Blog | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2024-12-062024-12-07

Is the priest of Daizenji Temple (National Treasure) a winemaker?

Daizenji Temple is also called Grapes Temple. This is not because the priest is passionate about grape cultivation and wine making. It is said that during the Nara period, the monk Gyoki enshrined the Yakushi Sanzon holding a bunch of grapes that appeared in his dreams. In fact, the priest and temple officials grow grapes on the premises and set up tanks to make wine.

At the rest area with garden view, a glass of homemade (or sould I say “templemade”) wine is sold for 300 yen, and it comes with four delicious Koshu grapes as a snack, so it’s a good deal. I ended up buying a bottle(1800ml) of wine(Muscat Bailey A) as a souvenir.

Well, there are three elements that make this temple famous.

First, the Yakushi-do Hall and the Zushi that houses the Buddha statues are national treasures. The roof of Yakushido is made of cypress bark, and its curved shape is harmonious and beautiful. It was built during the Mongol invasion period of the Kamakura period, making it the oldest wooden structure in the Kanto region. In Kyoto, Senbon Shakado was built around the same time. The Nikko(sun) and Gakko(moon) Bodhisattvas and the 12 divine generals enshrined inside are very well-designed and give a sense of newness despite being old, but the story of the woman who explains them is too comical. I feel like it’s a bit of a mismatch.

daizenji (10) national treasure

daizenji (12) inside

daizenji (8)

Next, it is said that this was the temple where Katsuyori Takeda, who was defeated by the Oda army and headed for Mt. Tenmoku, stayed overnight praying for a counterattack. These records of Takeda’s demise remain in this temple.

Finally, at the end of the Edo period, the shogunate army and the Shinsengumi, who had a final battle with the new government army, established their tentative headquarter on the west side of Daizenji Temple to prevent the temple from being damaged by war.

daizenji (6) shinsengumi

The captain was Isamu Kondo, and the main gate of Daizenji Temple is depicted on the background of the nishiki-e(color print). The purpose of this battle was to seize Kofu Castle first and prevent the new government forces from invading Edo, but they were defeated by the new government forces led by Taisuke Itagaki. This was exactly the same history as when Katsuyori Takeda tried to reach Seiunji Temple for Reborn, but was preempted by the Oda army.

daizenji (3) a statue

daizenji (4) un statue

daizenji (14) garden

grape field

Detour

Speaking of food in Yamanashi, it’s “Houtou.”

restaurant kaiki (2) — restaurant minaki (2) entrance

It’s hard to tell how it’s different from udon, but the flour is kneaded without adding salt to keep it from becoming chewy, and then it’s cut up and simmered with vegetables without waiting too long. Therefore, some of the noodles will dissolve into the soup, creating a soup unique to “Houtou.”

restaurant kaiki (7) hoto — restaurant minaki (7) houtou

Enjoy houtou at a house designated as a registered tangible cultural property. The house “Minaki” is an old Japanese zelkova house built in 1896.

restaurant minaki (1)

restaurant minaki (3) watch out your head

restaurant minaki (4) persimmons

restaurant minaki (5)

restaurant minaki (6)

erinji (10) letters written on military flag — Go back to itinerary

2024-12-02

The rock garden of Seiun-ji Temple, the place where the Takeda clan was revived

Suspected of rebellion by the Kamakura Shogunate, the ancestor of the Takeda family committed suicide on Mt. Tenmoku where Seiun-ji Temple is located, and the family was once extinct, but the Muromachi shogunate revived the Takeda family, and after that for the Takeda family, Mt. Tenmoku was recongnized as the place of rebirth, and Seiun-ji Temple became the family temple. Later, after the death of Takeda Shingen, who ruled the province of Kai, his son Katsuyori Takeda was defeated by Oda Nobunaga’s army and headed for Seiun-ji Temple in hopes of being reborn, but committed suicide on the way. Indeed, history repeats itself.

seiunji soba service (4) — Autumn leaves in front of seiunji

Mt.Fuji from seiunji

seiunji (2)

seiunji (3)

seiunji (5) kuri

The founder of Seiun-ji Temple trained on Mt. Tenmoku in China, and opened his temple here as a meditation training hall. It is called a rock garden, but the huge rocks that fell down are left in their original forms, and people can meditate on them and become one with nature, gaining an understanding of the truth.

