Gifu: The Land of Clear Waters
岐阜：清流の国
Letting ‘Gifu, the Land of Clear Waters’ flow to the world
Approximately 80% of Gifu Prefecture is forest, and the land is blessed with clean, clear waters which are sustained by the rich forests that grow within its boundaries. Valuable natural, cultural and industrial resources, as well as traditions and beautiful landscapes are abundant in this natural environment which is rich in clear waters, clean air, and verdant greenery. Gifu is home to beautiful scenery, often regarded as representing the true essence of Japanese scenic beauty. Notable examples are the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed site of Shirakawa-go, the historic town of Hida Takayama, and cormorant-fishing on the Nagara River, each in its own way so typical of this land of clear waters. Gifu Prefecture also produces excellent food, such as its own premium Hida variety of Japanese wagyu beef cattle, and outstandingly sharp knives and fine Mino washi paper, a traditional industry handed down for 1300 years. All these products are the gifts of its clear flowing waters.
In recent years the world has come to have a better understanding of the wonders of “Gifu, the Land of Clear Waters.” Following the listing of the handcrafted techniques of Mino washi paper as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014, the Ayu of the Nagara River System was designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) the following year. At the end of last year three traditional “Yama, Hoko, Yatai” float festivals held in Gifu Prefecture were registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Gifu will continue to pass on its traditions and culture to future generations, rise to meet new challenges, and bring “Gifu, the Land of Clear Waters” to the attention of the world.
「清流の国ぎふ」ブランドの魅力を世界へと発信
県土の約８割が森林で、その豊かな森林が育む清らかな水に恵まれた清流の国・岐阜。澄んだ水と空気と緑に恵まれた自然豊かなこの地には、先人から受け継いだ自然、文化、伝統、産業、景観など貴重な資源が息づいています。清流を代表する長良川の鵜飼いや、ユネスコ世界文化遺産の白川郷の合掌造り集落、飛騨高山の古い町並など日本の原風景ともいえる美しい景色、岐阜県のブランド和牛「飛騨牛」に代表される上質な食、切れ味抜群の刃物や、１３００年前から受け継がれる美濃和紙といった伝統産業などの優れた産品は、いわば清流の賜物です。
近年、こうした「清流の国ぎふ」の魅力が世界で認められています。2014年、本美濃紙の手漉和紙技術がユネスコ無形文化遺産に登録されたのに続き、翌年には「清流長良川の鮎」が世界農業遺産に認定、昨年末には、県内の３つの祭りが「山・鉾・屋台行事」としてユネスコ無形文化遺産に登録されました。今後も、伝統・文化を受け継ぎつつ、新たな試みに挑戦し、「清流の国ぎふ」ブランドとして世界へと発信していきます。
The Gifts from Gifu, the Land of Clear Waters
清流の国ぎふの賜物
Traditional Crafts
Manufacturing has long flourished in Gifu Prefecture, and its local products are famous throughout the world. Among these are Mino washi paper, the Blades of Seki, Tono (East Mino Region) ceramics, and Hida woodwork. Traditional craftsmanship techniques, painstaking commitment, and manufacturing skills have been handed down from generation to generation during Gifu’s long history. These high quality products have helped to establish Gifu’s international reputation. While emphasizing tradition, these products also incorporate contemporary trends and preferences among the newer attractions that Gifu has to offer.
伝統工芸
ものづくりが盛んな岐阜県には、美濃和紙、関の刃物、東濃の陶磁器、飛騨の木工品など世界に誇る地場産品があります。伝統的な匠の技、こだわりのものづくりの技術は、長い歴史を経て受け継がれています。そして、こうした優れた県産品を「岐阜ブランド」として、海外に発信しています。伝統を重んじつつも、現代感覚を取り入れ、新しい岐阜の魅力をアピールしていきます。
Mino washi paper
Over a history of more than 1300 years the ancient techniques of traditional craftsmanship have been preserved and passed down to create the soft-textured washi paper that combines fine beauty with durability. The handcrafted techniques of Hon-minoshi were registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2014.
