Immerse yourself in old town charm - Gujo Hachiman: a true traditional Japanese town (part 6)

This is part 6 in a series of posts about a recent trip to Gujo Hachiman in Gifu.  I recommend reading part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 first.

Morning broke the next day and it was time to have a last breakfast in Gujo Hachiman.  It was just as big and as extensive as the previous days.

The Japanese sure know how to fuel themselves for the day to come!

We checked out of the ryokan and set off with the friendly owners waving us goodbye.  There was, however, one last thing I wanted to check out.  Now many of you who have visited Japan or who live in Japan will know of the very realistic plastic food models that most restaurants and eateries in Japan display to show off what food they cook and serve.  Well guess what?  They were invented in Gujo Hachiman and the town is still responsible for upwards of 80% of production in Japan!  On our walk back to the station we stopped in at a couple of shops to have a look.

How awesomely delicious it all looked!  But don't worry, each of them had a "do not eat" warning......

We enjoyed one last piece of Gujo Hachiman as we made our way back to the train station.

And even the train station was amazing!

The train from Gujo Hachiman back to Nagoya is also well worth taking as it is a beautiful, quaint little train of only one carriage!

The scenery is stunning as the train winds it's way along the Nagara River.

All too soon it was over and we arrived back in Nagoya.  Having some time before catching the bus back to Tokyo, I was able to catch up with good friend Sachiko for dinner.  It was good talking to her and with what she said, combined with a wander around the station area of Nagoya, I am convinced that a trip to Nagoya needs to be made.  Thanks Sachiko!

Climbing onto the bus, I reflected on the last 3 days.  Gujo Hachiman had been all that I was hoping it would be and more.  The subtle, unpretentious charm which permeates throughout the town, the buildings, the castle and the people was incredible and it was a pleasure to be able to be experience that for a few days.  However, a return trip is in the works as there was still a whole lot of the town that I didn't get a chance to see and my Mother, who reads my blog and who is planning a trip to Japan next year, has said that Gujo Hachiman is on her list of places she wants to see when she visits, and that is quite alright with me!

Okay, costs.

Bus ride from Tokyo to Nagoya - 7,700 yen.

Bus from Nagoya to Gujo Hachiman - 1,850 yen

Miharaya ryokan - 8,000 yen per night (including those amazing breakfasts!)

Train from Gujo Hachiman to Nagoya - 2,490 yen

Bus ride from Nagoya to Tokyo - 7,200 yen

(correct at time of writing)

Well, there it is, the last post about Gujo Hachiman.  I really hope that you enjoyed reading and following the series as much as I did experiencing it.  Gujo Hachiman is definitely well worth a visit when you come to Japan and it is quite English friendly!  Please leave a comment below and share with someone who would like a read and sign up on the right-hand side of the page for email updates when I upload a new post.

See you next time.