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On the Hida side of the Northern Japan Alps, which lie within the Chubu Sangaku National Park, there is a mountain opening festival called "Banryu-sai (Banryu festival)" .
This Banryu-sai festival is an annual event held to mark the arrival of spring in this snowy region.
The purpose is to commemorate the great work of the holy monk Banryu, who opened up Mt. Yarigatake and Mt. Kasagatake by erecting Buddhist monuments on their peaks.
It is also signifies the hope for safety in the Northern Japan Alps.

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The cherry trees of Okuhida-Onsengo begin to blossom around the end of April each year. This is about 1 month later than in the flatlands. The cherry blossoms of Tochio-Onsen Horadani are especially beautiful. During the period of the cherry blossom festival, the paths lined with cherry trees and the public open-air spa "Kojin-no-yu" are lit up with paper lanterns in celebration of the late-coming spring of Okuhida-Onsengo.

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