Jirisan Suragan | Restaurant Guide | K-Travel Mate

Jirisan Hwangjeon Village is a village located in Hwangjeon-ri, Masan-myeon, Gurye-gun. It is better known as the Hwaeomsa Entrance Collective Facility Area rather than Hwangjeon Village. Therefore, it is a village where people are always abundant. Within the village, there are various accommodations including guesthouses and restaurants. Additionally, Hwangjeon Valley, a tributary of the Hwaeomsa Valley, flows next to the village, making it a good place to cool off by soaking your feet in the summer. It is good for travel linked with Hwaeomsa, and also suitable for visiting the National Park Species Restoration Center to experience the ecology of Asiatic black bears with children.

Jirisan National Park covers a vast amount of land in three provinces, including one city and three counties. The countless mountain peaks both large and small blend harmoniously, giving off a comforting ambiance. The valleys feature streams, waterfalls, and more natural attractions beautiful all year round. The mountain is the starting point for the Seomjingang River, which flows into the southern sea. The park is home to many plants and animals, including the Asiatic black bear. There are many hiking paths crossing the park; it is recommended to make a plan for the courses in advance, checking the lengths and time required. As Jirisan Mountain changes with the different seasons, hikers can enjoy various aspects of the mountain’s terrain. However, some areas will be closed off for hikers' safety in the case of incliment weather or to prevent forest fires in the dry season.

Located within the National Park Wildlife Conservation Center of the Korea National Park Service, the 'Jirisan Asiatic Black Bear Coexistence Center' was established to study the ecological characteristics of the Asiatic black bear and to inform visitors about the importance of natural ecosystem conservation and restoration projects. It consists of an ecological exhibition hall and an ecological learning area; the exhibition hall displays information about the Asiatic black bear. The ecological learning area offers a program called 'Meet Our Friend, the Asiatic Black Bear,' led by a nature environment interpreter. Visitors watch videos in the screening room about coexistence with endangered wildlife and how to respond if encountering a black bear in the wild, then move to the ecological learning area to meet the Asiatic black bear. Only indoor programs operate during hibernation or rainy weather. Within approximately a 500m radius are the Jirisan History and Culture Hall and the Gurye Baekdudaegan Ecological Education Center, and Hwaeomsa Temple is located about 1.5 km by car, a 3-minute drive. Seosicheon Sports Park is about an 8-minute drive, 5.2 km away, where young children can experience the Nature Child Dream Playground.

Located in Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, Jirisan Ecological Exploration Center offers an experience where visitors can meet the Jirisan Asian black bear. There is a valley flowing at the entrance, making it ideal for cooling feet in the summer, and the sound of water and birds allows guests to harmonize with nature. After crossing the bridge, there is the National Park Wildlife Conservation Center. This accommodation is a great place for families to heal together.

This place tells the history of tea in Korea, and the name Jirisan Jukloch tea is said to have originated from tea produced in Jangjukjeon. In 828, the envoy Daeryeom brought tea seeds from the Tang dynasty and planted them in Jirisan; one of these locations is Jangjukjeon at the entrance of Gurye Hwaeomsa, called the Gurye tea origin site. On the way to Hwaeomsa, there is a signboard for Gurye tea origin site, and from this point, crossing a bridge over the valley leads to a bamboo field called Jindaebat by locals nestled in the pine forest at the foot of the mountain. According to Hwaeomsa records, the monk Yeongi from India came to Jirisan and planted tea seeds when establishing Hwaeomsa. Based on records, the tea origin site is likely to be this area called Jindaebat by current residents, which is Jangjukjeon [長竹田], making it a strong candidate for Korea's first tea origin site. About 600m (a 10-minute walk) from Jangjukjeon tea origin site is the Jirisan Asiatic Black Bear Ecological Learning Center, and about 1.1km (a 20-minute walk) in the opposite direction is Gurye Hwaeomsa.