The Yamanami Highway is a road that connects Yufuin to Aso, passing through the Kuju mountain range. The scenery overlooking the mountain range changes rapidly, and the road has moderate curves, so you can enjoy an exhilarating drive while listening to music. Along the way, stop at the observation deck where you can get a full view of Mt. Yufu-dake. Mt. Yufu-dake is also known as Bungo Fuji, and its summit is made up of two well-balanced peaks. Although it is different from the shape of Mount Fuji that is generally associated with it, the Mount Fuji as it is called in various regions is probably a mountain that constitutes a representative mental landscape of each region.
yamanami highway1
yamanami highway2 yufudake
yamanami highway3 mitumata mountain
yamanami highway4 evening sun on kuju mountain
Just because you’re not driving doesn’t mean you should fall asleep. This is a route where you should enjoy the beauty of mountain waves. It’s especially amazing to pass through the Kuju mountain range to the south and see the Aso mountain range in the sunset from the pass.
yamanami highway5 aso view left
yamanami highway6 aso view right
We descend the mountain and head towards my usual lodging, Kurokawa Onsen Sanga, as the silver grass sways and sparkles towards the sunset. I came here again looking forward to the food. I apologize for the photos being all about food. But every dish and its tableware is a work of art.
The view of the railway that goes around the mountains is itself a tourist destination. Jungfrau Railway on the European Alps is a typical example, but due to Hakone’s proximity to Tokyo, Hakone Tozan Railway is now overflowing with foreign tourists. In order to transfer at Hakone-Yumoto Station and secure a good seat on the Hakone Tozan Railway, the front car of the train from Odawara Station is as full as a commuter train. I had mixed feelings when I saw foreign tourists dashing onto the Hakone-Yumoto Station platform and being the first to secure seats on the left side for a better view.
loop and switchback4 left line to loop and right line for switchback
Now, on the Hakone Tozan Railway, you can experience three switchbacks, but here on the Hisatsu Line heading towards Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture from Hayato in Kagoshima Prefecture, you can see two switchbacks and a loop at the same time around Okoba Station. It’s sad that railway transportation has not resumed as Hitoyoshi is currently recovering from the flood damage, but instead you can walk along the tracks at the site and get a feel for it. Furthermore, in February, white flowers of the nearby Hitoyoshi plum grove are beautiful, and in March, the cherry blossoms along the railroad tracks inside Okoba Station are also beautiful.
loop and switchback3 line of loop
loop and switchback5 line switching
hitoyoshi plum garden
In fact, the sacred place for railway fans is not here, but the landscape from the train window at “Yatake Goe”, which steeply climbs the inner wall of the Kakuto Caldera Somma, reaching the highest point on the line. However, railway fans naturally enjoy the switchbacks and a loop around Okoba Station as well. To get there by car, you need to go from the bottom of the caldera through the outer rim of the mountain, so the road is connected twice by loop bridges at the front and back.
loop and switchback1 okoba station
Now, regarding the station building of Okoba, there is an urban legend that if you put a business card on the wall, you will get promoted, and when I went there, I found business cards stuck all over the walls of the station building. Maybe you’ll find a business card of someone you know. Now, in preparation for the reopening of the railway, they have been completely removed, and I wonder where the removed business cards are. It is of great interest to know what happened to the career afterward of the person who inserted the business card.
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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.
daizenji (7) grape field in the templewine produced by temple
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 (11) Yakushido
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 (1) gate
daizenji (3) a statue
daizenji (4) un statue
daizenji (14) garden
grape field
Detour
Speaking of food in Yamanashi, it’s “Houtou.”
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 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.
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.
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 gardenseiunji rock garden (14) Mt.Fiji
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)
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.
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)
ryumon (2)
ryumon (3)
ryumon (4)
ryumon (5)
ryumon (6)
ryumon (7)
ryumon (8)
ryumon (9)
ryumon (10)
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.
ryumon (18)
ryumon (19)
ryumon (20)
ryumon (13)
ryumon (14)
ryumon (15)
ryumon (16)
ryumon (17)
ryumon (21)
ryumon (23)
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.
Kumo no Abyss at Ryumon GorgeHead of Mt. Fuji arriving at seiunji templeGo back to itinerary
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.
houkoji (3)right A statue
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.
