下呂市観光案内

A well-known Japanese legend originated from the Gero Hot Springs District.
In the Onsen-ji Temple, Bhaisajyaguru is enshrined, the Buddha of healing who is mentioned in legend. At the top of 173 stone steps, there is the main building of the temple. From the temple gate, you can enjoy sweeping views of the hot springs town and the Hida River.

In the park, there are reproductions of houses used in ancient times, six from the Jomon Period (ca. 14,000-500 B.C.), and one home from the latter part of the Yayoi Period (ca. 500 B.C.-300 A.D.).The remains of original houses have been discovered by excavations conducted since 1966. The excavated items can be observed at the nearby Furusato Rekishi Kinenkan (Local History Memorial Museum).

This Zen temple was founded to enshrine Kuan-shih Yin, in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) on the site where a high priest named Soto Keishin had built a hermitage during the Heian Period (794-1185). Emperor Gonara designated this temple as one of the top ten temples of the nation, and ordered the temple to be a place of prayer. The garden created by Sowa Kanamori and “a large image of Bodhidharm” painted by Sesshu are worth seeing.

This is the family temple of the Kanamori clan, the lords of Hida Province early in the Edo Period (1603-1867) for three generations. It is also called the “Maple Temple,” with over 100 maple trees that become magnificent when all the leaves have turned a deep red color in autumn.

This is the first boulders in Japan which was examined from perspective of Archaeoastronomy. It has been discovered that they function as a solar calendar. This structure demonstrates to us that we can learn things from seemingly natural formations.