Gujo, Gifu
Encyclopedia
is a city in Gifu Prefecture
, Japan
.
As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population
of 43,960. The total area is 1,030.79 km².
, Shirotori
and Yamato
, and the villages of Meihō
, Minami
, Takasu
and Wara
, all from Gujō District
.
Gujō Hachiman is in a valley where three major fast-running rivers meet: the Yoshida, Nagara and Kodara.
Visitors come to enjoy the pure mineral water that flows from every tap in town. The clean water and sound environmental practices translate into good food and drink. Ayu
, soba, and sake all depend on water for their flavor.
Some residents can be seen using the town's unique system of small waterways to wash laundry and dishes following a very strict set of rules that describe what may be washed where. This practice has survived for centuries and ensures that all households have access to clean water.
in mid-August, dances continue all night.
The dance begins on the same night as Kyoto's Gion Festival
and continues for 30 nights. It begins at the Yasaka Shrine and moves to another one each night. The Gujō Odori Preservation Society tell musical stories through an "ohayashi" which consists of a soloist, a shamisen
, a taiko
, and a shakuhachi
.
Listeners participate by dancing around the stage. During "Urabon" (August 13 to 16) the dancing continues until 5:00am. More than 20,000 visitors come to town for the odori.
in Japan. Many of the food replicas, used by restaurants to decorate their windows and inform patrons of their dishes, are produced here.
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 43,960. The total area is 1,030.79 km².
History
The city was established on March 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of HachimanHachiman, Gifu
was a town located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The town belonged to Gujō District.The town is known as "Gujō Hachiman".- History :The town was established as a town in 1889, and Hachiman was merged with the towns of Shirotori and Yamato, and the villages of Meihō, Minami, Takasu and Wara to create...
, Shirotori
Shirotori, Gifu
was a town located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The town belonged to Gujō District.- History :The town was promoted to a town in 1928, and Shirotori was merged with the towns of Hachiman and Yamato, and the villages of Meihō, Minami, Takasu and Wara to create the new city of Gujō on March 1, 2004....
and Yamato
Yamato, Gifu
was a town located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The town belonged to Gujō District.-History:The town was established as a village in 1955, promoted to a town in 1985, and Yamato was merged with the towns of Hachiman and Shirotori, and the villages of Meihō, Minami, Takasu and Wara to create the new...
, and the villages of Meihō
Meiho, Gifu
was a village located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The village belonged to Gujō District.-History:The village was established as in 1897, changed the name to in 1970 and changed the name to in 1992. Meihō was merged with the towns of Hachiman, Shirotori and Yamato, and the villages of Minami,...
, Minami
Minami, Gifu
was a village located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The village belonged to Gujō District.-History:The village was established in 1954, and Minami was merged with the towns of Hachiman, Shirotori and Yamato, and the villages of Meihō, Takasu and Wara to create the new city of Gujō on March 1, 2004....
, Takasu
Takasu, Gifu
was a village located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The village belonged to Gujō District.-History:The village was established in 1897, and Takasu was merged with the towns of Hachiman, Shirotori and Yamato, and the villages of Meihō, Minami and Wara to create the new city of Gujō on March 1, 2004....
and Wara
Wara, Gifu
was a village located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The village belonged to Gujō District.-History:The village was established in 1894, and Wara was merged with the towns of Hachiman, Shirotori and Yamato, and the villages of Meihō, Minami and Takasu to create the new city of Gujō on March 1, 2004....
, all from Gujō District
Gujo District, Gifu
was a district located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was dissolved on March 1, 2004 when all seven towns and villages in the district merged, effectively turning the district into the city of Gujō....
.
Waterways
Gujō's famous pristine waterways operate the same way as they did in the 17th century. The canals, fountains, and waterways are still used for washing rice, vegetables, and laundry. Townspeople cooperate to keep the canals clean and the water fresh; as a result of their efforts, Gujō's drinking water is a source of local pride.Gujō Hachiman is in a valley where three major fast-running rivers meet: the Yoshida, Nagara and Kodara.
Visitors come to enjoy the pure mineral water that flows from every tap in town. The clean water and sound environmental practices translate into good food and drink. Ayu
Ayu
The or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, is an amphidromous fish, the only species in the genus Plecoglossus and in family Plecoglossidae. It is a relative of the smelts and is placed in the order Osmeriformes...
, soba, and sake all depend on water for their flavor.
Some residents can be seen using the town's unique system of small waterways to wash laundry and dishes following a very strict set of rules that describe what may be washed where. This practice has survived for centuries and ensures that all households have access to clean water.
Gujō Odori
The famous dance festival — Gujō Odori — attracts many visitors. The festival started over 400 years ago and continues today. During the four days of ObonObón
Obón is a municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 75 inhabitants....
in mid-August, dances continue all night.
The dance begins on the same night as Kyoto's Gion Festival
Gion Matsuri
The takes place annually in Kyoto and is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. It spans the entire month of July and is crowned by a parade, the on July 17. It takes its name from Kyoto's Gion district....
and continues for 30 nights. It begins at the Yasaka Shrine and moves to another one each night. The Gujō Odori Preservation Society tell musical stories through an "ohayashi" which consists of a soloist, a shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
, a taiko
Taiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
, and a shakuhachi
Shakuhachi
The is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
.
Listeners participate by dancing around the stage. During "Urabon" (August 13 to 16) the dancing continues until 5:00am. More than 20,000 visitors come to town for the odori.
Food replicas
Gujō is a leading producer of food replicasFake food in Japan
Fake food samples appear prevalently in the windows and display cases of food-serving establishments throughout Japan. Once made from wax, today they are usually made out of plastic. The plastic models are mostly handmade from vinyl chloride and carefully sculpted to look like the actual dishes...
in Japan. Many of the food replicas, used by restaurants to decorate their windows and inform patrons of their dishes, are produced here.