Japan's Top Three Hot Springs: Gero Onsen

🚶🏻 A Must-Visit in Gifu Prefecture: Gero Onsen
Gero Onsen, located in the Hida River basin, is renowned for its stunning natural surroundings and exceptional water quality. Since ancient times, it has been a favorite retreat for literary figures and scholars, such as the Zen monk Banri Shukuju from the Muromachi period and Tokugawa Shogunate scholar Hayashi Razan, who praised it highly. Alongside Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, Gero Onsen is celebrated as one of Japan's top three hot springs.

🚃 How to Get to Gero Onsen?
Getting to Gero Onsen is very straightforward. The fastest way is to take the JR Takayama Main Line Limited Express train from Nagoya to Gero Station, which takes only 100 minutes.

🗓️ Suggested Itinerary:

1. Gero Onsen Gassho Village
・Address: 2369 Mori, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture
・Opening Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)
One of the iconic attractions near Gero Onsen is the Gero Onsen Gassho Village. This quaint village features several traditional gassho-style houses relocated from Shirakawa-go. The most notable is the Old Odo Family Residence, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, which showcases historical documents and the lifestyle of early villagers.

2. Onsenji Temple of Iyama Reio
・Address: 680 Yunoshima, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture
Gero Onsen has a romantic legend tied to its history. Hundreds of years ago, the hot spring suddenly stopped flowing. The following year, an injured white heron came to the Hida River area to heal, and a hot spring emerged at the site. After the heron left, a luminous statue of Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha) was found at the foot of Nakane Mountain, and it has been worshipped ever since. Today, you can see a "Yugake Yakushi Nyorai" statue in front of the main hall of Onsenji Temple, with a continuous flow of spring water at its base. The annual "Yakushi Festival" on March 8 is a significant local event.

3. Shirasagi-no-Yu
・Address: 856-1 Yunoshima, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture
・Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Last entry at 8:15 PM), closed on Wednesdays
・Public Bath Fees: Adults 430 yen, Elementary School Students 160 yen, Preschoolers 80 yen
Gero Onsen offers numerous foot baths and bathhouses, each with unique features. Among them, Shirasagi-no-Yu, a public bathhouse established in 1926, is particularly beloved by locals. Its standout feature is its pure white European-style architecture with a Taisho-era aesthetic. The roof is adorned with a proud white heron, and the entrance features a charming "Venus Foot Bath" that is free to use.

💞 Why We Recommend It:
Gero Onsen attracts countless visitors every year and is one of Japan's most popular hot spring destinations. It’s a must-visit spot when traveling in Gifu Prefecture. Perfect for a two-day, one-night getaway, you can enjoy the rejuvenating "beauty water," savor Hida beef cuisine at a hot spring inn, and take a leisurely stroll through the onsen town while indulging in sweet treats. It’s the ideal itinerary for a relaxing trip!