Cherry Blossoms at Kawaramachi in Gifu

The last spot on my cherry blossom exploring mission in Gifu was the Kawaramachi historic district, which is a short walk from Gifu Park on the south side of the Nagara Bridge. The historic area retains its traditional charm with its wooden townhouses with lattice facades.

Kawaramachi was a thriving merchant town that owed its prosperity to the open-trade policy (rakuichi rakuza) established by samurai warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582). It used to be one of the main river ports in Gifu to transport local materials such as bamboo and washi paper.

Today, it is home to traditional craft stores, art galleries, and up-market restaurants and cafes.

Kawaramachi Park leads into the historic district from Gifu Park and is a large open space that is quite interesting to explore. There are a few cherry blossom trees here which blend in beautifully with the traditional architecture of the old buildings.

 

 

You can also take a short walk along a small creek which is lined with cherry blossoms and some interesting animal statues.