Event details

Mt. Iimori Illumination
Nighttime illumination colors Mt. Iimori in shades of gold, creating a surreal view with Taigetsu Bridge's vibrant red color and the lights reflecting off the Tomoe River.
• Date and time: Sundown–9:00 pm; Fri, Nov 1–Sat, • Nov 30, 2024 (no extensions to period or time)

Opening Ceremony
Japanese taiko drum and dance performances spark the beginning of the Korankei Gorge Maple Festival. Come see the festival's start with a smile as these enthusiastic performances get things going.
• Date and time: 11:00 am–4:00 pm; Sat, Nov 2, 2024 (canceled should rainy weather occur)
• Location: Korankei Gorge Square
• Details: Sanshu Asuke Taiko performance 11:00 am–11:30 pm / Chukyo University's 20th Hachimae Yosakoi Dance performance from 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm / Dance performance by the Otani High School Dance Club 3:00 pm–4:00 pm

Monkey show
• Date and time: Multiple times a day, almost every day from Sun, Nov 3. Times depend on the monkey. (Canceled should rainy weather occur. Held during the daytime only.)

City of Toyota's Toyota Illusion Magic Junior Marching Band Maple Festival Traffic Safety Parade
A total of some 80 musicians offer a powerful performance and colorful parade along the roads of Asuke's historic townscape!
• Date and time: From 1:00 pm; Sun, Nov 10, 2024 (canceled should rainy weather occur)
• Location: Asuke townscape

Bamboo lanterns at Kojakuji Temple
Approximately 1,000 bamboo lanterns illuminate the pathway to majestic and serene Kojakuji Temple.
• Date and time: 6:00 pm–8:30 pm; Sat, Nov 2–Sun, Nov 30, 2024 (not held on Mon, Nov 4 [national holiday])
• Location: Pathway from main gate to Kojakuji Temple

Wishing candles
800 wishing candles in glass line the banks of the Tomoe River near Tomoe Bridge. Lining them along the riverside is said to make your wishes come true. Available for JPY 500 a candle.
• Date and time: 6:00 pm–8:30 pm on weekends; Sat, Nov 9–Sun, Nov 30, 2024 (not held on Mon, Nov 4 [national holiday])
• Location: Right-side bank of the Tomoe River and below Nishi-machi Parking Lot No. 2 (Entry restrictions to the riverside may occur.)

Olden-time marching band parade
Locals volunteer for this odd, olden-time parade using eccentric instruments for an entertaining good time.
• Dates: Sat, Nov 16, 2024 (Tora Chindon group) / Sat, Nov 23 (Toyota Tonohime & Kizuna group) / Sun, Nov 24 (Kizuna group) / Sat, Nov 30, 2024 (Emika Chindon group)
• Time: 10:00 am–3:00 pm (each day)
• Location: Asuke Historic Townscape–Korankei Gorge (Mt. Iimori side) (Moving parade only to prevent people from clustering.)

Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings Stamp Scavenger Hunt in the Asuke townscape
Collect three individual stamps available at three buildings around Asuke's townscape for an original sticker!
• Date: Fri, Nov 1–Sat, Nov 30, 2024
• Locations: Former Suzuki Residence and Paper Shop / Former Taguchi Residence / Asuke Chumakan History Museum
• Times: Former Suzuki Residence and Paper Shop 10:00 am–4:00 pm / Former Taguchi Residence 10:00 am–5:00 pm/ Asuke Chumakan History Museum 10:00 am–5:00 pm
• Simultaneously-held event: Former Taguchi Residence's Yorozuya General Market: Transitions Through Trade exhibit
Asuke's merchants were always reading the changes and trends of the market. The products they sold, tools they used, and other interesting artifacts are available on display.

Asuke map

Asuke Hachimangu Shrine and Asuke Jinja Shrine (B-4 on map)
It is said that the Asuke Hachimangu Shrine answers people's prayers for healthy feet. This is because Asuke used to be a crossroads where people could rest their feet during their arduous travels.
The shrine provides amulets for healthier feet and paper fortunes. The main hall of the shrine is a national important cultural asset.
Asuke Jinja Shrine worships skilled archer Asuke Jiro Shigenori. Lord Shigenori played an important part in guarding Emperor Godaigo in the Genko Incident as the military commander-in-chief of an army of 3,000 soldiers.

Korankei Gorge (D-5 on the map)
Korankei Gorge is the most famous place in the Tokai Region (Aichi and other surrounding prefectures) for autumn leaves. In November, the leaves of about 4,000 Japanese maple trees turn red and yellow all at once, making for a picturesque view of the gorge. In May, the fresh, new leaves of spring are not to be missed; and in March, light purple dogtooth violets bloom on the northwest face of Mt. Iimori, resulting in Korankei Gorge's reputation as a wonderful location to enjoy Japan's seasonal changes.

Sanshu Asuke Yashiki living museum (D-7 on the map)
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki is an interactive facility where you can experience olden-day life in the mountains including handwork such as weaving on a loom and indigo dyeing. The facility has a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious mountain village food such as goheimochi, large grilled rice cakes on a stick with a sweet miso sauce, and grilled salted sweetfish seasoned with salt.
It takes about 10 minutes on foot to get from the greater Korankei Gorge area to Sanshu Asuke Yashiki. (Phone number: 0565-62-1188)

Sanshu Asuke Yashiki living museum (D-7 on the map)
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki is an interactive facility where you can experience olden-day life in the mountains including handwork such as weaving on a loom and indigo dyeing. The facility has a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious mountain village food such as goheimochi, large grilled rice cakes on a stick with a sweet miso sauce, and grilled salted sweetfish seasoned with salt.
It takes about 10 minutes on foot to get from the greater Korankei Gorge area to Sanshu Asuke Yashiki. (Phone number: 0565-62-1188)

Asuke townscape (C-4 to H-2 on the map)
The town of Asuke was an integral point along the old Ina Road—also known as the "Chuma Road"—which connected the Owari and Mikawa regions (in Aichi Prefecture) to the Shinshu region (Nagano Prefecture). Asuke was a merchant town that prospered as an important place for the transportation of goods. Many houses that were built in the latter half of the Edo period (from 1776 to 1830) still remain in Asuke today.
In 2011, the Asuke townscape became the first area in the prefecture of Aichi to be selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

Asuke Castle (I-4 on the map)
Asuke Castle was built by the Suzuki family, who ruled the Asuke area during the Warring States period. The castle was restored based on the results of an excavation. The restoration of a mountaintop castle is extremely rare in Japan, and Asuke Castle was actually the first in the country to be restored.
You can enjoy a beautiful view of Asuke's townscape from the 301-meter-high castle keep. It takes about 40 minutes on foot to get to the castle from Korankei Gorge. (Phone number: 0565-62-0770)