Hadasu is said to be the place where the illustrious Royal Doctor Jofuku came from China in search the elixir of life by order of Qin, the first emperor of China. The village is spotted with terraced rice paddies and houses hugging the slope, and with the many legends and historical spots here, you can really feel the timelessness of this small hamlet. A species of tree that Jofuku found to have medical properties now grows at Hadasu and Jofuku Shrines.

Kamakura period Stone path

The oldest paving stones on the Iseji are from the Kamakura period (1185‒1333).
The stones use to pave paths in those days were much larger than those used in later periods, making it easy to distinguish from roads paved in the Edo period (1603‒1868) .

Jofuku Shrine

2200 years ago, Emperor Qin's doctor, Jofuku came seeking the elixir of life and brought with him knowledge of the advanced civilization of China.
The locals learned new techniques for farming, pottery, medicine and so on.
Even when Japan went to war in China 100 years ago, the locals' reverence for Jofuku never wavered.

The Footprint Spring

The famous Buddhist monk, Kobodaishi (founder of Koya-san) is said to have passed this way. He left a footprint in the stone here where this hole is, and magically, holy water sprang forth. They say this divine water will cure anything that ails you.

The inscribed stone

There is a big rock in front of the house of a lord that ruled here long ago. A couple who the lord had wronged before settling here had sought him out to seek revenge, but the lord's retainers cut them down when they attacked. The lord reflected on this tragedy and had these characters carved on this rock. Kin - diligence, Shin - prudence/moderation and Nin - patiently endure one humiliation after another.