Momiji Season At Yumori Nature Park
hile the Gifu Prefecture is home to well known cities such as Shirakawago and Takayama, another lesser known but arguably as beautiful city is Nakatsugawa; home to the scenic natural beauty of waterfalls, gorges, colourful momiji, historic culture, striking traditional villages, hiking trails (including the famous Nakasendo trail) and copious camping grounds.
Tucked away inside Nakatsugawa city is Yumori Park, known as an outdoor lover’s paradise. A peaceful getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city life, visiting Yumori Park in autumn is strikingly beautiful. The surrounding natural landscape is a sea of changing leaves, a mix of dark green pine trees with orange and gold ginko trees interwoven with the bright red gradients of the Japanese Momiji.
Visiting in autumn tourists and locals alike can experience the Yumori Momiji Festival, which brings together in celebration local crafts, food, produce, music and more.
Home to the legend of the white dragon and 5 impressive waterfalls, let’s explore all there is to know about Yumori Park.
About Nakatsugawa
Located in Gifu’s south east, Nakatsugawa is one of the prefecture’s lesser known destinations. In saying this, thinking of skipping Nakatsugawa from a trip to Gifu or surrounding prefectures would be a huge mistake.
Once a post town along the Nakasendo road from Kyoto to Edo, Nakatsugawa City’s restored Edo-Period architecture ignites the imagination and makes the rich history of Nakatsugawa’s past come alive. The area is also home to some of the most well-preserved 17th century post towns along the Nakasendo road; Magome Juku and Tsumago Juku. For those extra keen to discover more of Japan’s historical past, enjoy a hike to the ruins of Naegi Castle.
For those looking for a truly unique experience, add a quick visit to the town of Taisho-mura. Here you can get a glimpse at Japanese life during the Taisho Era, where much of the architecture has been preserved from 1911 – 1925.
You may also be surprised to find that the post towns are not the only well-preserved aspect Nakatsugawa has to offer. With its ancient forests, the mountainous terrain of the surrounding Kiso mountains and Mount Ena, and the stunningly pristine landscapes of Tsukechi Gorge, Tokai Nature Trail and Yumori Park, Nakatsugawa offers an untouched look into Edo-Period Japan that cannot be missed. When looking for things to do in Nakatsugawa, there’s plenty to choose from!
What To See
Ryujin no Taki Waterfall
hile Yumori Nature Park boasts 5 waterfalls within it’s parklands, the Ryujin no Taki Waterfall is by far the most famous and the highlight of the park.
One of 50 famous waterfalls in the Gifu prefecture, the Ryujin no Taki Waterfall is known for its clear blue water that changes colours as the sunlight shifts throughout the day. It’s quite normal to see the waters change from crystal clear aqua, to turquoise to a deep emerald blue.
Carving it’s way through a mountain gorge, the pristine waters cascade rhythmically down the mountain. The waterfall itself can be viewed from numerous viewpoints along a wooden walkway that guides you through the pristine natural landscape of the gorge. Make sure you bring your camera – there are stunning photo opportunities along the way.
The place is just as beautiful as the photos online, and while the waterfall can be a little tricky to find at first, the most obvious walkway entrance can be found just beyond Yumori Shrine.
Not only are the falls beautiful, they are also home to local folklore. The waterfall itself is named after Ryujn, the god of the dragons and ruler of the seas.
Typically residing in a palace at the bottom of the ocean, Ryujin is known to control the tides with magical jewels and can take human form to visit the surface. According to the legends of the area, Ryujin appeared before local villagers at the Ryujin no Taki waterfall before rising up to the heavens. As Ryujin rose up to the heavens, he collided with the nearby mountains which caused him to lose many of his scales. As Ryujin’s scales fell from the heavens, they collided with the mountains and became the waterfall.
Yumori Shrine
s you make your way along and up the path from the Ryujin falls, you’ll reach Yumori Shrine, built for worship of the dragon god, Ryujin. A cosy wooden shrine that overlooks the Ryujin falls, worshippers are invited to offer ema – wooden tablets – to pray for success or have their wishes granted.
The shrine was built for a very specific reason. As the legend goes, the nearby village was prone to flooding as the Kawaue river would frequently overflow its banks.
One of the times this occurred, the villagers found a rock inscribed with writing among the rice paddies.
Seeing the rock, the leader of the village believed it was the Dragon God and ordered for it to be enshrined at the waterfall as soon as possible. After a burglar took the rock from the mountains and threw it into the waterfall, the great white dragon appeared and rose to the heavens, causing a great storm that left the village in ruins. In order to pacify the dragon, the villagers built Yumori shrine to worship it.
Spot the Local Wildlife & Enjoy the Scenic Flora.
onsidered an outdoor lovers paradise, what most surprised us about Yumori Park and the Gifu prefecture in general, was the sheer amount of local wildlife.
In the Gifu Prefecture, you can try your luck at catching a glimpse of Japanese monkeys, serrows, rabbits and martens among the picturesque autumn flora.