seiunji rock garden (1) — seiunji rock garden

The head of Mt.Fuji can be seen from the temple garden, but if you climb further up the rock garden, you can see Mt. Fuji poking its head out from the gap in the mountains. Even if you meditate on a stone, you can’t help but worry about the state of Mt. Fuji.

seiunji rock garden (2) meditation of child

seiunji rock garden (3)

seiunji rock garden (4)

seiunji rock garden (5)

seiunji rock garden (6) buddha statue

seiunji rock garden (7) buddha statue

seiunji rock garden (8) meditation on the rock

seiunji rock garden (9)

seiunji rock garden (10)

seiunji rock garden (11)

seiunji rock garden (12)

seiunji rock garden (13) — Mt.Fuji from seiunji rock garden

In addition, up until then, soba was called “sobagaki” and was eaten in the form of manju, but thiswas also the birthplace of soba, which adopted Chinese culture and began eating it in the form of noodle. I learned this for the first time when I came here. [Link Yamagata]

seiunji soba service (1) birthplace of soba kiri

seiunji soba service (2)

seiunji soba service (3) soba plant

The time I visited was during the annual Treasure Window Exhibition held in early November. One of the treasures was a original military flag of the Takeda army written as “Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan.” (>>For meaning, read this post)

In the event, I was also treated to matcha tea with a sweet named as a moon hidden by cloud and autumn soba noodles.

seiunji (6) tea service

seiunji (7) moon hidde by cloud

seiunji soba service (5)

seiunji soba service (6)

seiunji soba service (7)

2024-11-29

Ryumonkyo Gorge and autumn leaves to enjoy the outdoors

Shosenkyo is famous as a beautiful valley that anyone can easily walk and enjoy, but Ryumonkyo is also a valley where you can enjoy outdoor activities such as going down to the bottom of the gorge or climbing up a ladder. The ground underfoot is soft and fluffy with fallen leaves, and there are wooden paths that make it easy to walk. However, the valley is deep, there are waterfalls everywhere, and there are wooden bridges that have been washed away by rapids.

ryumon (1)

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ryumon (11)

Along the way, there is a place where you can hear a drum-like sound when you step on it. Apparently, this is because there are many gaps in the roots of the trees in the soil. In addition to this, the 1 hour and 15 minute promenade is full of changes, such as a narrow gate made of huge stones piled up, and a zelkova tree that stretches out by splitting the stone in half.

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Ryumonkyo walking map @source: Koshu city HP

Unlike the Ojira River Valley map, the map does not lie about the time required. Finally, after seeing Kumo no Abyss, which is full of water, we climb steeply and arrive at our next destination, the entrance to Tenmokuzan Seiunji Temple with the view of the head of Mt.Fuji.

ryumon (22) — Kumo no Abyss at Ryumon Gorge

seiunji (1) — Head of Mt. Fuji arriving at seiunji temple

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Hokoji, the family temple of the Yasuda clan, the true driving force behind the Genpei War

Before the Takeda family ruled Kai, the Yasuda family, which was descended from the Genji clan, ruled Kai. He fought as the main force of the Genji clan in the Genpei War at the end of Heian period, and built Hokoji Temple to celebrate the victory at Ichinotani, where Minamoto no Yoshitsune was said to be the most active person to victory against Heike clan. The Yasuda clan had ambitions to open a Buddhist city in Kai, following the example of Hiraizumi in Oshu(Tohoku region), and for this reason, there is still a wealth of cultural assets such as Buddhist statues.

The Bishamonten statue, which depicts the face of Yoshisada Yasuda at his peak, has a war helmet(Kabuto) on his head. The statue of Aizen Myoo holding a bow is said to be the oldest in Japan. The similar one at Jindoji Temple in Kyoto has some rough edges, but this one has a neat form. Later, the Yasuda family was suspected of rebellion by Minamoto no Yoritomo, who was highly suspicious, and the Yasuda family was destroyed. The Kamakura period was a history of slaughter between allies.

