Chubu Wide-area Tourism Portal Site -- Travel to Ten Thrilling Scenic Sites This showcases sightseeing destinations in Japan's Chubu region (the prefectures of Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Shiga).

Gifu Prefecture Hida・Takayama・Gero Area

Every year, from the end of April to the beginning of May, these two Azuma-higan-zakura cherry trees bloom beautifully. The trees are about 450 years old. They were originally in the precincts of the Korin-ji Temple and the Shoren-ji Temple, which are now buried down at the bottom of a dam. At the time of the dam's construction, Mr. Tatsunosuke Takasaki, the president of the Development of Power Resource, felt that it would be unpardonable to bury them under water. He commissioned Mr. Shintaro Sasabe, a cherry blossom doctor, and Mr. Masamitsu Niwa, a garden designer, to transplant the trees. The transplant of these old trees was very difficult, but it was successful in the end. These trees, which are 6 meters in diameter around the trunk, continue to bloom beautifully to this day.