Yōrō, Gifu

Yōrō (養老町, Yōrō-chō) is a town located in Yōrō District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2018, the town had an estimated population of 29,309 in 10,356 households and a population density of 405 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 72.29 square kilometres (27.91 sq mi).[1]

Yōrō

養老町
Yōrō Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Yōrō in Gifu Prefecture
Yōrō
 
Coordinates: 35°18′30.3″N 136°33′41″E
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu
PrefectureGifu
DistrictYōrō
Government
  MayorTakashi Ōhashi
Area
  Total72.29 km2 (27.91 sq mi)
Population
 (April 1, 2018)
  Total29,309
  Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
- TreeBuxus microphylla
- FlowerChrysanthemum morifolium
Phone number0584-32-1100
AddressTakada 798, Yōrō-chō, Yōrō-gun, Gifu-ken 503-1392
WebsiteOfficial website
Central Yōrō seen from Yōrō Mountains

Geography

Yōrō is located in south-west Gifu Prefecture, with the Yōrō Mountains to the west and the plains of the Ibi River to the east, The Makita River also flows through the town. The town has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Yōrō is 15.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1840 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.1 °C.[2]

Neighbouring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Yōrō has remained fairly constant over the past 40 years.

Census Year Population
1970 27,766
1980 31,371
1990 33,102
2000 33,256
2010 31,332
2015 29,029

History

The area around Yōrō was part of traditional Mino Province. With the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms, the town of Yōrō was established on April 1, 1897. Yōrō merged with the town of Takeda and villages of Hirohata, Kamitado, Ikebe, Kasago, Kobata, Tado, Hiyoshi and Aihara in 1954 to form the town of Yōrō. A referendum to merge into the city of Ōgaki was defeated in 2004.

Education

Yōrō has four public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Sister city relations

Local attractions

  • Mount Yōrō
  • Yōrō Falls[4]
  • Kikusui-Sen spring
  • Yōrō Temple
  • Reversible Destiny-Yoro Park is a theme park in Yōrō described as "an 'experience park' conceived on the theme of encountering the unexpected. By guiding visitors through various unexpected experiences as they walk through its component areas, the Site offers them opportunities to rethink their physical and spiritual orientation to the world." [5] The park was opened in October 1995. Designed by Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins.
  • Tōkai Nature Trail[6]

Local legends

  • A local woodcutter discovered a stream that ran with fine sake. He filled a gourd and brought the liquid to his father. Drinking the liquid made his father feel youthful and turned his hair from gray to black. Empress Gensho of Nara visited Yōrō to try the liquid and it made her youthful, too.[4]
  • There is a persimmon tree that grows hair on the grounds of Fukugen-ji temple, because a murder victim is buried beneath the tree.[7][8]

References

  1. Yōrō Town official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. Yōrō climate data
  3. Yōrō population statistics
  4. "The Yoro Waterfall and the Legend of the Dutiful Son".
  5. "Reversible Destiny-Yoro Park Official Website".
  6. "Places to Visit - Yōrō".
  7. See Ross, Catrien; Japan (1996), Supernatural and Mysterious Japan: Spirits, Hauntings, and Paranormal Phenomena (1st ed.). Yenbooks. ISBN 4-900737-37-2.
  8. Emily Millar. "Creepy Japan".
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