美濃和紙
１３００年余りの歴史の中で、古来の技法が保存・伝承されており、伝統の職人の技が、薄くて丈夫でありながら、美しく柔らか味のある風合いを生み出す。本美濃紙の手漉和紙技術は、2014年にユネスコ無形文化遺産に登録された
Swordsmiths of Seki City
Japanese swords from Seki have a reputation for being“unbreakable, unbendable, and extremely sharp”and their practicality is highly regarded. Traditional craftsmanship has been passed down from generation to generation and today the swordsmiths continue to forge Japanese swords and introduce the culture of sword-forging.
関の刀鍛冶
「折れず・曲がらず・よく切れる」と優れた実用性を誇る関の日本刀は卓越した伝統技法を受け継ぎ、今もなお、刀匠たちが日本刀を製作、日本刀文化を発信している
Cutlery
Seki City is one of the world’s leading knife-producing areas. Although Japanese swordsmith traditions are still kept alive, new products reflecting present-day requirements and uses are also manufactured here.
刃物
関市は世界有数の刃物の産地。刀鍛冶の伝統を守りながら、現代感覚を取り入れた新商品も作られている
Food Culture of Gifu
岐阜の食文化
Hida beef
From cattle reared in the rich natural surroundings of the clear waters of Gifu comes finely marbled Hida beef. The elegant texture of this meat, incredibly soft and tender, almost melting in the mouth, is an edible work of art.
飛騨牛
清流の国ぎふの豊かな自然が育てた飛騨牛は、きめ細やかな霜降り。柔らかくとろけるような上品な食感は、まるで肉の芸術品
Sake
Gifu Prefecture, where clean waters flow, has been home to sake brewing since ancient times and many breweries compete for excellence. Cultivated by using the water from clear streams combined with high quality rice, Gifu’s sake has become popular abroad as well as at home
酒
清らかな水が流れる岐阜県は、古くから酒造りが盛んで、多くの蔵元がこだわりの酒造りを競い合っている。清流と良質な米に育まれた岐阜の地酒は海外でも人気
Traditional culture: Ji-Kabuki, festivals
Preserved, protected and passed from generation to generation since the Edo period, the traditional performance art of Ji-kabuki theatre is widely practised by local amateur actors in Gifu Prefecture. There are now 32 Ji-kabuki theatre preservation societies in Gifu Prefecture—the highest number nationwide. Regular performances are given in existing playhouses, and recently Ji-kabuki has gained tremendous popularity, with some performances even being held overseas.
Thirty-three “Yama, Hoko, Yatai” float festival events across Japan have been registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, including Gifu’s own Takayama Festival, Furukawa Festival, and Ogaki Festival. This is an ideal opportunity to further enhance the reputation of all of Gifu’s attractions and bring them to the attention of a wider audience, both within Japan and abroad.
伝統文化 ～地歌舞伎、祭り～
岐阜県が守り伝えてきた伝統芸能の「地歌舞伎」は、地元の素人役者たちによって演じられる歌舞伎です。江戸時代から受け継がれ、現在、県内には、全国最多の32の地歌舞伎保存会があります。現存する芝居小屋では定期的に上演が行なわれ、最近では、海外公演も行なうなど大変な人気を博しています。
また、「高山祭」「古川祭」「大垣祭」を含む全国33件の「山・鉾・屋台行事」が、ユネスコ無形文化遺産に登録されました。これを機に、それぞれの魅力を一段と磨き、広く国内外に発信していきます。
Takayama Festival
The Takayama Festival is the collective name for the Sanno spring festival and the Hachiman autumn festival. This splendid event witnesses an array of floats created with masterly artistic skill in which lanterns borne aloft illuminate the darkness of the night with spectacular luminescence.
高山祭
春の山王祭と秋の八幡祭の総称で、匠の技を凝らした華麗な祭屋台が曳き揃えられ、夜には提灯を灯し、艶やかな夜の闇を彩る
Furukawa Festival
This sacred springtime event features both taiko drums to rouse brave spirits and beautifully decorated festival floats for both lively and static displays. During this unusual festival, held in the open air, several hundred half-clad men take to the streets carrying a parade float with a huge 80 centimeter taiko drum.
古川祭
勇壮な起し太鼓と豪華な屋台巡行の「動」と「静」の魅力が共存する春の神事。天下の奇祭といわれる起し太鼓は、80センチの大太鼓を据えたやぐらを数百人のさらし姿の裸男たちがかつぎ、町を巡行する
Ogaki Festival
A festival in a castle town with a history of more than 360 years. A total of 13 yama parade floats alive with bubbling action are drawn through the streets featuring stages for karakuri marionettes and dancing, like a spectacular scene depicted in a decorative ancient scroll.
