supposedly a cool place for young couples and dating parties. The menu has pizza, omu-raisu, and
pasta and rice gratins.
Also heading west (also on the right-hand side), you can find the best ramen shop in the city (if not
the prefecture!) You’ll soon spot Nakamuraya from its big yellow sign, and the queue waiting outside.
Rain, snow or shine, people will wait a long time for this ramen, and justifiably so. It’s excellent. The
fatty-meat pork broth soup, abura-soba is highly recommended.
On the left-hand side of the road, you’ll find Pastel, an ‘Italian’ restaurant. This shop is well-known for
its pudding, and all-you-can-eat pizza.
A little further along (on the right-hand side) is Masala Master, an excellent Indian/Nepalese
restaurant, open 11:00-14:30 for lunch, 17:30-22:30 for dinner (with one holiday during the week)
(0584-81-6999). It has a yellow sign, with a sun motif. The owners are Nepalese and fluent in English,
as well as Japanese. The food is delicious, and they have a beast of a set meal for dinner. There is a
limited menu at lunchtime, but they offer lunch sets that include salad, curry and your choice of naan
or rice. Masala Master now does takeout too. The restaurant is located on Route 18, just west of the
Municipal Hospital. If you are coming from Ōgaki station, go down the main street in front of the
station, take a right once you hit a T-intersection. The shop with be on the right-hand side of the
street, but it’s quite far down. It’s quite a long walk so a bicycle/bus ride to the T-intersection (route
18) is recommended.
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In the opposite direction of the junction with Route 258 is Chorky’s. A perennial favourite with JETs,
Chorky’s is a 50’s style diner serving up the best American-style hamburgers in the area. And we’re
not talking just the skimpy stuff they pass off as burgers at Mos Burger. We’re talking the real deal.
Chorky’s also offers onion rings, hot dogs, root beer, pink lemonade, Budweiser, huge ice cream
sundaes and the most glorious milkshakes in a variety of different flavors. To reach Chorky’s, head
south on Route 258 and turn left when you see Ōgaki hospital on the right (Route 18). Go down two
blocks, and you’ll see it on the left (north side) of the street.
Just a little further east, and you’ll reach a junction. Turn left for cheap-as-chips kaiten sushi, or right
for Gyukaku, a reasonable yakiniku restaurant. The
all-you-can-eat course here is especially good.
In the same Direction, going down route 258 south
from the station and taking a left onto route 30 for
about 2 blocks you’ll get to a really nice Chinese
restaurant called Riyoi. Or if you’re walking then go
straight down south from Aeon Town along the canal
until you come to the intersection and see the Red
and Yellow sign. It’s about a 10 minute walk.
Ōgaki station area & high street
Let’s not forget the restaurants on Ōgaki high street. Walking around this area will uncover enough
places to choose from. A favourite is the Korean restaurant, which serves excellent home-made
kimchi (look out for the flags outside). They also do a limited takeout menu. And there’s a small
Italian café, which serves perhaps the only lasagna in the city.
There are a couple of sushi and noodle shops just a short walk down the high street too. These
places do some handsome fresh takeout bentos. They also do eat-in set meals (including tofu made
from Ōgaki water, sushi, noodles, rice and tsukemono), which make for a nice Japanese-style dinner,
or a pretty lavish lunch.
Other places
Other favourites include QuicheQuiche (near the police station). The city has many other treats, and
these can often be uncovered by picking up a copy of Wao! magazine (delivered free to most homes
in the city).
BARS
There aren’t many western-style bars in Ogaki, and we’ve looked! On the high street, there may
appear to be a couple, but the glasses of beer are small, and the cover charge high. Unless you’re
going to eat there, these places can make for an expensive experience. Snack bars tend to be
invitation only, so you’ll need to make friends with a local salaryman if you want to go to one of
them! (You’ll know a snack when you pass one – you’ll hear drunken male voices belting out enka).
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There are a couple of places that are recommended though (although a cover charge will apply).
Wave is just behind the big bank building on the high street (it’s that big white square building that
glows green at night). This is a friendly enough place, which makes some good White Russians.
