History of Enku and Flowers of Minami
A journey to meet Enku monk
Visiting Hoshinomiya-jinja Shrine and Keishouzi Temple
Enjoy big hydrangea and beautiful ceiling paintings at Keishouzi Temple.
Enjoy full course Ayu cuisine which can be enjoyed during this season at Minami!
One of the six Kouka Shrines surrounded by Mt Kouka. A shrine which is good for asthma and eye trouble.
Even it was over 300 years ago, people are still fascinated by Enku monk who was born in Gujo-shi Minami-cho. He travelled throughout the country making over 120,000 Buddha statues. Let us follow his steps and know what he did. You can also know how people lived in the nature of Minami.
5 min.
15 min.
5 min.
5 ~ 10 min.
10 min.
Minami Furusato-kan
(Enku Furusato-kan, Minami Life Museum)
Feel his life in his hometown
Enku monk was born in current Gujo-shi Minami-cho in 1632. He travelled throughout the country as a tempest having intense training. Many buddha statues were left all over the country. Many of them were left in his hometown Minami-cho. Visitors can come to follow his steps and visit all places he has been to. Over 90 statues are displayed according to their ages at Enku Furusato-kan inside Minami Furusato-kan. You can see how his style changed in different period of time. In addition, In the Life Museum, many important documents about how people lived in Minami are displayed.
You can know the history of Enku and Minami area in this Minami Furusato-kan.
Many important documents are displayed. You can know all about Enku.
Souvenir in the shape of Enku statue is so cute.
Hoshinomiya-jinja Shrine
One of the six Kouka Shrines surrounded by Mt Kouka.
A shrine which is good for asthma and eye trouble
Hoshinomiya-jinja Shrine is located next to Minami Furusato-kan. It is one of the six Kouka Shrine surrounding Mt Kouka. This shrine has benefits for asthma and eye trouble. The combination of Shinto and Buddhism is still remained in this shrine. Another temple Kayugawaji Temple is also one of the places related to Enku. He learnt how to write Buddhist scripture here at Kayugawaji Temple.
Torii with the background of a forest is located next to Minami Furusato-kan.
Ema (Votive picture) with a sickle is hung.
Surrounded by huge cedar trees, you can sense the history and formality.
Watanabe Kashiho (Watanabe Japanese Sweets)
Buying cute Enku shape Japanese sweets for souvenirs
After visiting all places of Enku monk, you may want to buy some souvenirs with the face of Enku on it. We recommend you buy this little Enku. This small, cute sweets have red bean paste filling. A poem of Enku is written on the packing too. Cream Daifuku is also very delicious.
This monaka (Waffers) in the shape of Acala is super cute! It is very suitable for souvenir.
Watanabe Kashiho is the only Japanese sweets shop in Minami-cho. It is located along the National Route 156.
Japanese sweets, western confectionary and other specialties of Gujo and Minami are available for sale.
Yana Ayu cuisine
Season : Summer ~ October
You can only try this in this season!
Try the full course of ayu fish in Minami
From summer to October, you can try the Yana ayu cuisine in Minami. Most restaurants are providing ayu cuisine, like sashimi, salt grilled ayu, boiled ayu. Ayu can be cooked in many different ways. You can absolutely enjoy all kinds of ayu cuisines. You can eat while seeing the clear stream and hearing the sound of water. Different restaurants provide different cuisine in different seasons. Please reserve in advance.
Menu using natural Ayu caught at the fish weir are provided at Natural Ayu Miyachika from August to October. (Photo provided by Miyachika)
Yanaba (Fish weir) of clear stream Nagaragawa River. You can hear the sound of the river from the restaurant. (Photo provided by Kariyasu Yana)
Full course with different kinds of fresh Ayu cuisine. (Photo provided by Kariyasu Yana)
Temple of flower Keishouzi Temple
[mid June ~ mid July] Seeing the hydrangea and ceiling paintings
At the temple of flower Keishouzi Temple
Big hydrangea and beautiful ceiling paintings
Keishouzi is a temple located on a plateau seeing Mt Kouka. As its name Keishou means peony, it is famous for its beautiful peony. Peony Festival is held on every spring, but don’t forget hydrangea in early summer. Hydrangea Festival starts in mind June. Over 10,000 hydrangeas are blooming at the back of the mountain. And also, you cannot miss the ceiling paintings in the main shrine. Flowers in different seasons are painted by local artists.
Over 10 thousand flowers are blooming at the back of the mountain.
Keisohuzi Temple is known as the temple of flower having different kinds of flowers in all seasons.
Local artists of Gifu-ken painted the flowers on the ceiling.
Roadside Station Minami
Buying souvenirs and taking a rest at Roadside Station Minami
Roadside Station Minami is located along the National Route 156 next to the clear stream Nagaragawa River. Shop is selling local specialty, handmade food and lunch box. Restaurant opens from 8am to 11am is providing breakfast too. Soft ice cream using mulukhiya, blueberry grown in Minami and fresh vegetable are only for sale at the morning market.
Roadside Station Minami is one of the best rest places seeing Nagaragawa River with restaurant and souvenir shops.
Shop selling specialties, souvenirs of Gujo and Minami and food can be found here.
Restaurant is providing Kei-chan (Stir fried chicken with miso sauce) and Hida beef croquette. You can try their breakfast until 11am.