Wi-Fi and Travel Information in Gifu, Japan: Your Ultimate Guide

Gifu Prefecture is a region with many attractions; within it is a World Cultural Heritage site, a nostalgic townscape, and abundant natural sceneries. Public free Wi-Fi is available mainly in Gifu City, and internet access should not be a problem at major tourist spots.

We have gathered the information on free Wi-Fi available in Gifu for you, and we also have our recommendation of a convenient and highly recommended Wi-Fi rental service, WiFiBOX.

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ree Public Wi-Fi Available in Gifu

Gifu City provides free public Wi-Fi, "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi." It was established to encourage more visits from international, as well as local travelers, and to promote the revitalization of the local area.

Thirteen languages including Japanese, English, and Chinese are supported; and efforts to add more internet access points are also being continuously put in.

Here are the networks and login methods for the free Wi-Fi provided by Gifu City.

SSID/network name for "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi"

The free Wi-Fi in Gifu City is available with a straightforward network name: "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi". It is available at Gifu Castle, Gifu Tourist Information Center, Gifu City Hall, and a wide range of other tourist spots and commercial facilities.

Each use lasts up to 30 minutes and can be used up to 8 times a day. If you have the "Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi" application on your phone, there is no need to log in to the Wi-Fi spot once you have registered.
(Each use lasts up to 12 hours anin Ngaeagawa Convention Center. But you can't use "Japan Connected-Free Wi-Fi" there.)

How to log in to "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi"

There are two ways to log in to "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi": by registering your email address, or registering your social media address in Ngaragawa Convention Center.

Social media account registration is available for the following services.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google
• Yahoo! Japan (only if the selected language is Japanese)
• Weibo
• QQ (only if the selected language is Chinese)

Here is the login method for each of them.

Email Registration

• Select the SSID "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi" on the device's settings screen. After connecting, launch your browser.
• When the registration screen appears, select the "Login by e-mail" button.
• Enter your e-mail address and click the "Send" button for temporary registration.
• Access the URL in the text of the email you received to complete the registration.

Social Media Account Registration

• Select the SSID "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi" on the device's settings screen and launch your browser after connecting.
• When the registration screen appears, select the button for the Social media account you wish to use.
• Enter your ID and password from the selected login screen and complete the registration.

There is only one way to log in to "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi": by registering your email address in other places.

• Select the SSID "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi" on the device's settings screen. After connecting, launch your browser.
• If you agree to terms of use and precautions on the consent screen, check the box and click "Accept".
• Enter your e-mail address, and click "Log In".

Free Public Wi-Fi Available in Gifu

Other than the one provided by the local government, Gifu has free Wi-Fi in a variety of places as well, including cafes and hotels. An easy access to the internet enables you to easily search for information on transportation, your travel destinations, and navigate your way there.

Don't worry because we have also gathered this information for you. So, here you go, places where you can find free Wi-Fi.

Cafes

The following chain cafes, which also operate nationwide, are often found in Gifu as well, making them convenient when you want to use the Internet.

• Starbucks
• Doutor Coffee
• Komeda Coffee Shop
• EXCELSIOR CAFFÉ
• TULLY'S
• PRONT
• Mos Burger

There are also other cafes that are popular in Gifu and offer free Wi-Fi.

Ichinomachi Coffee

Located near Hida Furukawa Station(5 miniutes walk), this coffee shop is a renovated old private house that is over 100 years old. You can relax in a tatami room with a chabudai table (a low Japanese table) while enjoying the view of the courtyard. The popular menu item, melon bread, is available in limited quantities and is usually sold out by reservation around lunch time when it is baked.

i-cafe TAKAYAMA

This cafe is located on the first floor of JR Takayama Station. Coin-operated lockers are available in the store, and a luggage delivery service is available for those staying at the hotel for the day. The shop is well known for its delicious coffee, and also for it s Hida beef steamed buns. You can stop by before exploring Hida Takayama and use the free Wi-Fi to check out the surrounding area.

Kissako Katsute

Kissako Katsute is a traditional Japanese house café renovated from an old townhouse. It is located a 10-minute walk from JR Takayama Station.

The first floor has counter seats overlooking the street, as well as tatami seatings; while the second floor has tatami counter seats and a semi-private raised seating area. Through the narrow lattice windows, you can enjoy views of the old streets and rickshaws of Hida. In addition to menu items like matcha and Japanese tea, you can also enjoy unique sweets such as the "White Parfait Yukidoke (Melting Snow)" topped with sweet rice wine.

Hotels

In Gifu, there are many hotels centered around Gifu Station, and you can find free Wi-Fi available in most of the hotels. However, there are some hotels that do not provide Wi-Fi, or they charge you for it, so you might want to check if they provide free Wi-Fi during your reservation.