Detour

Delicious lunch using sake lees provided by a sake brewery “Kai”

sake brewery kai (4) — lunch menu at sake brewery “kai”

The word “kai” in the name of the sake brewery has the same pronunciation as the name of the region, but it also refers to the important tool used to mix ingredients in sake brewing. The restaurant is full of women who are looking for delicious food, probably anywhere in the world.

sake brewery kai (1)

sake brewery kai (2)

sake brewery kai (3)

sake brewery kai (5)

There is Kubo-Hachiman Shrine nearby, and the torii gate here is made of wood and is the oldest in Japan. However, it was surprising to see a normal road passing under it, and a large number of cars passing through it. It was solicited from Usa Jingu Shrine in Oita Prefecture, and since it is Hachiman Shrine, it is the god of military fortune and is also the guardian deity of the Takeda family.

2024-11-23

Erinji Temple is Tenryuji Temple in Kai

Erinji is the family temple of the Takeda clan. Its Kuri and Hojo architecture are as splendid as Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto. The garden was also designed in early Muromachi period by the same Muso Soseki, who was a Zen monk as well as a gardener, and his garden is registered as a World Heritage Site. There are also pine trees planted everywhere, all of which are carefully pruned.

erinji (1) red gate — red gate as entrance

erinji (7)

erinji (9) Ceiling of Kori

erinji (11)

erinji (12) Hojo garden in front of Hondo

erinji (13)

erinji (15) garden designed by Muso Soseki

erinji (14) Waebler Corridor notfying of intruder — Waebler Corridor notfying of intruder

Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto is famous for the warbler corridor that makes noise when you walk on it, no matter how careful you are, but this temple also has one. Even the “stealth walk” of ninjas who were tasked with being assassins or spies would make an extra loud noise on the corridor, so it was said to be an effective countermeasure at the time, everywhere in Japan was in war. It made a screeching sound that sounded more like a metallic sound than the chirping of a warbler. Please compare the sound of warbler corridor with the original one.

Original sound of a warbler crossing the valley as below

The sound of a warbler corridor

Beyond the corridor is Fudo Myoo, which was created by copying Shingen’s face while he was still alive. Even though it’s a copy, it’s Fudo Myoo, so I think all Fudo Myoos look the same.

Speaking of Takeda Shingen, the phrase “Fu-rin-ka-zan (wind-forest-fire-mountain)” is famous, and it is a four-character idiom that is an abbreviation of a phrase written in the ancient Chinese military art book “Sun Tzu.” This means that an army moves as fast as the wind, stays as calm as a forest, attacks enemy territory as fiercely as fire, and defends as solidly and unmoving as a mountain, and these represent the ideal form of military behavior. It is known that Takeda Shingen, a military commander during the Sengoku period, wrote it in large letters on his military flag and used it as his flag seal. It can be said that this choice was unique to Shingen, who was a well-educated man well versed in Chinese poetry and the military tactics of Sun Tzu.

erinji (3) Sanmon fired by Oda Nobunaga

”If you clear your mind, you feel the fire will naturally cool down.”

I thought these were also Shingen’s words, but after the fall of the Takeda clan, this was the last words the priest said to the monks who had holed up at the Sanmon gate of Erinji Temple, which had been set on fire by Nobunaga Oda’s army. It was only when I came here that I realized that it was a word.

Before going to Kori, let’s look up under the eaves of Kaizando. Here is a wooden carved version of the famous paint “Fujin-Raijin”(Wind God and Thunder God) at Ken-ninji Temple in Kyoto.

2024-11-20

Another Zenkoji Temple

A huge wooden building that stands out by far even from a distance. You can see the form that is exactly like the original Zenkoji Temple in Nagano. The layout of the buildings on the site is also the same as the original. It turns out that Shingen had transferred a lookalike to avoid the ravages of war with Uesugi Kenshin, his rival.

zenkoji (6)

zenkoji hondo

(left) another Zenkoji (righ) original Zenkoji

However, the entire main hall is colored in red to match the red uniform of the Takeda corps, which is very typical of Shingen. In addition, original Zenkoji was originally the Honda family residence, and Buddhist statues and ancestors were enshrined on the left and right sides of the inner shrine, and were treated equally, but another Zenkoji, which was built by Shingen, did not enshrine the Honda family ancestors. As proof of this, at another Zenkoji temple, the Takeda family crest and the Tokugawa family crest, which was rebuilt after the temple was destroyed by fire, are displayed on the front of the main hall.