The Blues Bar (we’re not sure this is actually its name!) is so small, you can easily miss it. It’s opposite
the Nishiōgaki station. It’s a cluttered little place, with a jovial blues-loving old guy running the show.
You should really only come here if you are prepared to drink whiskey – the menu’s pretty limited!
Third is the Gifu FC Sports Bar, just around the corner from the Tomidaya supermarket. Walk south
from the station, and take the second major road on your left (east). It’s after the American clothing
shop, but before the supermarket. It’s just down a side street on the left. It’s a pretty smart place, so
don’t come here looking too scruffy. Of course, they show football, and the bar staff love to talk
about it.
There is also a nice little bar of the south main road of the station called Miroku but you won’t know
that as it has no sign outside. What it does have is two stuffed toy cows outside in a variety of
amusing positions, good music (no, really) and truly great cocktails.
For more specific directions to any of these places just ask us when you get here.
IZAKAYAS
Izakayas are where most people go to drink they offer food and drinks, minus the noisy karaoke of a
snack bar. Walk down the high street, and you’ll find several, but you are likely to need some
Japanese to be able to order.
If you want to go out for a drink in style check out Barrel, a classy joint near the station. From the
South exit take a left, the bar will be on your right-hand side, just after the small bridge. This place is
really small but the bartenders are fantastic and the liquor selection is unbelievable. This place
specializes in whiskey but they have pretty much everything else you can imagine too.
The Ogaki-jo Saloon is another classy place and serves food as well as alcohol. Located near the
castle, the calm atmosphere of the place is accented by a garden in the back with a waterfall you can
view from your table. It’s a little pricy, but good for a special occasion.
Hatagoya is close to the station. Walk left out of the south exit, and take the first road on the right.
It’ll be on your left. It is (supposedly) French-Japanese style, and has a wide (picture) menu to choose
from. Upstairs, they take group bookings, with all-you-can-drink set courses.
Warajaya. Turn left out of the south exit of Ogaki station, walk two to three minutes, and it’s on your
left, just before the footbridge. Warajaya is a classy izakaya/restaurant with great Japanese and
Italian food. However, it can get a little pricy. This is a great place to grab dinner with friends or hold
an enkai dinner on their second or third floors.
Yataiya. Walk straight out of Ogaki’s southern exit and along the main strip to find Yataiya. Keep
going and take a left just before crossing over the river bridge. Yataiya is just around the corner on
the left. A great little izakaya with a friendly owner who speaks no English but often gives discount
beer vouchers if you spend a lot of money. The food and beer is good, and it’s a great place to chat
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to some Ogaki locals.
Ogiya. There’s always a branch of this chain izakaya lurking somewhere around the corner (look for
the blue crouching Buddha-like guy on the sign). Ogiya is usually a good place to find the local
youngsters or young-at-heart eating yakitori and drinking “nama biiru” in a no-frills but authentic
izakaya atmosphere. In Ogaki, there’s a 258 branch (a little more lively and said to be the Japanese
youngsters’ preferred pick-up joint) and another branch across from Softopia.
And, getting back to Ogaki on the last train? Not ready to stop
drinking? Just across from the station on the left-hand side, is
Uotami, an izakaya that is open until 5am. Look for the red signs.
The menu is extensive and it’s pretty cheap too.
COFFEE & QUICK BITES
Ōgaki is certainly not short of coffee shops, and many of them are delightfully kitsch. Many serve set
breakfasts, so if you’re an early riser and don’t want to prepare your own, head to a coffee shop and
see how the modern Japanese do breakfast.
If you are a discerning customer, Komeda coffee is perhaps the Starbucks of the lot, spacious with
plush red seats and a decent menu. People while away hours here, reading books, chatting, working
or studying, and no-one seems to mind. However, should you be brought a small cup of ‘service’ tea,
it might be time to buy another drink, or go home. (Apparently that’s your cue to leave! Go out of the
north side of the station. Turn right, and keep going for five minutes. You’ll find Komeda on your left
at the junction.