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.
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 designedin 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.
red gate as entranceapproach to main hallKaizando
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
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.
letters written on military flag
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.
Wind God and Thunder God
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.
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)
zenkoji (5)
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.
It is said that there is a world of ease in the far west where lotus flowers bloom, free from suffering and worries. Buddhism associates the fear of death with the west, where the sun sets, and preaches that paradise lies in the west. Therefore, Amitabha Buddha is enshrined in the west. Jodoji Temple is the embodiment of this idea in its original form.
This is one of temples which were built in various places to collect donations for the reconstruction of Todaiji Temple in Nara. It is such a magnificent temple that if they had that kind of money, they should have used it to rebuild Todaiji itself. The shape of main hall’s roof reminds us of Gangoji Temple in Nara.
jodoji(2)main hall
jodoji(4)
jodoji(5)hydrangea in summer
jodoji(6)shrine in the temple
Once inside, the setting sun shining through lattice doors illuminates the floorboards, and the giant Amida Triad shines golden in the reflected light. It gives a sense of the great imagination that came with this effect at the time. Please note that the closing times are different in summer and winter. Maybe it’s because the sunset time is different. On the other hand, there is also a lunch break time. Interestingly, there is Hachiman Shrine, which cuts through the flow of traffic within the temple grounds.
jodoji amidasub temple (4)dwart made by a monk
The chief priest of the sub-temple, Kanki-in adjacent to Jodoji Temple is making cute dolls made of clay. They also have seasonal dolls, which is a great appeal to repeat customers. However, even though it’s a temple and not a shrine, the dolls come with fortune telling fortunes.
promenard to sub temple (1)
promenard to sub temple (2)
sub temple (3)
sub temple (1)
sub temple (2)
Detour
In summer, a huge sunflower field appears just around Jodoji Temple.
sun flower field
Today’s INN
A hot spring inn located in the back of Himeji City.
I made the mistake of entering the valley with a lighthearted attitude, believing in the information flyer that appeared to be a flat road running along the valley with an appropriate time required, hoping to feel the natural cooling effect of the valley during the hot summer. At the entrance to the valley, a suspension bridge with a sign that says max 5 people are allowed invites a sense of adventure, but all we pass are children in swimsuits with floats. Apparently, the waterfall basin (Senga-Fuchi) at the very entrance of the valley had been turned into an improvised pool. The bright green waterfall basin looks like it has been filled with bath salts, and if you miss your chance to take a photo, it will be crowded with people.
valley (2)from bridge
valley (3)play ground for children
valley (4)senga-fuchi
ojira valley flyer
Since it was a valley with so many small children around, I saw a flyer that said it would take 35 minutes to get to the next stop (Asahi-Fall), so I headed deeper into the valley, thinking it would be a nice walk. After that, I could no longer hear the sounds of children playing, and after 35 minutes of climbing up a steep mountain path that took a long detour to get over a waterfall with steps, and climbing up and down chains and iron ladders, I finally arrived at Asahi fall after 50 minutes. I’m already drenched in sweat, my throat is parched, and my legs are tired. However, there was no signboard for the waypoint mentioned in the flyer, and after walking up the mountain road for another 20 minutes, there was a signboard (Asahi-Fall) for the waypoint. The flyer said it would take 35 minutes, but it actually took 70 minutes. After that, I continued walking faster and faster until I reached the turnaround point (Jinja-Fall), but I still couldn’t get there in the time specified in the flyer. Normally, I think the time written on such flyers is written with sufficient margin, but don’t believe the time required on the flyer for Ojira River Valley.
valley (5)
valley (6)
valley (7)
valley (8)
valley (9)
valley (10)
valley (11)asahi fall behind cliff
valley (12)Building blocks that are about to collapse
valley (13)yuriga-fuchi
valley (14)
valley (15)
valley (16)return point
valley (17)jinjya fall
I was only complaining about the time required on the flyer, but the valley itself is full of large white granite rocks, their whiteness is dazzling, and the clear water is flowing everywhere, making it refreshing. My clothes are soaked with sweat, which is the exact opposite. The ridge path on the way back was relatively flat, and we stayed on time here. In the end, it took about 3 hours to turn around at the turnaround point.
