Sightseeing Spots

Taneyama Plateau

A gentle plateau at an altitude of 900m that spans Esashi, Tono, and Sumita in Oshu City. You can see the mountains of Monomiyama (871m) and Tateishi (730m) as well as the Kitakami Plain, and the Taneyama Farm on the plateau is used for grazing cattle. There is a monument written by Kenji Miyazawa on the standing stone, ``The grass that I cut in the clouds of Taneyamagahara is sluggish, but I forgot about it.'' The clusters of Astragalus azaleas are spectacular in mid-June.

Kuramachi Mall

Iwayado has long been a distribution center for goods transported by boat on the Kitakami River, and is home to many traditional products such as Iwayado tansu, Iwayado yokan, konkonzuke, and egg noodles. ``Kuramachi Mall'' is a pedestrian-only road built to take advantage of the warehouses of the manufacturers and merchants. With its stone pavement and classic street lamps, this spot is full of retro vibes, so you can enjoy a relaxing stroll and shopping.

Former Goto family residence

It is a typical minka of the straight house style, which, together with the crooked house in the south, divides the minka style in the Tohoku region in two, and is estimated to have been built between the Genroku era (1688 - 1711) and the Hoei era (1688 - 1711). (National Important Cultural Property) Reservations are required to visit inside.

Masuzawain ruins

Fujiwara Kiyohira spent eight years copying over 5,300 volumes of sutras written in gold and silver on dark blue paper, and it is believed that the place where he copied the sutras was Masuzawa-in Temple, located within Iwatani-do and Masuzawachi. Get off at JR Tohoku Shinkansen Mizusawa-Esashi Station and transfer to the Esashi City Bus bound for Yanagawa, Gakumasawa or Iwate Prefectural Transportation Juoudou and get off at the Esashi Bus Center bus stop.

Fujisato petrified wood

This silicified tree of Sequoia japonica, located near Atago Shrine in Atagoyama Nature Park, is 12 million years old and emerged from the Inase Volcanic Formation, a sandy-questioning ash rock mixed with andesite rocky shore. That section alone is 1.3 m in diameter and 4 m high, making it the second largest silicified tree in the prefecture after the Nemoto silicified tree. Take the Esashi City Bus to the Fujisato bus stop on the Ite Kojiyaguchizawa Line (via Kami-Ite), or take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from JR Mizusawa Esashi Station to the Esashi Bus Center bus stop on the Iwate-ken Kotsu Esashi Fujiwara no Sato Line, and change buses.

Toyotakan ruins

It is said to be the residence of Fujiwara Kiyohira until he moved to Hiraizumi. There is a monument to the ruins of Toyota Castle dating from 1774, and it is said that a four-eared white porcelain vase from China was excavated from this area.

Tamasaki Shrine

There is a legend about Yoshitsune's journey northward, which says that Minamoto no Yoshitsune actually escaped without dying in Hiraizumi, and visited this shrine to pray for good luck and safety on his journey, and items related to Yoshitsune are preserved. Reservations are required for the treasure hall.

Goizuka mounds group

It is said that this tomb was built to mourn the spirits of Fujiwara Tsunekiyo (Kiyohira's father), the junior fifth rank of junior fifth rank (Kiyohira's father), who was defeated and brutally killed by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi at the Kurigawa fence during the War of the Nine Years.

Kyozukayama

Mt. Sutra Mound is said to have been the sutra office of Fujiwara no Hidehira in ancient times. On the summit of the mountain is a "horseshoe stone" on which Minamoto no Yoshitsune is said to have ridden his horse and made hoof prints. 　The view from the top of Mt. Sutrazuka is truly wonderful, with the Ou Mountains in the distance and the Isawa fan-shaped area stretching out from there. The Isawa fan-shaped area stretches out from the Ou Mountains in the distance, and the villages and rice paddies dotting the landscape. In late May, azaleas are in full bloom, and in summer, hiking can be enjoyed from the nearby Gassan Campground.

Yumenohashi

A bridge that connects Mukoyama Park, a famous spot for cherry blossoms, and Tateyama Historical Park, which is associated with the Oshu Fujiwara clan. From the top of the bridge, you can see the Taneyama Plateau to the east, the city area to the west, and the mountains of the Yakeishi Mountain Range below.

Kamabuchi Falls

Located in the depths of Hanamaki Onsen, the clear water of the Daikawa River flows down into several streams, like a tama-sudare, over a circular Oiwa stone measuring 8.5 meters high and 30 meters wide. It is said that Iwawa got its name from its shape, which resembles an upside-down rice cooker. There is a monument of Kenji's poetry.

Tono’s Story House

There is also the "Tono's Folktale Storehouse" where visitors can learn about the world of folktales, the "Kunio Yanagida Exhibition Room" where the Takazen Ryokan where Kunio Yanagida stayed and the main house where he spent his later years have been relocated, and the "Tono Theatre" where visitors can enjoy folktales and local entertainment. There is also a restaurant where visitors can taste local cuisine, making this a facility that can be enjoyed by everyone from adults to children. Let's listen to a folktale (Folktale Storehouse) Apr-Nov 11:00 13:00 14:00 Aug 1-Aug 31 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 Dec-Mar 13:00 (Sat, Sun, national holidays only)