For a town so closely associated with water, it¡¯s rather fitting that Gujo-Hachiman is shaped like a fish.

¡°´¡²Ô ayu (sweetfish), to be exact,¡± clarifies Yuka Tanaka, my guide for the afternoon and a native of this small town of approximately 18,000 inhabitants tucked away in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture. ¡°Ayu need clear water to thrive, and we have plenty of that in Gujo-Hachiman.¡±

The town sits at the confluence of four rivers: the tiny Otohime and the Kodara, which both flow into the mighty Yoshida. Together, all three join the Nagara River to the west of town.