zenkoji (7)

Additionally, a singing dragon is painted on the ceiling, and if you clap your hands in a specific spot, a tremendous echo will be heard between the ceiling panels and the floor. You can really feel the influence of Zen Buddhism during the Sengoku period. On the other hand, I remember that the original Nagano ceiling painting was a gift from the imperial family.

zenkoji (1) Sanmon

zenkoji (2)

zenkoji (8)

When you think of Zenkoji Temple, you are guaranteed to visit a place under the Buddhist altar in pitch darkness to connect with the Buddha through the key (alter tour), but of course there is a similar experience at another Zenkoji. However, the length of the walk in the dark is short and the turns are sharp, so those who have experienced the original will be surprised at how different it is and occasionally bump their heads. If you are careless, you will pass by without touching the key, so be careful. Don’t forget to see the war drum before going to the darkness. This is the real one used by the Takeda army in the Battle of Kawanakajima. Let’s tap it a little bit without being noticed by the people around you.

zenkoji (3)

The treasure hall here is a must-see and contains the oldest wooden statues of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Sanetomo. The year of manufacture is close to the year of death, so it seems that it is almost a copy of the real face. Sanetomo has the look of a court noble, but in contrast, Yoritomo has a stout face and an aquiline nose. You can see from his face that he is highly suspicious.

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Shosenkyo Gorge, the source of power stones

There are three parking lots along the 5km promenade. There is also a bus stop at each parking lot, which connects these parking lots once almost every hour, so it is convenient because you can walk one way and then use the bus to return to the parking lot.

shosenkyo (1)

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As you climb the gentle promenade, you will see one after another of strangely shaped rocks carved out of granite by rapids. The amount of water is huge, and large rocks that appear to have fallen in chunks are scattered along the mountain stream. The scenery looks like something out of a Chinese ink painting. And at the end, there is a waterfall that falls violently vertically.

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Yamanashi Prefecture has long been famous as a crystal production area. It is said that since the Jomon period it was used as an arrowhead instead of the precious obsidian mined in nearby Suwa, so in retrospect, it is quite expensive, so I hesitate to shoot it carelessly with a bow. Quartz is formed when silicon dioxide dissolved in water gradually crystallizes under high temperature and pressure underground for a long time. At a souvenir shop, a stone cut in half (a geode) is on display, and you can see how the cavity is filled with crystals that have grown. It was strange that it was inside the stone, but I heard from the man at the crystal processing craft shop that it was the result of water containing silicon dioxide entering granite or igneous rock and gradually growing crystals. That made sense to me.

shosenkyo stone (1) tiger eye

shosenkyo stone (2)

shosenkyo stone (3)

I was completely taken in by the store owner, and in the end I was forced to buy a bracelet made of terahertz stone, which was made by melting and alloying crystals. It is said that the power stone activates the body with terahertz. However, when I got home and put it on ice, I was surprised to see that the ice quickly melted into the shape of a bracelet. By the way, if you buy some tourmaline and add it to your tap water, it will remove the chlorine odor and make the water mellow, which will make the coffee you brew delicious.

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A town where time has stopped, Tatsuno

I thought I had seen the approach to the castle located on the north side of town, but I was surprised to see that it looked exactly like the Obi Castle ruins on the Nichinan coast. It is also very similar that the historic townscape remains intact along with the town layout and this townscape was registered as “Traditional Buildings Preservation District.”

tatsuno castle entrance

obi castle entrance

Obi’s stone walls surrounding samurai residences are impressive, while Tatsuno’s rows of merchant houses formed by lattice windows and storehouses are impressive. Most tourist brochures highlight only the most beautiful parts of the scenery, but it is rare to find a historic wooden building of this size remaining. If possible, it’s best to take enough time to wander aimlessly.

