Top 20 Experiences in Gero
Rivers Run through Hida and Osakacho E-Bike Tour
This is an e-bike tour along and across the four rivers in Hida-Osaka. The tour will connect you with the authentic nature of Japan. Many things you see in this town are related to the volcanic activities of Mother mountain, Mt. Ontake, and you will learn how the land of Hida-Osaka was formed after the eruption of the volcano 54,000 years ago. Of course, a visit to Gandate Park, the symbolic park of the town, is also included in this tour. You will walk in Gandate Park under the trees and along the waterfall for half an hour where is the best location for forest bathing (shinrin-yoku). A 40/50-minute bus ride from both Takayama and Gero, Hida-Osaka is a great place to get to know the Japanese land over lava flow, to feel the nature, to appreciate the gift from the natural habitat, and to experience the tranquility of wind and flowing river water. While you bike along the rivers, your guide will explain how people in Hida-Osaka have long lived in harmony with nature.
Half Day Rural E-Bike Tour in Hida
This is the half day trip of 1-Day Rural E-Bike Tour in Hida. Starting at the Hida-Hagiwara station, we will directly head for the scenic valley village: Maze, which is certified as one of the most beautiful villages in Japan but absolutely no tourist here. Yes, the village is a hidden place. Same as the full day tour, we need to go up the mountain road but please do not worry. We use Panasonic’s cool electric bikes. If you are capable of a normal bike, it is also easy to handle this e-bike. The village has only 1,000 people but is surrounded by a lot of unspoiled nature such as forests, rice fields and the crystal river named Maze River. Getting away from tourist crowds, you will feel the peaceful atmosphere and fully enjoy the authentic countryside of Japan. If you visit Takayama or Gero to see the beauty of nature in the rural Japan, this tour must be the best option for you. *The tour route can be modified for safety when physical capability of participants is not enough.
1-Day Rural E-Bike Tour in Hida
This is a guided rural e-bike tour with lunch at the Maze Village and the Hagiwara Town in the Hida region. Just a short hop from Takayama or Gero Hot Spring but you will see no tourist around there, which gives you a great opportunity to see and understand the real life in the countryside of Japan, also being free from tourist crowds or hustle-bustle cities. On the way to the village, we have a long uphill but our e-bike helps you a lot so that you can easily enjoy seeing the nature of Hida Mountains and the super crystal Maze River. Our friendly and knowledgeable guide will take you to picturesque spots and offer you some local stories about history, culture and lifestyle. Seeing the tranquil views and tasting the special meal with local ingredients, you can fully enjoy the authentic rural Japan. This tour must be off the beaten path experience that you have never had in tourist spots.
Sake Brewery Visit and Tasting Tour in Hida
This is a sake brewery tour dedicated for small groups who want to escape from tourist crowd to have the authentic sake experience, including a leisurely town walk and sake tasting. The tour is held at the small country town named Hagiwara, which is near from Takayama but definitely no tourist here. You can enjoy understanding the sake brewing process and the beautiful sake tasting at your own pace without any stress. On the way to the Tenryo Sake Brewery, your guide will share not only the introduction of sake but the historical background of town. Inside the brewery, you will understand the brewing process of sake step by step with seeing the actual facilities and machines for production. Afterward, you will taste various excellent sake of Tenryo (天領) to enjoy the difference of flavors, and you can know a lot of useful tips to drink and order sake. If you love sake, please do not miss this opportunity!
Hida Private E-Bike Tour with Premium Lunch and Farm Experience
This is the premium version of 1-Day Rural E-Bike Tour in Hida. Same as the regular one, the tour concept is exploring the hidden part of Takayama by cool electric bikes to see and understand the authentic rural Japan. There are 2 key differences from the standard tour. First, it is one group only for a day. Second, lunch is Kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese meal) and farm experience included. You pick some fruit or vegetable with people living in the village, and the local ryokan or restaurant makes the beautiful Japanese meal with local produce. No exaggeration to say, it must be the most memorable moment of your trip in Japan. Please do not miss the opportunity! *It depend on the day whether the farm experience is offered for a small group (2-3 people). If not, we can arrange to visit a local fish farm or interact with locals as alternative.
Frozen fall trekking
Hida-Osaka is situated 40 minutes south from Takayama, and 40 minutes north from Gero either by train or bus or car. It's the best choice for those who are looking for the off-the-beaten path in Japan. The frozen waterfall gets as big as 15 meters (50 feet) high and 5 meters (16 feet) wide. It starts forming in early November and will drop and disappear by the end of April. The local guide who knows the area better than anyone will take you to the waterfall in all its beauty. The trail is about total 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) and takes about 4. 5 hours round trip. It’s a complete snow trail which requires snowshoes and spikes. The trail starts at an altitude of 1,800 meters (5,900 feet). There, the air gets as cold as -20 ℃ (46 ℉), and the snow piles up as high as 2 meters (6.6 feet). Physical toughness and the ability to walk and stay outside in these conditions is necessary for this tour. During the tour, the guide will prepare a hot outdoor lunch.
Leisurely Rural Town Walk in Hida
This is a leisurely walking tour in the country town named Hagiwara, which is close from Takayama. The first thing you should know is that the town is just a rural town in the Hida region. Not published on any travel guide so you will fully enjoy touching the actual local culture of Japan's countryside. Secondly, we would like to offer more personal experience so the tour is held only for one group on each time slot. This tour is just made for small groups like couple, family or friend. During the tour, you will stop some points and your guide will tell you about not only the way of life in rural Japan but also the historical background of town. Any questions will be always welcome. Please do not hesitate to ask him / her. It would be the best choice for those who want to get away from tourists but want to see the real life in the rural part of Japan.
Watefall visit hiking in Hida-Osaka
Hida-Osaka spreads at the west foot of the active volcano, Mt. Ontake. Gandate Park where the tour takes place is the symbolic site to learn about the history of the volcanic activities of Mt. Ontake 54,000 years ago. On this tour, you can feel the power of the earth, and at the same time, you will learn how people in Hida-Osaka have lived with the gift of nature. The fresh air full of negative ions embraces you and it's the best spot around this region to enjoy forest bathing (shinrin-yoku). Hida-Osaka is situated 40-50 minutes south from Takayama, and north from Gero either by train or bus or car. It's the best choice for those who are looking for the off-the-beaten path experience in Japan.
Private Sake Brewery Tour in Gero
This private sake brewery tour is held at the tranquil town named Hagiwara. It takes just 15 minutes by car or train from Gero Hot Spring. The tour starts at JR Hida Hagiwara station and you will know the history of town first while leisurely walking. It has historically strong ties with Takayama from Sengoku period (16C). There are still some traditional buildings along the Hida Way at the center of Hagiwara, and one of those is Tenryo Sake Brewery. In the brewery, the enthusiastic brewer will show you how to make sake step by step and you will enjoy tasting their special sake finally. This is a private tour so you can ask any questions to fully satisfy your curiosity about sake. Moreover, this is the only sake tour available in English for overseas travelers around Gero. Do not miss this opportunity to dive into the sake world!