Japan's Age-Old Scenery and History Photo Course

Day 1.

JR Iida Line Toyohashi Station

Train

70 min.

JR Iida Line Yuya Onsen

Walk

1 min.

Matsuya (Soba and Gohei-Mochi)

Made with traditional miso, gohei-mochi and a konnyaku version of miso dengaku are two dishes that are offered here with pride.
Other menu items with a rustic taste include udon or soba noodles. It's also fun to look at the collection of owl-shaped dolls and hand-crafted earthenware bells sold here.

Walk

6 min.

Rent an electric bicycle at Yuya Onsen

At Yuya Onsen, you can rent three-speed electric bicycles from designated ryokans. Women and those who don't generally engage in sports can also advance up the slope of Mt. Horai-ji parkway with ease.

◆ Loan time
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
◆ Place
Yuya Kanko Hotel Senzankaku or Yu-no-Kaze HAZU
◆ Usage fee
500 yen/1 day

Bicycle

15 min.

Okumikawa Distillery (Experience), Itajikigawa River, and Stroll Around the Area

Okumikawa Distillery uses trees grown in the Okumikawa area such as cypress or cedar to create high-quality essential oils, distilled water, and essences. It's also possible to observe the distillery process through a glass partition.
Itajiki River gets its name from how a layer of wood boards ("ita") appear to cover ("jiki") the bottom of the riverbed. There are also places for playing in the river, perfect for families with children.

Day 2.

Yuya Onsen

Taxi

30 min.

Mt. Horai-ji and Horaisan Toshogu Shrine

Founded 1,300 years ago by the hermit monk Rishu, the ancient Horai-ji Temple is built halfway up this sacred mountain. Among other highlights on the way up the 1,425 stone steps leading up to Horai-ji Temple is the Kasasugi cedar, which stands at 60 meters high and is the oldest living tree in Japan at 800 years old. The Nio Gate of Horaisan Toshogu Shrine built by shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1651 is a National Important Cultural Property.

Taxi

30 min.

Thousand Rice Paddies of Yotsuya

Spread out across the slope of Mt. Kurakake are beautiful terraced rice fields, first cultivated 400 years ago. In the golden age there were 1,296 paddies, and even now 30 farming families continue to tend approximately 420 fields. The traditional scenery is like something from a Japanese folktale, where humans and nature coexist.

Taxi

30 min.

Roadside Station "Michi-no-Eki" Mokkulu Shinshiro

An arched roof made with Okumikawa lumber is a distinctive feature of this roadside station. Inside is a food court that offers wild boar ramen or a buffet using local vegetables, as well as a farmers' market that sells local products.
A tourist information center, a footbath run with Yuya Onsen hot spring water, and other amenities are installed at this facility, a gathering place that conveys the region's charms.

Walk

12 min.

JR Iida Station Mikawa-togo Station

Train

30 min.

JR Iida Station Toyokawa Station

Walk

7 min.

Myogonji Temple (Toyokawa Inari)

Counted as one of Japan’s Big Three Inari Temples, Toyokawa Inari is known nationwide as a place to pray for success in business.
Established approximately 580 years ago in 1441 during the Muromachi period, the Toyokawa Inari currently receives around five million visitors each year. After visiting the main building, the stone fox statue offerings at Reiko-Zuka is worth a look. Donated by worshippers, the more than 1,000 stone foxes in varying sizes lined up here are an incredible sight to behold.

Walk

7 min.

JR Iida Station Toyokawa Station

Train

12 min.

JR Iida Line Toyohashi Station