To use the free Wi-Fi in a hotel, follow these steps:

1. Turn on your device's Wi-Fi by going to "Settings" and selecting "Wi-Fi".
2. Choose the hotel's network name from the list of available networks that appears.
3. When the login screen appears, enter the ID and password provided by the hotel.

Stations

At Gifu Station, on the second floor, you can use the "Gifu-City Free Wi-Fi" at the Gifu City Tourist Information Center.

Additionally, you can access JR's free Wi-Fi at Gifu Station on the Tokaido Main Line, Gero Station on the Takayama Main Line, Takayama Station, and Hida-Furukawa Station.

Note that Gifu Prefecture does not have its own airport, and the nearest airport is Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture. Chubu Centrair International Airport provides free Wi-Fi with the SSID "FreeWiFi-centrair".

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WiFiBOX is recommended for Your Wi-Fi in Gifu.

As mentioned above, tourists in Gifu can use public Wi-Fi or free Wi-Fi provided by cafes, and hotels. However, the drawback of free Wi-Fi is that it is not stable and not the safest thing to use, as the communication speed may be slow depending on the time and location, and there is a risk of a third party intercepting the content of the communication. Depending on the hotel where you stay, free Wi-Fi may not be available in the first place.
If you want to use the Internet comfortably and securely while sightseeing in Gifu, why not rent a portable Wi-Fi router?
In particular, we recommend WiFiBOX, a Wi-Fi rental service that completes every step of the process, from reservation to return, all contactless.

Here are the simple steps to rent a WiFiBOX.

Flow of usage and setting

The flow of using and setting up WiFiBOX is as follows:

1. On the official site of WiFiBOX (https://wifibox.telecomsquare.co.jp/en), select your travel destination ("Japan", if you are going to use it in Gifu), select the desired usage period and plan, and tap "Proceed to checkout".
2. If you are using WiFiBOX for the first time, create a new account. Log in if you already have one.
3. Complete the payment procedure with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or American Express) or a debit card.
4. After reserving, you will receive an email with the subject "How to Pick Up Your Wi-Fi Unit". When you are in front of the rental machine, open the "QR code (*) scanning page" from the email, and scan the QR code at the top right of the display on the rental machine.
   (* "QR Code" is a registered trademark of Denso Wave)
5. Tap "Pick-up" on your smartphone, and pull out the Wi-Fi unit from the slot to receive it.
6. Turn on the power of the unit , then on the Wi-Fi setting screen of your device, select the SSID written on the back of the unit, and enter the password to.

Please refer to the following for more detailed usage procedures:
(Link to WiFiBOX quick guide)
https://wifibox.telecomsquare.co.jp/en/pages/guide

Wi-Fi router pickup/return location

As of April 2023, WiFiBOX rental machines are installed at Takamatsu Airport, Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport, Chubu International Airport, Fukuoka Airport, Tokyo Station etc. It is also now available in Shinjuku and Shibuya Station area.
We recommend you to pick up your Wi-Fi unit at the airport or station you plan to pass when traveling to Gifu.

Please check the following for details on the locations of WiFiBOX

WiFiBOX Location List

What Kind of City is Gifu?

Gifu Prefecture is located in the central part of Honshu, the main island of Japan, and is an inland prefecture surrounded by seven other prefectures. In the northern Hida region, there is a range of mountains, including Mount Ontake and Mount Norikura, with elevations exceeding 3,000 meters. In the southern Mino region, the Kiso Three Rivers (Kiso River, Nagara River, and Ibi River) flow, and the middle reaches of the Nagara River have been selected as part of "Japan's Top 100 Famous Waters." The region is characterized by drastic temperature differences due to the complex terrain with significant variations in elevation.

Gifu Prefecture has many heritages that have long been handed down in the region, such as Shirakawa-go, a World Cultural Heritage site, Honminoshi, an Intangible Cultural Heritage site, and sweetfish from the clear Nagara River, a World Agricultural Heritage site.

Hida Takayama and Magomejuku, which are visited by many travelers, have many buildings constructed in the Edo period and you can enjoy the nostalgic view of the town.

Gifu Prefecture is also notable for its numerous traditional crafts that are still handed down and established as brands, such as Mino pottery, Mino washi, and Hida woodworking furniture.

Gifu is also famous for its hot springs such as Gero Onsen(one of the three best hot springs in Japan), Okuhida Onsengo, and Nagaragawa Onsen.

Places to Visit in Gifu

Gifu is famous for its World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go, its natural hot springs such as Okuhida Onsengo and Gero Onsen, nature experiences that allow visitors to fully enjoy the great outdoors, and the nostalgic and beautiful townscapes of Hida Takayama and Magomejuku.

