When you visit Gifu, you may wonder what kind of souvenirs you should buy.
Here are some popular souvenirs from Gifu!
We have compiled a list of the top 10 must-have souvenirs in Gifu!
Contents
1.mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnuts
“Kuri Kintoki is a traditional local sweet from Mino, Gifu Prefecture, produced and sold in large quantities every year during the chestnut season from September to January. It is made from carefully selected chestnuts from the local Ena River, with a crust that is moderately sweet and shaped into a tea-towel knot (cha-towel twist) to seal in all the flavours of the chestnuts.
The sweetness of the chestnuts spreads instantly in your mouth, and the sweetness of the chestnuts is one of the most memorable flavours of the local people, so it is a must-try for anyone visiting Gifu.
2.Tamaiya Honpo “Gekokujo Ayu”
“The idea of Gekokujo Ayu” was conceived by the local century-old confectioner, Tamaiya Honpo, and is based on the traditional Gifu fishing method of “Ugai”, which reverses the image of being caught by a cormorant.
The fragrant fish part is flavoured with three pots of sugar, while the cormorant is available in matcha and brown sugar flavours. They are often given as a gift for prayers before exams and competitions. If you have friends or relatives in your neighbourhood who are taking exams or competitions, take a few boxes with you when you visit Gifu for good luck!
https://tamaiya-honpo.co/products/detail/24
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3.Mishima bean
The name “Mishima beans” comes from the inventor, Hajime Mishima, who created the snack so that his mother could eat delicious soybeans. They are made by frying 100% Japanese soybeans over a charcoal fire, adding sugar and starch several times, and then drying them. In addition to the classic granulated sugar flavour, there are also a variety of other flavours such as brown sugar, shiso, sorrel, seaweed and pepper.
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4.Youroken「Fruit Daifuku」
“A famous wagashi shop located in Gifu Prefecture, the shop specialises in a wide range of dafu, the most popular of which is the fruit dafu, which is only available from November to May every year. Strawberries, bananas, chestnuts and red beans are stuffed with fresh whipped cream to give the Japanese confectionery a taste like a foreign confection. Other limited-time flavours such as Strawberry Daifuku, Chestnut Daifuku and Jumbo Daifuku are also available.
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5.Miso Pancake Bento Inohiro
“Miso Pancake Main Shop Inohiro is a century-old shop in the Hida Furukawa area, established in Meiji 41, and is best known for its miso pancakes. They are made from home-made miso that has been matured for over three years, local Koshihikari rice and eggs, and are carefully baked by our staff.
With one bite, you can enjoy both the rice and miso aroma of the pancake, giving you a taste of the local Hida culture. In addition to the miso flavour, you can also choose from a variety of flavours including ginger, sake, coffee and chocolate.
Hida Black Tea is a Japanese black tea fermented in the hot springs of Okuhida by a local tea shop in Takayama, Matsumonoen Nabeshima. Unlike traditional Indian or European black teas, Hida Black Tea uses a variety of black tea called “Red Fortune”, which adjusts the astringency of the tea leaves to the right level and has the aroma of jasmine tea, with a rich and aromatic flavour. The flavour varies slightly depending on when the tea leaves are picked!
https://www.nabeshimameicha.com/items/kocha/
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7.(savoury) persimmon-flavoured sweet
(savoury) persimmon-flavoured sweet is a local dessert that has been handed down in Gifu Prefecture for nearly 200 years. It is made from the top-quality persimmons that have been paid to the court in the region since ancient times, the “Doujang-beeya persimmons”. In November each year, a large number of freshly dried persimmons are harvested, broken up into jam, mixed with sugar and cold weather, and then poured into a special container made by Monzonetake and solidified. The rich sweetness and smoothness of the persimmons are perfectly blended in the form of goat jelly, which is delicious and beautiful, and has become a typical local dessert.
https://www.kakiyokan.com/shopping/item.php?id=10
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8.Sarubobo
A visit to the Hida region is a must to see the Sarubozukuri! It is a traditional local mascot with a red body, no facial features, pointed limbs, a black bandana, a black bib and a “big” pose. In the Hida dialect, the word “bobo” means “baby”, and the word “さる” is added in front of it because it resembles an ape and has the same pronunciation as “Saru” (go away), symbolising a good luck charm for peace or as a talisman.
https://www.hidanosarubobo.com/sarubobo.html
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9.Santoku knife
Seki City in Gifu Prefecture is known as one of the world’s top three producers of knives, and is one of the best in the country. The knife culture in Seki City dates back to the Kamakura period, when nearly 300 craftsmen gathered here at its peak to make knives using the excellent quality of the local forging clay and the water of the Nagara River system. To this day, a large number of knives are still produced in Sekiichi, so if you visit the area, pick up one of the high-quality and versatile “Santoku kitchen knives”!
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10.sake cup
“Shengqing sake cups are traditionally used for drinking Japanese sake and are usually made of high quality hinoki wood. Gifu’s Ogaki City has a market share of about 80% of the country’s Shengqing sake cups. When you visit Ogaki, be sure to visit the 50-year-old shop “Shengya”, where you can not only buy the best Sheng Sake cups, but also experience making “Sheng Sake cups” between February and October every year!
After seeing all these delicious and beautiful souvenirs, are you ready to make a shopping list for your visit to Gifu? Whether it’s Japanese wagashi or a variety of practical souvenirs, you can buy them all in Gifu!
Don’t forget to bookmark this article before you go, so that you can enjoy all the delicious sweets and exquisite crafts in one go!
