Japanese Countryside Travel Notes, mainly TOHOKU district

Travel Notes (Elements that make up a travel itinerary)

Western Pure Land, namely paradise after death

Western Pure Land, namely paradise after death in the direction where the sun sets, is where the Agano River flows Read more

Historical warehouses and Sake breweries in Kitakata

There are a lot of histrical warehouses in Kitakata City. Normaly they are used for storage but here in Kitakata Read more

Shoujyouji Temple with National treasure buddha statue comparable to Yakushiji Temple in Nara

Temple size is now small but the meaning is comparable to Yakushiji Temple in Nara, where the main statue is Read more

Ouchijuku like a theme park welcomed by healthy old women good at business !

Since the thatched roof is made from thin and manpower is required, dubbing work is done by all the villagers, Read more

Tou no hetsuri(cliff of towers) is a temple created by nature

The cliff of towers' shape was created by nature, 1 million years of erosion and weathering. People had been worshiping Read more

Sazaedo like a turban shell is a pilgrimage place of religion

Sazaedo is located at the foot* of Mt.Iimori, where 19 young samurais committed suicide by seeing a burning their lord's Read more

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Western Pure Land, namely paradise after death

Western Pure Land, namely paradise after death in the direction where the sun sets, is where the Agano River flows out west from the Aizu Basin.

As I mentioned three types of Buddha statues, the latest type was ‘Amida’ who promises the happiness of the next life in an uneasy era when the plague spread and war began to break out here and there at Heian period end. “The next life begins from next day” was connected to sun set and people has believed in paradise after death in the west.
That is Western Pure Land.

On the other hand, it seems that the people of the Middle Ages had traveled quite far. The Aizu Lord regretted that money would drop in other areas, and set up 33 Kannon tours in his territory by connecting 33 Buddhist temples with the same history as Nara, accomplishment of it would promise happiness for the next life.

There are many places of faith in Western Pure Land in Aizu, but choose below.

Shingu-Kumano Shrine

800 years old Ginkgo and huge worship hall without walls

Kamiunai-Yakushi Temple
(prior reservation)

The same style of Buddha statue as in Shoujiji Temple.

Eryuji Temple

7m height Kannon(Buddha statue) carved in a standing tree with 30 statues including statues with wings like a christian angel statue.

Sake difficult to obtain

Faith and sake have always been linked. Great sake exists in Western Pure Land.
‘Hiroki’ is my favorite sake. Side dish is not needed and I enjoy it alone.

“Even I can’t get it.”, said the worker in that brewery in Aizu Bange downtown. I failed to get fantastic sake directly.

tou no hetsuri shrine — Go back to itinerary

Historical warehouses and Sake breweries in Kitakata

There are a lot of histrical warehouses in Kitakata City. Normaly they are used for storage but here in Kitakata the situation might be different. Warehouse is a living space and a status symbol.

Recently many sake breweries in Aizu have got prizes of sake every year, especially in Kitakata. You can visit and enjoy factory tour, tasting and walk in the garden there. Find your favorite sake in case you are not a driver, otherwise you need a capable navigator of not driving but tasting.

yamatogawa sake brewery tasting — yamatogawa sakebrewery tasting

Floor heating system for winter

I happened to see a construction site of a snow melting system for winter. It’s like a floor heating system for a house.

Shoujyouji Temple with National treasure buddha statue comparable to Yakushiji Temple in Nara

Temple size is now small but the meaning is comparable to Yakushiji Temple in Nara, where the main statue is Buddha giving medicine to people.
If I write without fear of misunderstanding, there are three types of Buddha statues: Buddha, the founder of enlightenment, pharmacist (Namely ‘Yakushi’ is a medicine master in literary in Japanese.) who cures the illness of this world, and Amida who promises the happiness of the next life.

Advance reservations* are required to view Yakushi Nyorai(Buddha statue), but it is a good opportunity to know that there was a similar Buddhist culture in the area away from Kyoto and Nara.
*)Local people take care of the temple by themselves.

Small Detour

nanukamachi street in aizu wakamatsu city

There are many tourist destinations in Aizu-Wakamatsu City, but this site is about the countryside, so I will omit it here. I had a glance of historical street ‘Nanukamachi’ by chance passing through the city.

Ouchijuku like a theme park welcomed by healthy old women good at business !

Since the thatched roof is made from thin and manpower is required, dubbing work is done by all the villagers, which helps to form a community.

An ancient post town was on the highroad connecting Aizu and Nikko in Edo period. Now it is left from main transportation route but the community keeps Ouchijuku remain as it is. Thatched roof is not just beautiful, it is an important gimmick to maintain the community !

At each thatched-roof house, a charming saleswoman sits at the edge of the porches and sells her own cooked food and crafts. Each item is hand-made, and the wallet’s string is loosened as the grandmother smiles.

Gallery (click photos)

go to ouchijuku

ouchijuku post town viewpoint

ouchijuku roof top

ouchijuku shrine

Tou no hetsuri(cliff of towers) is a temple created by nature

The cliff of towers’ shape was created by nature, 1 million years of erosion and weathering. People had been worshiping the tower like a Buddha.
The river flows gracefully and you can cross the suspension bridge and walk under the cliff of towers.

Bottled snake(mamushi or viper) with liquor is on sale as a souvenir at the entrance shop. Who buy it? Instead, be careful of walking the cliff of towers?

Gallery (click photos)

tou no hetsuri left

tou no hetsuri center

tou no hetsuri right

Detour

A cat stationmaster ‘Love’ welcome you at Ashinomaki Hot Spring station. He will appear if he is in a good mood, but I don’t think he is fulfilling his duties as a stationmaster. Although he is the stationmaster, he is merely living at the station. In the countryside, we often see small animals as honorary stationmasters.

ashinomaki hot spring

cat stationmaster

Sazaedo like a turban shell is a pilgrimage place of religion

Sazaedo is located at the foot* of Mt.Iimori, where 19 young samurais committed suicide by seeing a burning their lord’s castle in 1868 when Aizu Domain was artificially hit by the new government after the Edo Shogunate to show it.

*)There was a guide to recommend using a paid escalator not to get tired when going to the sacred place from now on. What about that?
The Aizu-Wakamatsu city at twilight that spreads to the west was very impressive.

twilight aizu wakamatsu city — twilight aizu wakamatsu chity

Sazaedo means not only the name ‘Turban shell Temple’ in English but also the shape of inside structure. When you enter from the front, the slope climbs in a spiral to the right. However, when you cross the bridge at the top, it turns into a descending counterclockwise slope, and at the end you will be behind the building. This structure not only did not cause traffic congestion inside, but it was also a place where people could visit many Buddha efficiently by placing 33 Kannon(Buddha statues) on the slope at that time. Was it profitable in faith?