In Ōgaki station, you will find Vie De France, Mister Donut and Doutor, all of which do coffee or eatin. For ambience, Doutor is perhaps the best. In Mister Donut, you will be lucky to avoid students
studying (or hanging out!)
Lotteria, also at the station, is cheap and dirty fast food. In the summer, grab a kakinori (shaved ice)
to quickly feel refreshed.
Cheesecake Princess, as you may suspect, is a nice place for cheesecake. It’s within walking distance
of Ōgaki station, but it’s a bit of a trek. You’ll find it just one block south of Ōgaki City Hall. It’s a little
expensive, but the food is generally of high quality.
Onigiri Koro Koro (おにぎりコロコロ) This little bento store east of Yanagen has the freshest and
cheapest lunches and onigiri. A hand-made hot onigiri costs only 80 円 (compare that to the typical
110-120 円 ones in a typical grocery or combini), and made-to-order bentos range in prices from
300-550 円. It’s a favourite with students too, and you’ll often find them sneaking out from juku to
grab a snack. To get to the little store, go south from Ogaki station, and go left at the first light. It’s a
small store with orange banners. Let’s keep the sweet ladies that run this place in business, okay?
SHOPPING MALL FOOD COURTS
Aeon Town Food Court (downstairs) has an eat-in curry restaurant, Saizeriya (chain of inexpensive
family-style Italian), ramen shop and Korean restaurant. Or grab something from McDonalds, Sukiya,
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the udon or okonomiyaki places, and sit down in the communal seating area. That way, everyone
gets to eat from different places.
Aquawalk has a food court too. Downstairs tends to be restaurants, ranging from tofu buffet to
misokatsudon and agemono to a place where you cook-your-own meat on a personal sizzling hot
plate. Upstairs, there is a communal seating area, and the shops tend to be fast food style.
Further out of town heading south, you can find places to eat at a second Aeon shopping centre,
down Route 258. The Subway and Starbucks are fond reminders of home.
Shopping
SHOPPING MALLS
Seino is lucky to have many shopping malls in the area. Don’t take the ease of shopping for granted,
many other areas of Gifu are not so lucky, so take advantage of the shops available to you.
Aeon Town
JETs living within Seino will have visited Aeon
Town (especially those living in the Ogaki
teachers’ apartments - kyouin jutaku – which
are right next door). LOC City is a westernstyle mall, with a list of stores including
Sports Authority, Sleeping Factory, Daiso
(¥100 store) and MaxValu supermarket, which is open 24hrs a day. MaxValu carries quite a few
western brands, but you may need to hunt for them. Next to the supermarket, you will find a drug
store, plant store, food shops and others. Above the supermarket, are clothing, bags, books, shoes,
CDs and DVDs. Loc City has a Food Court too, featuring cheap eats. There is also Korona World which
is part of the Aeon Town complex. An entertainment center with a twelve-screen movie theater,
bowling alley, karaoke, game center, and pachinko parlor, Korona World is an easy place to spend an
evening. Korona World’s sento (Japanese-style bath) is a wonderful place to spend a winter afternoon
or evening, sweating in the sauna, getting a massage and taking a long bath (outdoors if you’re
feeling brave!)
To get to Aeon Town: Some of the buses leaving from Stop #3 on Ogaki Station’s South side will take
you there. It’s just a 10-15 minute walk though. Simply exit south from the station, and turn a left. Go
straight for about 10-15 minutes and it will be right ahead of you. Cut through the teachers’
apartments for easy access.
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Aquawalk (APITA)
This mall includes such favorites as MUJI, Seria (¥100 shop), Tokyo Glass Company (Cheap place to
buy prescription eye glasses ¥5,000-8,000), and Kaldi Coffee Farm (foreign foods and fresh coffee)
and Uniqlo amongst others. The JEUGIA Culture Center in the
mall also offers a variety of classes in martial arts, dance, arts
and crafts and more. The mall is located just north of Ōgaki
station.