tatsuno city old map

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tatsuno castle entrance

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tatsuno city (7)dragon pine

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In Japan, children’s songs urging children to “go home” are still played from loudspeakers in many towns in the evening. The representative children’s song is “Aka-tombo,”(red dragonfly) and the lyricist’s hometown is Tatsuno City. The lyrics are interpreted in various ways due to the poor lifestyle, but they give the impression of being melancholic and making people feel anxious and want to go home. Red dragonfly designs can be found on various street corners in Tatsuno City.

tatsuno city (17)red dragonfly design

tatsuno city (18)red dragonfly design

tatsuno city (19)red dragonfly design

Many souvenirs are based on fermented foods and soy sauce. The brick chimney of the soy sauce factory seen from the castle ruins is impressive.

2024-10-30

Engyoji Temple, filming location for The Last Samurai

When you take the ropeway to the top of Mt. Shosha, you will notice that the Niomon gate, which marks the entrance to the temple, is not there. After climbing quite an uphill slope, we finally reached the Niomon gate. However, I still couldn’t see the temple grounds. The entire mountain itself is within the precincts, and there are continuous climbs and descents. It takes a lot of determination.

This place is called “the Mt. Hiei of the west” (in the Harima area, it is often called “〇〇 of the west”), but it is true that the entire mountain of Mt. Hiei is within the temple grounds, and it is difficult to move around within it. By the way, the Tendai sect is naturally the same.

engyoji(3)

“Maniden,” located in the center of the temple, was built using the same construction method “Kake Zukuri” as Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, with the stage protruding from the cliff

engyoji(5)center

When you reach the end, your field of vision suddenly opens up and you can see “San-no-do,” the place where monks practice and live. A scene from The Last Samurai, tranquil and tense, comes back to life. In the domain of the surviving samurai in the early Meiji era, Tom Cruise, an American officer inspired by the military commander Katsumoto played by Ken Watanabe, is depicted here in a brief moment of peace before they head off together as samurai for their final battle.

engyoji(4)left

engyoji(5)center

engyoji(6)right

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After immersing yourself in the world of the movie and descending the mountain on the ropeway, you will find a famous Japanese confectionery shop waiting nearby.

2024-10-29

Points that everyone misses at the World Heritage Site Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle was the first place in Japan to be registered as a World Heritage Site, along with Horyuji Temple in Nara. In addition, there are 12 castles that still have castle towers from the Edo period, and of these, the castle with its imposing appearance is the one you want to visit first. The reason for this is that in its 400-year history, it has never been destroyed by war, nor has it suffered any damage in modern wars, so it remains as it was in the past. Furthermore, the tiles and walls are hardened with white plaster to protect against wind, rain, and enemy attacks. This gives the entire castle a pure white appearance, and it is so elegant that it has been compared to the white heron, which is common in western Japan.

himeji castle(1)

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himeji castle(4)approach

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himeji castle(5)from the top

The structure of the castle is made up of many layers of moats and walls, like a spiral escargot, making it difficult to reach the castle tower. If you take a photo with the castle tower in the background, you will end up having to press the shutter too often, so be careful. By the way, there was a shortage of stones for the stone walls when castles were being constructed, so sarcophagi from the Kofun period were used as the stone walls for the gates and the stone mills that the residents used in their homes are embedded in the stone wall, so don’t forget to keep an eye on them.

There is also a ghost story about Himeji Castle called Banshu Sarayashiki. There was an incident in which an undercover female spy sent against a vassal who betrayed his lord was killed for losing one of ten family heirloom plates, and was thrown into a well by the vassal. After that, every night a woman could be heard counting the number of plates up to nine from inside the well. This well is located within Himeji Castle and is named after a woman, “Okiku no Ido” (the well of Okiku). It’s below the castle tower. Don’t miss it.

By the way, there is a famous rakugo story based on this ghost story. It is said that if you hear Okiku counting nine or more pieces, you will die, so a show hut was built around the well. The hut is crowded with customers who have seen something scary, and Okiku counts up to nearly nine, but the customers are in a state of panic because the exit is narrow and they can’t escape. Okiku finally counts more than 10 cards to 18, but no one dies. What did Okiku say at that time? To find out what happens next, please go to a vaudeville where rakugo is being performed. Looks like things are going well later.

Detour

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