Visitors can also enjoy the magnificent scenery of Gifu Castle, which was the base of Oda Nobunaga's unification of Japan, Norikuradake, and Yoro Falls.

Among them, here are three highlights in particular.

Hida

Hida City is located in the northernmost part of Gifu Prefecture, where you can enjoy the magnificent nature and the town of Furukawa, which retains the vestiges of its prosperity as a castle town.

Hida Furukawa

Hida Furukawa is another castle town along with Hida Takayama and is a popular tourist spot for its Setogawa River, where about 1,000 carp swim, and its white-walled storehouses lining the river. The Shirakabe Dozogai Street offers beautiful seasonal scenes with its grid-like town layout and old townhouses.

The Furukawa Festival is held every year on April 19 and 20 in Hida Furukawa. The festival combines stillness and movement, including a portable shrine procession, yatai parade, and kishidaiko drumming, and is designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and a nationally important intangible folk cultural asset.

The "Kishidaiko" on the evening of the 19th is a heroic spectacle of two young men straddling an oar carried by hundreds of naked men and taking turns swinging their bibs down on the oar. Another festival highlight is the "yatai parade," in which gorgeous yatai floats are paraded through the town.

There is also the Hida Furukawa Festival Hall, where you can experience the Furukawa Festiva, all year round. Three authentic Furukawa Festival stalls are on display, and visitors can try operating a marionette and so on. 4K video footage of the festival is shown on a large, powerful screen.

Business Hours	(March - November) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (December - February) 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Regular closing days	New year holiday season
Address	14-5 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture

Official Website：https://okosidaiko.com/

Activities to Enjoy Nature

Hida City is surrounded by great nature, with about 90% of the land covered by forests, and there are many activities where visitors can enjoy nature to the fullest.

"Rail Mountain Bike Gattan Go!" is an activity in which visitors ride electrically-assisted bicycles on abandoned railroad lines in Kamioka-cho, Hida City.

Visitors can ride through the "Town Course", a course that have many kind of bike for family to enjoy, and there is a "Canyon Course" that runs through a canyon surrounded by nature.

Business Hours	9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.(the time varies from course to course)
Regular closing days	Every Wendnesday and Winter
Address	Town Course: 1327-2 Azumo, Kamioka-cho, Hida, Gifu, Japan Canyon Course: Nishi-urushiyama, Kamioka-cho, Hida, Gifu, Japan

Official Websitehttps: https://rail-mtb.com/en/

Sanmanchi Suji(The Old Town)

Photo provided by "Takayama City"

"The Old Town", an area located 10-minute walk from JR Takayama Station, is a popular spot featuring a series of traditional Japanese houses unique to Takayama, that are built during Edo and Meiji periods.
Under the eaves where lattice windows line up, water flows through channels, and beneath the eaves of sake breweries, "sugi-dama" (balls made of cedar leaves) are hung, creating a nostalgic atmosphere as if you have traveled back in time.
The area has a lot of long-established souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafes, and you certainly don't want to miss out on riding the rickshaw and enjoying the Old Town view.

Address

Kaminominocho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture

Jinya

Photo provided by "Takayama City"

A jinya is a mansion where it is located in residences and goverment office of deputies of Tokugawa Shogunate. It is said that there were more than 60 jinya throughout Japan at the end of the Edo period, and the only remaining building from that period is the Takayama Jinya, which is designated as a National Historic Site.

At Takayama Jinya, the 49-tatami-mat hall where official ceremonies were held, the "Oshirasu" where trials were held, and the "Arashiyama-no-ma" which is the living room of the officials' residence are open to the public. Among them, the oldest and largest storehouse, storehouse is not to be missed.

A morning market is held in the plaza in front of the camp, which is crowded with many tourists visiting Hida Takayama.

Business Hours	(March - October) 8:45 a.m - 5 p.m (November - February) 8:45 a.m - 4:30 p.m
Regular Closing Days	December 29, December 31, and January 1
Address	1-5 Hachikenmachi Takayama, Gifu

To Summarize: Information on Internet & Wi-Fi in Gifu

In Gifu Prefecture, Gifu City provides free Wi-Fi for tourists, which is available in a wide range of areas including tourist spots, stations, and stores. However, a smooth connection is not guaranteed everywhere, especially when you are out of its range.

For those who want to have a comfortable Internet environment at all times while traveling, WiFiBOX is the best choice.

WiFiBOX is a Wi-Fi rental service that is affordable and easy to use from the reservation to return process. If you are planning to visit Gifu, you might want to try this service.