4 Gujo Outing Spots to Enjoy with Children

There are still many spots for family at Gujo! Next, we are going to 3 other spots for children in Gujo Hachiman. 1. A food replica workshop 2. A small local artist museum 3. A clear river stream. All of them represent Gujo and are good for adults too!

Make your own fake sweets
at the home of food replica

As the home of food replica, the amount of production in Gujo Hachiman is the top in Japan. Sample Kobo located at the castle town, you can see them buy them and know them at this sightseeing spot! Food replica is fake food model you can find outside a restaurant. Entering this over 150 years old building, varieties of food replicas are displayed. Mandarin orange with white pith, Mitarashi-dango (Skewered rice dumplings with sweet soy glaze) and sushi in keychain or magnets all attract me a lot! My kids said they want to eat them. Small kids cry when they know they cannot eat them. There is a display corner showing those food replicas outside real restaurants or cafes.

Food replica workshop is very popular. “Fruit tart food replica making workshop” (990JPY, with tax) is less difficult without age limited, welcomes children and adults. Piping whipped cream made of silicon and decorating fruits is so fun! You can choose your favorite fruits from 5 kinds of fruits like strawberry and mandarin orange! You can put all of them on your tart. Put a clip into it to become a memo stand. It takes around 20 minutes to finish making. Small children can make with their parents. Primary school students can make all themselves. A slopped melt ice cream making (990JPY, with tax) is also available. It can be used as a game device stand too. It is easy to make as it is very popular among children. You can bring your food replica home for decoration. Thus, food replica making workshop only accepts reservation in person at Sample Kobo (*currently on 2020 June) Workshop may be cancelled on some days, please feel free to call before you come. (* Tempura & lettuce making workshop and workshop visiting are cancelled because of COVID-19)

A small museum with all dreams!
Experience papercraft by playing

“Yudokan”, a small museum, is located next to the most famous spot at Gujo “Yanakamizu-no-komichi (Yanaka Water Lane)”. You can find the art pieces of an artist Mr Masao Mizuno, who is born in Gifu-ken and is drawing the poster for Gujo Odori Dance Festival every year. Inside this 3-stories museum, many paintings and art pieces made by paper or wood are displayed. All of them represent Mr Mizuno’s thought of “Keeping children’s curiosity and dream”. Children are fascinated by papercutting and oil paintings with animal motif, and also “Kibokkuri” a forest fairy made of small twigs. Paper dolls presenting “Daimyo’s procession” and “Gujo Odori” are must-see! All details of costumes or moves are revived. Both children and adults love it so much!

There is a shop on the first floor. Art pieces, goods and books are for sale. You can try to make papercraft here too. Ingredients include a paper cup or paper plate, folding paper, thin strip of bamboo. Making “Konnichiwa” doll with paper cup, or a dinosaur or airplanes with folding paper is fun! They are not difficult to make so small children can make by themselves. New ideas come up one after another. Most art pieces are made by Mr Mizuno and he teaches small children how to make too. There are 6 packs of papercraft for sale, you can enjoy making them at home. 3D papercraft of animals, bugs and dinosaurs are the most popular. Detailed manuals are included so don’t be afraid to try! Please come to visit this museum with all of Gujo together with your children!

Playing in a water stream Kodaragawa River under Shimizuhashi Bridge

At last, we are going to introduce a spot where you can play in water! Speaking of Gujo, the most famous river is Yoshidagawa River which located at the center of the town. But we are going to introduce its branch, Kodaragawa River! It is shallower than Yoshidagawa River. It is also the origin of Sogisui, a famous spring water in Gujo. Near the foot of Shimizuhashi Bridge, children love playing in the river during summer. Water stops under the bridge like a pool. As the water stream is not rapid here, so small children can play safely here. The pool becomes deeper at the edge of the pool, primary school students can bring swimming rings to swim. Walking along the river bank without shoes is also relaxing! However, please pay attention to your children when they are playing in the water!