On the same day I found the riverside onsen, I also found this neat little gorge called Hanayama Gorge. It was so small, I was very surprised it was even named, but upon heading down to explore it, I found it to be quite beautiful. Again, this was a small piece of Japan that reminded me so much of Oregon… I was happy I found it. Basically it’s only about 5o yards long, with the sided being solid mossy rock. The river narrows to about 7-10 feet but the water isn’t moving too fast because it gets very deep in this part. It was a nice day, and I was so tempted to jump in and explore the water and depths, jumping spots, but was a bit reticent because the air temperature was only about 75 degrees and I didn’t have a towel or anything. Plus, I’ve discovered about myself that I a little seed of caution is planted within me when I’m in another country. I mean, who knows? Maybe this one river in Japan has a Loch Ness Monster type of creature, or poisonous snakes, or maybe the sign on the road said, “Warning!: This water is like Hydrochloric Acid, and you may not feel it right away, but anyone swimming in this water, particularly if you jump in this water around the Hanayama Gorge area, will find their skin painfully dissolving off of their body after a matter of minutes! You will most surely DIE! Especially foreigners! American foreigners who are alone right now! Thank you! ” the sign could’ve said that, you know? How am I supposed to know otherwise? So with a friend or two, and warmer temps, I will surely go back there and spend the day frolicking about in the (acidic?) waters of Hanayama Gorge!

In this pic, in the distance, you can see the perfect sandy beach at the downstream side of the gorge, located, as if by design, right adjacent to a calm, peaceful, deep swimmin’ hole! Yes! With beers, towels, snacks and tunes, this is my definition of paradise. Then a short 1 mile hike to that riverside onsen at the end of the day? Fuhggetabout it!!