大垣祭
360年余り続く城下町の祭礼。全13両の「やま」がにぎやかにひき出され、人形からくりや舞踊を披露するなど華麗な祭絵巻が展開される
Historic Sites
歴史的名所
Udatsu-lined Old Streets of Mino
This town’s streets boast an array of traditional udatsu structures. It has been selected as an Important preservation district for groups of historic buildings. The Mino Washi “Akari” Art Exhibition using Mino washi paper is held here every October.
うだつの上がる町並み（美濃市）
国の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に選定されたうだつの上がる町並みでは、毎年１０月、美濃和紙を使った「あかりアート展」が開催される
The Gassho-zukuri, settlement of Shirakawago (Shirakawa Village)
The Shirakawa Ogi-machi area is home to a collection of houses with rare steep-angled gassho-zukuri roofs and was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1995. Local residents still live here, preserving this historic collection intact.
白川郷の合掌造り集落（白川村）
茅葺き屋根の合掌造り家屋が集まった白川村荻町地区は、1995年にユネスコ世界文化遺産に登録された。昔の景観をそのままに、今も住民が暮らしている
Takayama Historic District
(Takayama City)
Lined with old-style souvenir shops, antique shops, old taverns, and more, a nostalgic atmosphere pervades this town.
古い町並（高山市）
出格子の町家が軒を連ね、土産物店やアンティークショップ、古い造り酒屋などが懐かしさを感じさせる
Ayu of the Nagara River System
-Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
The Nagara River is the symbol of Gifu Prefecture. Despite flowing through urban and residential areas, it is considered one of Japan’s three clearest rivers. The pristine waters are preserved and ayu (Japanese sweetfish) are raised on a basin that is home to 860,000 people. Both of these waters and ayu are deeply tied to the history, culture, and economy of the region. Ayu of the Nagara River System was declared as a GIAHS by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2015.
清流長良川の鮎 ～世界農業遺産～
岐阜県の象徴ともいえる長良川は、都市部を流れる川でありながら、日本三大清流と呼ばれています。86万人が暮らす流域では、清流が保たれ、鮎が育っています。そして清流と鮎は、地域の歴史、文化、経済と深く結びついています。「清流長良川の鮎」は、2015年に国連食糧農業機関（FAO）の世界農業遺産に認定されました。
Ayu fish growing in Gifu’s clear waters l 清流で育つ鮎
Traditional craftwork using the clear waters of the Nagara River (Gujo-honzome dyeing) l 長良川のきれいな水を利用した伝統工芸品（郡上本染め）
PREFECTURE INFORMATION
Gifu Prefecture is located almost exactly in the centre of Japan. The Hida area of northern Gifu contains mountains that rise to a height of over 3,000 metres above sea-level. The southern Mino area is home to a river basin into which flow the Kiso Sansen (the three Rivers of Kiso, Nagara, and Ibi). Manufacturing has been taking place here since ancient times, and manufacturing industries are central to the modern economy of Gifu Prefecture, with long-established and distinctive local industries including fashion, ceramics, furniture, woodworking, cutlery, paper, plastics and food.
【Tourism website】https://visitgifu.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrrWcgUNXEoYka-Gu7Kt8IA（動画サイト）
県情報
岐阜県は日本のほぼ中央に位置。県北部の飛騨地域には、標高3,000ｍを超える山々が連なっており、南部の美濃地域には、平地が広がり、木曽三川（木曽川、長良川、揖斐川）が流れている。
古くからものづくりが盛んで、製造業は岐阜県の中心的な産業となっており、ファッション、陶磁器、家具・木工、刃物、紙、プラスチック、食品などの特色ある地場産業が根づいている。
【観光のサイト】https://www.kankou-gifu.jp/
【多言語】
https://visitgifu.com/fr/ （フランス語）
https://www.gifu-pr.com/ （簡体・中文）
https://visitgifu.com/tw/ （繁体・忠文）
https://visitgifu.com/ko/ （韓国語）
https://visitgifu.com/th/ （タイ語）
https://visitgifu.com/id/ （インドネシア語）
