Tarui
Japan · Asia
About Tarui
Tarui (Tarui-chō) is a town in Gifu Prefecture near the prefectural border with Shiga Prefecture.
Tarui travel guide
Understand
Tourist information site The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site, and a panphlet in English and Japanese.
Getting there
Tarui is served by 1 Tarui Station, located along the Tokaido Main Line. All trains from the west depart from Maibara and this is the closest Shinkansen Station to Tarui. To the east, if you time it right, there are direct trains from Toyohashi that travel through Nagoya and Gifu, but quite often a transfer at Ogaki is necessary. For drivers, Route 21 is the main highway that runs through Tarui from Sekigahara to the west and Minokamo to the east.
Getting around
There are some suggested walking routes to sites for those who enjoy walking, but for those who want to see multiple sites in the area, you can rent a bicycle at the Tourist Information Center across the street from the station. There are also infrequent buses to the Takenaka Jinya (except Sundays) for those who wish to visit but don't want to walk or bike.
See
1 Tarui-juku. Tarui was the 57th station of the Nakasendo trail that connected Kyoto with Edo and the first station of the Minoji Trail that connected the Nakasendo to the Tokaido trail. During its heyday, there were 315 hotels. The building marked as the Tarui-juku you see today is the Nagahamaya. When the princess traveled through on the Nakasendo, the men who carried her mikoshi stayed here (she of course stayed at the honjin; the primary inn). The building became a liquor store once the Nakasendo lost its importance. When the liquor store closed, residents were compelled to preserve the building since it is such an important part of the town's history. Today, visitors can stop for a rest and see a few artifacts inside. 2 Takenaka Jinya. Built by Takenaka Shigekado, the Takenaka Jinya was the residence of the Takenaka family who were the lords of the area. The jinya itself no longer remains however, the gate has survived along with part of the moat. The statue in front of the jinya is Takenaka Hanbei, father of Shigekado. Free. 3 Nangu Shrine, ☏ +81 58-422-1225. The top shrine of Mino Province, it enshrines Kanayamahiko no Mikoto. There is a large torii gate leading up to the shrine. Free. 4 Tarui no Izumi. Gifu Prefecture has many springs that are known for their pure water. Tarui's water is among them and has been well-known for centuries. It was featured in one of the poems in the Shika Wakashu, an imperial anthology of waka poems, in 1070. Matsuo Basho also stopped here and wrote a poem after drinking the water. Today there is a small, attractive area where the spring water flows and visitors can try it for themselves. (updated Nov 2017) 5 Honryūji Temple, 1234 Tarui (15 min walk from Tarui stn). The temple's mountain gate and the entrance of its shoin (study hall) are said to have been relocated from the Nakasendo waki-honjin in Sekigahara. In 1691, the famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho visited the chief priest Kigai here, s
Eat
1 Pizzeria Cypress, 2092-13 Miyashiro. Lunch 11:00-14:00, dinner 17:30-21:00. A local pizzeria. (updated Oct 2021) 2 Yaoya Dining Uedaya (dining), 246 Ayado. A restaurant serving a variety of seafood and vegetable dishes. (updated Jan 2026) 3 Guruman Vital, 441 Miyashiro, ☏ +81 0584 23 2400. Usually 08:00-18:30. A bakery in the refreshing woods. (updated Jan 2026)
Sleep
1 Hotel R9 The Yard Tarui, 3046-1 Miyashiro, ☏ +81 584-84-3183. Check-in: 15:00-23:00, check-out: 10:00. A container hotel run by R9 Hotel Group. Per night, ¥6,200- for one person, ¥8,200- for two people. (updated Jan 2026)
Go next
Sekigahara — The next stop for those traveling along the historic Nakasendo route, also a famous battle site. Ogaki Yoro Maibara Gifu Hikone Ikeda Kodo Motosu
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.