AEON Ogaki (formerly Jusco –
Different than AEON Town)
This titanic mall is located in
southern Ōgaki, and a good trek by
bike. One of the buses from the
Southside of Ōgaki station that
departs from Stop #4 can take you
there.
It can also be reached
from the Mino Yanagi stop on the
southbound Yoro Testudo Line
toward Yoro and Kuwana.
It’s a
fifteen minute walk southeast from the station. This beast of consumerism houses the following (plus
a lot more): Starbucks, Kaldi Coffee Farm, Tsutaya Form (New and used designer handbags and
regular shoe store), Village Vanguard (kitschy gifts, home items, books, and all other manner of cool
stuff), Shanghai Kaiyasu (all-you-can-eat Chinese), St-Marc Café and, of course, AEON department
store. Some of the stores here also have larger sizes for those gaijin bodies of ours.
Heiwado (APITA)
On Route 31, east of the city, this is by far the smallest of the Ogaki malls, and perhaps the least
visited by JETs. It closes earlier than the others, but its grocery store tends to offer more discounts
than some of the others. It also has a Kahma home center where you can buy some furnishings for
your house, as well as tools and gardening equipment.
PLANT 6
A Mega complex south of Ogaki (though more in-between Ogaki and Hozumi), it is basically like an
American Super-Walmart. It has a full grocery store including a produce section and bakery as well as
a pet, car, home goods, electronics, clothing, outdoor, sporting, shoes and luggage sections. All the
items are sold at low or vary reasonable prices. To get to PLANT 6 you probably have to take a car. Go
down the 21 towards Gifu (East) and you will see a huge red and White sign that says PLANT 6 (Turn
at the intersection with a Kappa Zushi, McDonalds and Aoki Suit company stores on the corners)
Follow the road until you see PLANT 6 on your right.
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SUPERMARKETS
There are supermarkets in all of Ōgaki’s shopping malls but, while they might be convenient, they are
not the cheapest.
Valor, north of Ōgaki station, is cheaper, and often discounts heavily at the end of the day (meat, fish
and ready-prepared foods especially). Also, the Tomidaya chain is very reasonable, and has a good
selection of bento-ready stuff. There’s one not far from Loc City. Also, check out the Brazilian
supermarket `Amigos`, just north of Route 21.
On the high street is Yanagen department store. It also has a supermarket, in the building behind.
There’s a small but nice bakery here, and the deli counters stock agemono and salads. Exit the station
through the south exit and walk straight. You’ll find it on the high street, on your right.
HOME GOODS
Nitori is similar in style to IKEA, selling flat-pack furniture, kitchen equipment and furnishings for
every room of the house. It’s quite reasonably priced too. You’ll find it down Route 258. It’s the big,
green store.
For soft furnishings, Sleeping Factory at Aeon Town is good, but can be pricey. Still, they’ll help you
find the futon of your dreams.
If DIY’s your thing, Kahma is the place you need. Located in the Heiwado complex it has every tool or
supply you’ll need. You can find another large DIY shop just northeast of Muro station (north of the
tracks). Exit the station on the south side. There’s a huge Eiden (electrical store) about a 15 minute
walk with a home center next to it. Go straight down from the station and take the first right (the
Yanagen supermarket will be on your left and walk until you reach route 18, it will be on your right.
Its massive and you will see it coming).
ELECTRICAL GOODS
Check out Eiden (above). K’s Denki is also down the road from Aquawalk, and there is a JOSHIN in
Ogaki Aeon Mall. Also try Yamada Denki which is on the 258 across from Nitori. A
SECONDHAND STUFF
Secondhand things are sold in “recycle stores” in Japan. Check out Second Street on Route 258
(opposite Nitori) for clothes, furniture, and electrical goods. A little further down the 258, on the
same side as Second Street, is Treasure Bomb, which sells used clothing, anime related action figures
and goods, and some used brand handbags. Almost at the junction of Route 258 and Route 21, you
can find another store, but it’s mainly furniture and a little more expensive.
