Umegase Gorge located in Ichihara City, Chiba Pref. was created by the erosion of the Umegase River, which streams out of Mt. Daifuku and flows into the Yoro River. About 50 m high vertical cliffs are forming a deep gorge. The fault of sand and silt, which was formed about 800,000 years ago, can be seen on the surface of the cliffs. The gorge was named after Tsukigase Gorge in Nara Prefecture by Nobuzane Hidaka, a scholar of the Chinese classics in the Meiji period (1868-1912). At the ruin site of his residence on the upstream of the river, hundreds of huge Japanese maple trees, which were planted in those days, are forming a fine grove. The cherry blossoms in spring are wonderful, but it is far more wonderful in fall, when Japanese maple trees put on autumn colors. The gorge is said to be one of the best places to view autumn tints in the prefecture. As the walking trail is arranged from Yoro-Keikoku Station to the top of Mt. Daifuku, you can enjoy hiking along the river. However, you must be cautious of some steep parts in the upstream.