Known for its rich natural environments, Gifu is often referred to as the prefecture of ‘Hizan Nosui’ as it is gifted with the Hida mountains and pure spring waters from the Southern Alps. Because of the prefecture’s diverse landscapes and climate, it is home to a variety of native animals and plants.
During our time at Yumori Park we were able to spot a Japanese Serrow leisurely bathing in the cool mountain water. So Cute!
Momiji Bridge
urrounded by over 15,000 beautiful momiji trees, the quaint red arches of Yumori Park’s momiji bridge make for a picturesque photo opportunity in the heart of autumn.
Crossing the bridge, you can enjoy the autumn surroundings and relax among the soothing sounds of the clear blue natural spring water running underneath.
The Japanese Maple is recognised worldwide as a symbol of elegance, beauty and grace. The fall colours – or kōyō (紅葉/”red leaves”)- typically start in September in the north of Japan, and gradually progress southward as autumn settles in across the country. The sheer beauty of kōyō makes it a highly anticipated event among locals and tourists alike, who flock to national parks and temples to admire the foliage.
Things To Do
From April to early November, the Yumori International Fishing area located within Yumori Park, allows tourists to wade ankle deep in the pristine mountain streams and try their hand at trout fishing!
Originating from the Central and Southern Alps, these waters are abundant with rainbow trout, eels and sometimes, you may even be able to catch ‘amago’ – a type of Japanese trout with red spots.
Yumori Park offers a wide range of fishing options, with the most unique experience being mountain stream fishing – that is, fishing among the flowing waters of the Kawaue River. For those that prefer not to get wet, there are numerous fishing ponds, where rods can be rented and fish can be caught all the while keeping you nice and dry. Fish can either be caught by hand or you can hire a fishing rod.
For those hiring a cabin in the Yumori Campgrounds, you are allowed to fish in the river waters near your campground, which are not accessible to the general public.
Fish can be grilled on nearby public BBQs or enjoy local trout dishes served at restaurants nearby. Some even allow you to grill the fish you have just caught.
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Yumori Momiji Matsuri – Autumn Leaves Festival
he beauty of Yumori Park is especially prominent during autumn, where the changing leaves are on full display all around the park.
Every year during this time the Yumori Momiji Matsuri is held, where locals and tourists alike can sample fresh Nakatsugawa produce, local delicacies, crafty workshops, live music and more!
Autumn Craft Workshops
Yumori Momiji Festival offers a variety of workshops where you can make cute autumn themed crafts. At Viento Cafe in particular, for 500 yen you can make autumn crafts using wooden materials, forest decorations as well as Japanese ‘sampuru’ (fake food) of Japanese sweets in autumn themed imagery.
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Local Stalls
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Stamp Rally:
Collect all three stamps found in various locations around Yumori Park to win a prize/souvenir. Held from 10am to 4pm during the Yumori Momiji Matsuri.
Live Music
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Buy Yumori Rice
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Photo Contest For Best Momiji Picture
Things To eat
he Gifu region is probably one of the best places to try authentic Gohei Mochi. What is Gohei Mochi? Gohei Mochi is a very old and traditional Japanese snack, local to the Gifu prefecture. It was high calorie and rich, consisting of a pounded lump of white rice, skewered on a stick, dipped in a sweet walnut miso paste and grilled over an open fire.
While the exact history of the first Gohei Mochi is a little hazy, Gohei mochi is thought to have first appeared during the mid-Edo era.
As the gifu region and surrounding areas are mountainous, gohei mochi’s sweet sauce consists of ingredients found in the mountains, such as walnuts. Sometimes, hornet larvae was used to achieve a richer taste and add extra nutrients – BUT you don’t have to worry about your gohei mochi featuring that these days. Other ingredients like sugar, which are tougher to find in the mountainous regions of Gifu, were thought to have been accessible due to the important and famous Nakasendo trade route that passed through the Gifu Prefecture and connected Tokyo to Edo.
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Fresh Yumori Trout:
fter an afternoon of catching trout in Yumori Park’s International Fishing Area, you can enjoy your freshly caught fish for dinner!
Many local restaurants in the park offer fascilities where you can grill and enjoy your freshly caught fish with other local Japanese dishes.
If it’s just the trout you want to enjoy, you can grill your fish on one of the many BBQs by the river.
While we didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy fishing, one of the food stalls we passed was selling freshly grilled Yumori trout. Although only seasoned with salt, this was one of the most tastiest fish we ate during our trip!
How to Get to Yumori Park
By Car
As always, the easiest and most efficient way to get to Yumori Park is by car. Just a half hour drive from Nakatsugawa, the drive is both easy and scenic.
By Train
Getting to Yumori Park from Nakatsugawa Station is relatively simple. Catch the Chuo Train Line to Sakashita Station.
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- Discover the rich heritage of Japan as you explore Eiho-ji, Ena Valley, Magome-juku, and Tsumago-juku from Nagoya with this exciting tour. Magome Juku is just 25 minute drive from Yumori Park.
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