Hard Off/Book Off on Route 21 is the place to find books, CDs, movies and musical instruments. You
can also sell things at these places too, but don’t expect to get a lot for what you sell.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
There’s a guitar and musical instrument shop on the high street. They also give drum and guitar
lessons in store. Also Shimamura Music in Aquawalk has a wide range of instruments and accessories.
Plus you can hire the room at the back of the shop for practicing.
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BOOKS
On the fourth floor of the Apio department store (above Ōgaki station) is a bookstore that gets very
crowded with students reading magazines after school. There is a spinning stand of English books,
plus maps. There is a similar store in Gifu station called Sanseido.
On the second floor of the Aeon Town mall (above the supermarket) there is a bookstore with some
English books and manga, and a good selection of Japanese language study materials. If you don’t
have luck here, you can always check out Ogaki AEON and Aquawalk bookshops as well.
In Nagoya, Maruzen in Sakae has a large collection of English books on the 3rd floor. It’s glorious, but
slightly expensive. Kinokuniya, on the sixth floor of the Loft (Nadya Park in Sakae), also has English
books.
Amazon.co.jp has a “shop in English” option for its Japanese operations. With loads of English books,
CDs, and free shipping on orders over ¥1500, it’s hard to go wrong. Most orders take only a few days,
and you can usually pay COD. There’s also the option to pay over the counter in a convenience store.
Editor’s Note: I highly recommend purchasing English books from the Japanese Amazon site as
opposed to buying them at a store. They are considerably cheaper online. Another option for
English books is to purchase a Kindle or similar e-reader from your home country. As long as you
have a credit or debit card account still active in that country you can purchase books for it quick and
painlessly. Not to mention that you won’t end up with a bunch of heavy books. Read further if
you just want info on libraries.
ALCOHOL
Liquor Mountain keeps the JET community well-oiled. Anything you can think of (and many things
you can’t!) are here – liquor, beer, wine, sake. It’s on Route 21, so is best reached by car or bicycle. If
you’re walking, leave Ōgaki station through the North exit and walk straight for 10-15 minutes until
you reach Route 21, then turn left and you’ll find it on your left. It’s closed on Tuesdays. As well as
alcoholic drinks, you can find a variety of other goodies here, including a good selection of cheeses,
hams, dried pastas, sauces, and even Tim-Tams for the Australians and Hershey’s for the Americans.
You can find a number of small family-run sake shops around Ōgaki. There’s a particularly good one
on the high street, not far from the station. Go out of the south exit and walk straight. It’ll be on your
left.
There’s also a great Nihonshu brewery in Ōgaki. North of the train tracks, this place has been making
nihonshu in Ogaki for years. Having consumed several of the different varieties, I can confidently say
that it’s really good too. The shop is small, and not much English is spoken, but you’ll be able to get by.
This reasonably-priced sake makes a good gift, if you’re ever stuck for a present. They will even wrap
it for you. Check out the cloudy ‘doboroku’ from here too. It’s a winner. To get here, Go out of the
station’s North exit. Make your way to the first floor. Aquawalk will be in front of you. Turn right, and
walk to the next junction (Komeda Coffee is on the corner). Turn left, down one of Ōgaki’s most
traditional streets. Keep going to the end of the street, and the brewery’s shop will be right in front of
you, across the road, on the left. It’s about a fifteen minute walk from the station.
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TICKETS
Inside Yamagen, near the stairwell, there’s a booth where you can buy tickets to concerts around
Japan. Concert tickets can also be bought at various convenience stores(Circle K, Lawson, 7-11)
through an automated kiosk. But if you’d rather speak to a person when ordering your tickets,
Yanagen is a good place to start.
Discount train and shinkansen tickets can be bought from a little office on the high street (just on the
left, as you look at the station (close to the koban), or in a small store in Aquawalk on the 1st floor.
Look for the anime memorabilia.
Entertainment
INTERNET CAFES
If you wanna hang out in a little booth, surf the internet, play someone else’s games or read someone
else’s manga, then get yourself to an internet café. Unlimited soft drinks are a bonus. There’s one
called Dream Chain on Route 21, and another is in Korona World at Aeon Town under the movie
theater.
