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Yoro Station on the Yoro Railway Line which starts at Ogaki in Gifu and ends in Kuwana in Mie.
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Yoro Station is decorated with gourds.
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Yoro Station is decorated with gourds.
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Yoro Station amid cherry blossoms in April. 養老駅
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Statue of the famous local boy who used a gourd to bring sake (from a spring) to his father. This story of filial piety caught the attention of Empress Gensho who visited Yoro and proclaimed the water as a fountain of youth.
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Gourd monument in front of Yoro Station. The gourd has become a symbol of the town. "Yoro" refers to staying young or living a long life.
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Way to Yoro Park which is within walking distance from Yoro Station. There's a slight slope.
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Cherry blossoms in full bloom in Yoro Park. 養老公園
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The cherries were beautiful this year in April 2009.
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Yoro town's most famous attraction is Yoro Park and Yoro (Yoro-no-taki) Falls, especially during cherry blossom season in early April
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Yoro was named by Empress Gensho in the 8th century and proclaimed Yoro as the fountain of youth. She even named her era after Yoro (717-724).
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Cherry trees on both sides of the river.
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Yoro temple
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Way to Yoro Falls.
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Panoramic shot of Yoro
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Yoro Park consists of several areas besides the river and waterfall.
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Welcome to Yoro
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Looking downstream
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Heading for Yoro Falls.
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Bell in a gourd-shaped hole.
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Map of Yoro Park showing the location of numerous song/poem monuments in the park.
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Gourds for sale. I was surprised to see gourds in Yoro, because in my native Hawai'i, they are used as a percussion instrument. I wonder if the ancient Japanese ever thought of using the gourd as a musical instrument like the Hawaiians did.
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People enjoy the river and flowers in Yoro.
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Yoro, Gifu
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Roadside stream
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Getting nearer to Yoro-no-taki Falls. It's a good uphill hike which will tire you. But it's not too long.
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Yoronotaki Falls is one of Japan's 100 Famous Waterfalls and 100 Famous Water Springs.
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You'll be frustrated to see a few more stone steps that you need to clumb to get closer to the falls.
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The famous Yoro Falls in Gifu.
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養老の滝
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Yoro-no-taki Falls is 32 meters high and 4 meters wide. Swimming under the falls is not allowed. This is the closest you can get.
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Yoro-no-taki Falls in spring
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Yoro Falls from his "Famous Views of the 60 Provinces" series.
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About Yoro Falls (in English).
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Small shrine next to the falls.
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Heading back down.
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Yoro, Gifu
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Poster for Yoro Park's cherry blossoms lit up at night.
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Gourds in a souvenir shop in Yoro.
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Yoro's sparling waters are used to make mineral water and a variety of soft drinks and alcoholic drinks.
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Persimmon drink.
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Yoro manhole cover, Gifu.
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