Gero, Gifu

Gero 下呂市
—  City  —
Location of Gero in Gifu
Gero
Coordinates: 35°48′N 137°15′E / 35.8°N 137.25°E / 35.8; 137.25Coordinates: 35°48′N 137°15′E / 35.8°N 137.25°E / 35.8; 137.25
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Gifu
Government
– Mayor	Makoto Nomura
Area
– Total	851.06 km2 (328.6 sq mi)
Population (July 2011[1])
– Total	35,906
– Density	42.2/km2 (109.3/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Maple[2]
- Flower	Satsuki azalea[2]
Phone number	(0576) 24-2222
Address	960 Mori, Gero-shi, Gifu-ken, Japan 509-2202
Website	City of Gero

Gero (下呂市, Gero-shi^?) is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is famous for its hot springs. The Hida River runs throughout the city.

History

The city was established on March 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Gero, Hagiwara, Kanayama and Osaka, and the village of Maze, all from Mashita District.

Industry

Hida River running through Gero

Gero's major industry is tourism. It is known throughout Japan for its hot springs known as Onsen, leading many tourists to visit the area each year. Forestry and agriculture also play significant roles in the local economy. Gero has many hotels that can be visited by guests that are looking for accommodations near the hot springs. Large tubs are located in some hotels allowing couples to bathe together. Some hotels lend yukatas to the couples. It's not unusual to see people wearing yukatas on the streets of Gero and even in some stores. Besides those in hotels, there are many inexpensive and convenient onsens located near railway stations, residential areas, and commercial centers up and down the valley.

Local government

Gero City Hall

The current mayor of the city is Makoto Nomura. He is the second mayor of the city and is currently serving his first four-year term. In April 2008, he replaced Ryōji Yamada, who only served one term as the first mayor of the city.

The city council is made up for 21 members elected from separate districts within the city. City council sessions are held four times a year in March, June, September and December.

In the prefectural assembly, the city of Gero is in a separate district from neighboring municipalities and has one representative.

Transportation

Rail

Gero Station

Because of previous mergers with nearby towns, the city of Gero now has eight train stations on JR Central's Takayama Main Line:

• Hida-Kanayama – Yakeishi – Gero – Zenshōji – Hida-Hagiwara – Jōro – Hida-Miyada – Hida-Osaka

Highway

Three national routes (41, 256 and 257) and fourteen prefectural routes run through the borders of the city.

Sister cities

Domestic

• Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture
• Hodatsushimizu, Hakui District, Ishikawa Prefecture

International

• Ketchikan, Alaska, USA
• Pensacola, Florida, USA
• Salesópolis, São Paulo, Brazil

Within Japan

• Kusatsu, Japan

References

1. ^ "岐阜県の人口・世帯数人口動態統計調査結果" (in Japanese). Gifu prefectural website. Gifu Prefecture. http://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/kensei-unei/tokeijoho/kohyoshiryo/jinko-jutaku/jinko/2011/jinko201108.data/H2308kohyo.xls. Retrieved September 11, 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "市章と市の花・木" (in Japanese). Gero official webpage. http://www.city.gero.lg.jp/gyousei/view.rbz?nd=116&ik=1&pnp=116&cd=16. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 

External links

Media related to Gero, Gifu at Wikimedia Commons

• Gero Official Website (Japanese)
• Sister City Exchange Report (JCIE)
• Gero Kaiten Monument
• Gero-Onsen Convention Official Site (Japanese)
• Gero Onsen travel guide from Wikitravel
• Info Gero Spa (Japanese)^{[dead link]}