PURIKURA & AMUSEMENTS
How to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day? You can find game centers and purikura machines
(photo booths that print onto stickers/seals) at Aeon Town, Ogaki Aeon and Aquawalk.
KARAOKE
Shidax There is no better place when it comes to the timeless butchering of songs at karaoke. Go
down Route 258 towards Yoro, and you’ll see it on the right about 50 meters before the Shinkansen
tracks. Once you’re a member, you can choose from a vast array of nomihodai (drink as much as you
like) menus, and then proceed to your booth and sing until the early hours. There are also Shidax
establishments in Gifu and Nagoya.
Oddly enough, Japan Rent-a-Car has karaoke! By far the cheapest place to go “karaoke-ing.” Rather
than paying per person, rates are based on room rental. You are also free to bring in your own alcohol
and treats from the outside. Woohoo!
There is also Karaoke inside of Korona World at Aeon Town
BOWLING
Waku-Waku Bowling (わくわく) This is an arcade, bowling, pool and video games center. You can
find Waku-Waku just opposite of Liquor Mountain on Route 21.
Also, Korona World at Aeon Town has both karaoke and bowling.
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SPORTS CLUBS & GYMS
Konami Sports Club is located in Ōgaki right beside Aeon Town. (You can spot Konami Sports Club on
the right while traveling toward Gifu on the train.). Telephone: 0584–74–6811. The Sports Club has an
indoor 25-meter swimming pool, a weights/cardio room, and two aerobics studios. It is open from
10am to 11pm, Monday to Friday (closed Tuesdays); 9am to 10pm on Saturdays; and 9am to 7pm on
Sundays.
You need to be a member of the sports club to use the facilities, including the pool. The cost each
month depends on the type of membership. A full membership includes access to all facilities, at any
time (circa ¥11,000 per month). Other types of membership include ‘pool only’, and ‘during limited
hours.’ Please check with the staff for prices.
To become a member, you need to fill in forms in Japanese, and the easiest way to do it (if you speak
little or no Japanese) is to have your supervisor fill out the forms for you. (You could call and arrange
for the forms to be ready to be picked up, which will save time). In addition to the completed forms,
to join you will also need your inkan (your Japanese stamp that acts as your signature), bank account
information (they take your payment directly from your account each month) and the joining fee.
They often give your first month free, so try asking. (And, if you know someone who is already a
member, and they recommend you, they get one month free, too). The monthly fee is debited from
your bank account, however depending on the time you join the gym, you may need to pay fees for
the first month or two up-front.
When you join the gym, you will need to do an orientation of the gym. The staff will arrange this with
you at the front desk. This is pretty much all in Japanese, but it’s no problem if you haven’t mastered
the language yet. There is also a separate orientation for the use of the pool. Once you’re a member,
you can use other Konami Sports Clubs around Japan (including the bigger one at Gifu station) but
there may be a fee.
The Ōgaki City Budokan (武道館) is quite far from the center of Ōgaki. It’s approximately 30 minutes
cycle from Ogaki station. Go south down Route 258, away from Ōgaki, and under the Shinkansen
tracks. You’ll see signs for it in English. It will be located on your left, just off Route 258.
The Budokan is an excellent place to practice martial arts. They have a variety of classes running
throughout the week. There is also a great gym, which is free to join and only ¥300 each time you go.
The Budokan is only a few years old, a modern facility, paid for and subsidised by Ōgaki taxpayers. It
is definitely worth the cycle.
LIBRARIES
The Suitopia Center is the main education and cultural exchange site for Ogaki. It is also the home of
Ogaki Library. The Library has a reasonable collection of English books on the 2nd floor. There is a
daily copy of the Japan Times in English, as well as TIME Asia in English. To join, you fill in a form and
are issued a card. Tel. 0584–78–2622. To see a map, check out this website: www.is.ocpl.ogaki.gifu.jp.
Opening hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9am to 6pm. Saturday, Sunday, and
National holidays: 9am to 5pm.
