Things to Do in Central Japan (Chubu) #3
Swimming and Barbecue in Scenic Gifu!
We went to Itadori river, which is accessible via Minokamo city. It's scenic and has a little pull off where you can drive riverside to set up your base camp to barbecue This area is not very accessible by train and I'm not sure about the bus. The train stops here and there among the villages making its way from Gifu city to the famous hot spring town Gero, and the train usually continues to Takayama. This excursion is best made with friends and locals during summer, or whenever it is warm enough to go into the river. The water is clean enough for the tasty river fish called Ayu. Restaurants which serve the fish fresh have sprung up along the highways, if you can find out where they recommend to go. It is served grilled, broiled, and fried.
It's like a little fair, with restaurants and small snack stands along the highway that is next to the river and the pull off area. This is an octopus dumpling (Takoyaki) stand.
That's what the pullover area looks like. Lovely!
With friends, riverside!
On a cloudy day but in summer, still so hot you can go in anyway.
Here are fried ayu! Delcious! Must admit that I would have been clueless how to eat this if I didn't have my Japanese friend's dad to teach me how to pull the bones up and prep them, if you will, for eating.
