Have you come here seeking immortality?

An extraordinarily wise man who brought cutting-edge technology
from the mainland to Japan

Jofuku (Xu Fu)

Trained in a broad range of scholastic disciplines and skills, he has an extremely curious nature. Coming here in search of the elixir of life, even now he continues his search and research somewhere in Kumano. His age is unknown. Recently he became hooked on a new discovery—coffee!

Legends of Higashikishu

Xu Fu is said to have been an actual person who lived more than 2,200 years ago. A Chinese (Qin Dynasty) scholar who sought to achieve immortality through a combination of magic, prayer, and drugs, he was knowledgeable in medicine, astronomy, and astrology.

As the first to unify China, the first Qin Emperor ordered Xu Fu to find the elixir of immortality. Leading a fleet of ships loaded with several thousand boys and girls, as well as many farming tools and agricultural products, Xu Fu set off on a voyage to find the secret elixir.

Eventually the fleet reached the Japanese coast at Hadasu Town in Kumano City. Xu Fu is said to have shared China's cutting-edge technologies of that time in the fields of medicine, shipbuilding, whaling, steel manufacturing, agriculture, and ceramics. Numerous pieces of evidence of Xu Fu's arrival remain today, including the regional name “Hadasu,” which is said to have been written in ancient times with the same character used to write the “Qin Dynasty”; and the excavation of Ban Liang coins dating from the Qin Dynasty and pottery is said to have been made by Xu Fu himself. Even today, you can find evergreen Lindera—the plant said to be the elixir of immortality that Xu Fu was seeking—growing luxuriantly in the Hadasu area.

Places where you can meet Jofuku (Xu Fu)!AR Spot Introduction

Hadasu

Located on National Route 311, Jofuku-chaya provides a panoramic view overlooking the town of Hadasu. Did Xu Fu also look out over the town of Hadasu from this spot? With its large camphor trees and eye-catching red torii gate, Jofuku-no-Miya is believed to be the site of tomb of Jofuku. On the opposite (northern) side of National Route 311 lies the Hadasu-no-Michi. Paved with cobblestones dating from the Kamakura period (1185-1333), this road is said to be the oldest section along the Kumano Kodo Iseji.

Hadasu

QR code locations

Jofuku-chaya
454-3 Hadasu Town, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture
(External wall of Jofuku-chaya)

Access to Jofuku-chaya

Public transportation

  • (From the Kumanoshi-eki-mae bus stop outside JR Kumanoshi Station)
    Jofuku-chaya is immediately in front of the Jofuku-chaya-mae bus stop on the Kumano-shi Jishu-unko Bus Shiokaze Kahoru Kumano Kodo Line.
  • About a 15-minute walk from JR Hadasu Station

By car

  • (From Owase) Drive from the Kumano-Atashika Interchange along National Route 311 and turn right at the T-junction, then drive for about 5 minutes.
  • (From Shingu) Drive along National Route 42 then turn onto National Route 311 at the Odomari-Kaigan Intersection and drive for about 7 minutes.

Parking

Space on the opposite side of the road from Jofuku-chaya

Links to related information

https://jofuku-chaya.jimdofree.com/

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