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The Gifu Prefectural Library is located near the Nishi Gifu station. The Library has a good collection of
fiction and non-fiction books in English and other languages. They also have magazines from around
the world. The English books are on the 2nd floor. To join, you fill in a form and are issued a card. You
can borrow up to ten items at any one time. To get there, take the JR line to Nishi-Gifu station (230
yen from Ogaki; 180 yen from Gifu City). From the station you can walk (10 minutes) or catch the free
shuttle bus (which usually comes twice an hour, on the hour and half hour).
To walk: when you come out of the station, walk straight to the furthest set of stairs on your left. Go
down the stairs and walk straight. You will pass a sign on your left hand side that says Gifu Prefectural
Art Museum, Gifu Prefectural Library 700 meters. Turn left at the first big intersection you come to
after this sign (Look for the corner with the Circle K and a Sun-Post Building) and walk straight, going
through three or four intersections. You will come to an intersection where there is a park (art gallery
grounds) and a restaurant (black building). Cross here, turning right, so that you are walking along in
front of the art gallery grounds. At the end of this block, cross the road and you are at the Prefectural
Library.
To take the free shuttle bus: when you come out of the station, turn left and go down the first set of
stairs. When you get to the bottom of the stairs, cross the road and go to the little wooden bus
shelter. They have a sign with the timetable there. When the bus leaves, the library is the 2nd stop
(toshokan and bijutsukan). Remember to get off the bus on the side of the road that the library is on.
When going back to the station by bus, cross the road and catch it on the opposite side The bus
usually leaves at 20 past and 50 past the hour.
Tel. 0582–75–5111. www.library.pref.gifu.jp. Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 8 pm;
Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays 10 am to 6 pm; and closed on Mondays, the final Friday of
each month, and the day after a National Holiday.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
JAPANESE LESSONS
The Suitopia Center (スイートピアセンタ) contains both the Ogaki International Center and the
Ogaki City Library. The International Center has official information on life in Ogaki or local events.
You can even get yourself a Japanese tutor here! It’s a volunteer system, so you may need to wait a
few weeks until someone suitable can be found, but you can soon enjoy weekly lessons at the
Suitopia Center. There’s a small charge of just ¥1000 per term, which is for administration costs. To
apply for a teacher, simply fill in the form, and someone will call you (in English).
KIMONO WEARING
You may need to be taking Japanese lessons at the International Center to take advantage of this, I’m
not sure. But you can spend a morning being dressed in a kimono – it takes much longer than you
think! It’s a good photo opportunity.
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ART & TECHNOLOGY
Not to be confused with Suitopia, Softopia lies on the other side of town. This is the technological
hub of Gifu. On occasion, some interesting events are held here, including the graduation exhibition
for IAMAS (a graduate school and specialized vocational school in media arts and sciences). This
educational institution is also located in Ogaki and the workplace of a CIR. Located across from
Softopia on the west side is an “Asian” restaurant that includes the only Thai cuisine in Ogaki. You can
also find the Enso izakaya in the same building.
Personal Care
HAIR SALONS & BARBERS
You’ll probably never look as well-groomed as those girls that re-do their make-up on the train, but at
least you can have nice hair.
If you need a cut, make your way to G.TRIP. The stylist’s name is Tomoko Mackintosh and she speaks
wonderful English. She lived in London for eleven years doing salon work, and is married to a British
guy, I believe. The salon operates based on reservations, so pop in and set one up, or give them a call
(0584-40-7810). To get there, walk straight down the main street in front of the station. G.TRIP is on
the right side of the road, on the second floor, right above the clothing shop called GLAMDY (this
clothing, by the way, is all designed by a native Ogakian). Basic prices are: ¥3,825~4,500 for a cut,
¥6,375~7,500 for coloring (Tomoko’s favorite! She carries/can order colors that are otherwise difficult
to find in Japan), ¥5,355~6,000 for a perm. Tomoko may even give you a discount on the first cut. If
you keep a point card, you can get a good discount after a few appointments.
There’s also Rapunzel (Gifu City 0582-64-4486). Open Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 8pm; Sunday and
holidays 10am to 6pm; and closed Mondays. Tomomi-san is the owner and she speaks English.
