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Travel Column

22Hyakuso Monument

百草

Story

Hyakuso is said to have been passed down by two practitioners: Kakumei from Owari, who opened the Kurosawa Trailhead of Mitake, and Fukan from Musashi, who opened the Otaki Trailhead. As the worship of Ontake spread, followers distributed hyakuso to worshipers nationwide as a holy medicine.

Overview

Hyakuso is the extract of cork tree bark collected on Mt.Ontake. The extract is a bitter medicine for the stomach and aids in digestion. While improving the condition of the stomach overall, the medicine also helps with various ailments including overeating, excessive drinking, upset stomach, eye trouble, sprain, and bruising. People valued the medicine as being all-purpose as if it was made from one hundred herbs, or rather being capable of curing one hundred diseases and named it hyakuso (one hundred herbs).
In the present day, hyakuso is prepared with a number of herbs that grow on Mt. Ontake, and various folk medicines are produced.

Points of Interest

The hyakuso monument stands on the site of Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation. Originally, the monument stood on the old approach to Ontake Shrine, and was moved to the current location.
You can tour the factories of Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation and Hino-Seiyaku Corporation and see the manufacturing process.
You can purchase hyakuso at souvenir shops in Kiso-gun.

  

Interview

長野県製薬株式会社小谷宗司さん

Mr. Soji Kotani, from Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation

We interviewed Mr. Soji Kotani. He is from the Department of Ontake Hyakusogan Pharmaceutical Affairs at Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation.

“The method for manufacturing hyakuso was passed down by word of mouth in the old days. But then, villagers decided that it was important to record how hyakuso had been passed down and erected the hyakuso monument,” he said.

The reason hyakuso was born at the foot of Mt. Ontake is that Kiso-gun was rich in herbs. In the past, herbal medicines were manufactured in Kiso and delivered to the Owari Domain. Basic ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines were also made from many kinds of herbs in Kiso.
Alpine plants on Mt. Ontake were called the plants of the gods and loved by people for over 200 years. Moreover, hyakuso has had no side effects for 200 years.”

“What did old hyakuso look like?”

小谷宗司さん

Mr. Soji Kotani

昔の百草

“The old hyakuso was wrapped in bamboo leaves.”

He showed me the real thing.

“As you can see, it was wrapped in bamboo leaves, and it’s rigid and thin like glass. People broke off some and took it when necessary.”

百草元祖の碑

Hyakuso Monument

説明の看板

The sign says what is written on the monument.

He guided us to the hyakuso monument.

“It is so old and a little difficult to make out the writing. This sign shows the text written on the monument.
You see the name Kotani here. It is my ancestor.”

What a surprise to see, in person, a man whose ancestors handed down hyakuso!

What a surprise to see, in person, a man whose ancestors handed down hyakuso!

A sign from a main hyakuso store

百草元祖の碑の拓本

An ink impression of the hyakuso monument

薬草展示コーナー

An exhibition section of herbs

薬草の写真

Photos of herbs

Villagers of that time inscribed the origin of hyakuso on the hyakuso monument. We wish to treasure and pass on the valuable history.”

At the end, Mr. Kotani showed us his secret room.

小谷さんの秘密の部屋

Mr. Kotani’s secret room

“This is my secret room. I store various herbs here. This room is where I consider what to display next. I feel at ease here.” *laughs*

“Are visitors allowed to see this room?”

“Just talk to me if you really wish to see here.” said Mr. Kotani.

That concluded our talk with Mr. Kotani, who is continuing the tradition of hyakuso.

  

Attractions

You can tour the factory of Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation and see the manufacturing process. You can purchase hyakuso from the respective companies at souvenir shops in Kiso-gun.


 

Access

From the closest station & interchange

From Kisofukushima Station on the JR Chuo Line

40 minutes by bus

From the Ina Interchange on the Chuo Expressway

From the Ina Interchange on National road 361, 60 minutes by car

Address

Nagano-ken Seiyaku Corporation

100-1 Konoshima, Otaki Village, Kiso-gun, Nagano Prefecture
Phone:0264-46-3003


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