Irie District Wide Area Exchange Center

Tsukiean

A free rest facility located in front of the gate of Shoboji Temple in the back. In addition to souvenir items, there is also a soba restaurant and cafe. From Mizusawa-Esashi Station, transfer to the Iwate Prefectural Transportation Haneda Ofunato Line Mizusawa Ekidori bus stop and head to the Shohoji bus stop.

Minoru Saito

A politician from Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City. He joined the Navy and was promoted to admiral. He served as Minister of the Navy for over eight years from 1901. In 1930, he became Prime Minister in place of Tsuyoshi Inukai, who was killed in the May 15 Incident. He became Minister of the Interior in 1933, but due to the rise of fascism, he was killed in the February 26 Incident the following year.

Tendai Sect Myokenyama Kuroishi Temple

It is said to have been founded by Gyoki Bosatsu in the first year of Tenpyo (729) in the Nara period, and was called Tokozan Yakushiji, but it was destroyed by fire. Later, in the second year of the Kasho era (849), Jikaku Daishi rebuilt this ancient temple of the Tendai sect. The principal image of the temple, the Yakushi Nyorai Seated Statue, which is designated as a nationally designated important cultural property, is the only Jokan-inscribed Buddha in Japan and is inscribed in the 4th year of the Jokan era. Additionally, from the night of the 7th day of the lunar new year to the next morning, the Kuroishiji Somin Festival, a festival of naked men and flames, is held to pray for warding off misfortune and a good harvest.