Yamanouchi (山ノ内) is a hot spring town in Nagano, Japan, famous for its many hot spring inns, resorts and the bathing snow monkeys.
Yudanaka Station within Yamanouchi is the last stop along the Nagaden Railway. Right inside the station is the Kaede no Yu public bath, allowing visitors to start enjoying the area’s hot spring water immediately upon arrival. There is a free footbath located just outside the station for travelers not quite ready to completely submerge in the water.
Near the top of the town and accessed by a flight of 112 steps is the Sekai Heiwa Kannon. The main feature of the temple is its 25 meter tall bronze statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which overlooks the town of Yudanaka. There are a couple more statues of Kannon in the main hall as well as in the annex at the base of the large statue representing the temples along the Saigoku 33 temple pilgrimage route in the Kansai Region.