Examples of prices: ¥4,500 for a cut, ¥9,800 for a perm. The salon is located a little past Bierhall. If
you’re not familiar with Bierhall, you can follow the over pass from Gifu Station and take the stairs on
the left side of the big street where the buses stop. Hook a left at the corner where the Ju Roku Bank
is located. Go two blocks up (the first block is marked by a Mister Donuts), and turn right. Go straight
for two more blocks and Rapunzel is on your right hand side on the 2nd floor of the Le Clair building.
If there is one thing Ōgaki is not short of, it’s barbershops. You will see red and blue barber poles all
over the place! They’ll give you a short back and sides anytime. However if you fancy something a
little more ‘Beckham,’ try “Hair and Make.” From the South exit of Ogaki station, head south along
the strip. Take a left at second interchange and walk along the canal. Walk for two or three blocks and
it’s on the right hand side of the road. Look for big orange “S” sign. This place is for men and women.
They don’t speak English, and it’s a little expensive, but they do have a picture book full of hairstyles!
Most of these hairstyles are likely to be quite scary, but you might find something you like. Although
it’s expensive, your fourth haircut is free
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RELAXATION
Sometimes you just want to soak in a big tub with strangers. Right?
There are no onsens in Ogaki but there is a sento (public baths- more or less the same thing). The
super-sento at Korona World, Aeon Town is highly recommended, especially in winter. It has a variety
of indoor and outdoor baths, or various shapes and sizes. It can get crowded though. There are also
big leather massage chairs here, and you can use the big communal sauna (everyone wears flannel
pyjamas), or book a massage.
Other massage options include Kirei, the small shop opposite Sports Authority at Loc City. Or try the
G-Trip salon (upstairs from Glamdy on Ogaki High Street. This is supposed to be the most relaxing
massage in town.
DOCTORS & DENTISTS
If you get sick, one thing you could do is tell your supervisor (if you’re comfortable with that) and
they’ll probably take you wherever you need to go and happily translate away. But in case that’s not
an option, or you would just prefer to find a doctor on your own (in which case, remember there’s a
helpful ‘medical’ section in the back of the JET dictionary), here is a list of recommendations we’ve
collected from previous ALTs. Sorry, it’s a bit Ogaki-centric. (This is not an exhaustive list of Englishspeaking doctors in the area, just the ones we know of.)
General Practice
In Ogaki there is the Nawa (名和) Hospital on Route 258, near the Tomidaya grocery store and the
Kyouin Jutaku. From Tomidaya, go down Route 258 (away from the station). It is the tallest brown
building with four kanji characters written in white in blue boxes. There are two entrances. Choose
the second one that has an area similar to a regular emergency room. Its open Mondays to Saturdays,
8:30 am to 12 pm, and 4 pm to 7 pm. The nurses don’t speak English, although some doctors might
be able to speak some English. Tel. 0584-78-3111
Gynecologists
In Gifu City: Dr. Takahashi is male, but he speaks English, Spanish, and Japanese. Detailed info
including phone number, office hours, and directions can be found on the Gifujets e-mail list. It was
posted in a message in September 2003 under the heading “English-speaking gyno in Gifu”.
In Nagoya: Sugiyama Ladies Clinic in Sakae. Dr. Sugiyama is a Japanese woman who can
communicate well in English. Described by one ALT as “much more sensitive and calm than the guy
in Gifu.” Tel. 052-971-0930
Dentists
The Sugita Dental Clinic in Ogaki is located on the street just west of the Kyoushoukuin Jutaku. The
sign is purple and green and is written in romaji. They don’t speak too much English but are very
reliable; you can always have your supervisor phone ahead in Japanese and then go in by yourself.
Tel. 0584-78-0418. Open 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm, except on Saturdays when
they close at 6:30 pm.
So there you have it but really feel free to ask your RPA’s and older JETs for help, advice or even just which
ATMs close the latest.
We’re looking forward to meeting you all!
Peace out.
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