Inuyama

Inuyama (Inuyama-shi) is a city located near Nagoya in Aichi, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1954. The city lies along the edge of Aichi Prefecture, separated from neighboring Gifu Prefecture by the Kiso River.

Inuyama had a monorail that ran about 1km, linking the Inuyama-Yuen train station to the nearby Japan Monkey Park. It closed in 2009 due to lack of use and now there a bus from the Inuyama Train station that runs to the park.

Over a hundred years ago, one of the first European visitors to the region remarked upon the Kiso River's resemblance to the Rhine. Today, you'll find rather more power lines, steel spans and vending machines than the comparison was intended to support, but the Kiso River still makes for a lovely walk in either direction. Cormorant fishing, known locally as ukai, takes place on summer nights. Fishermen using fire, nets and trained birds make for an exciting spectacle.