Sightseeing Spots

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)

Sakakiyama Inari Shrine (Morioka Kaiun Shrine)

When Morioka Castle was built (Keicho 2), Nobunaga Nobunaga, the 26th lord of the Nanbu clan, dedicated Morioka Kaikan Shrine in the Sakakiyama Curve of the castle as a general guardian of the territory to ensure the fate of the clan. The shrine was dedicated to a deity who had been revered by his ancestor, Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu (a member of the Seiwa Genji clan). There are 14 shrines in the precincts of the shrine, and the shrine is also home to Ryokufuen Garden and Shinji-no-ike Pond, both of which have a long history from the Morioka domain period, creating a solemn Shinto shrine that adds color to the four seasons in Morioka.

Roadside station “Shirakaba no Sato Yamagata”

A roadside station located along National Route 281, approximately halfway between Kuzumaki Town and Kuji City. The specialty products corner sells locally produced fresh vegetables and grains, as well as crafts. You can also try the local gourmet "Mamebu" at "Yamagata" inside the roadside station.

Fukusenji Temple

Within the spacious temple area of Fukuzen-ji are the 33rd New Sacred Site of the Kannon in the western part of Japan, 88 new sites in Shikoku, a wooden statue of the Great Kannon, a pagoda, a five-story pagoda, etc. The cherry blossoms and azaleas in spring and the autumn leaves in autumn are wonderful, attracting visitors from within and outside the prefecture. The wooden statue of the Great Kannon, completed in the fall of 1963, is the largest wooden statue of the Kannon in Japan, standing 17 meters tall and weighing 2.5 tons. Best time to view the autumn leaves: Early October to late October

Hayachine Shrine

Hayachine Shrine, where the divine spirits of the Tono Sanzan are enshrined, is said to have its origins on June 18, 806, when Fugenbo Ichinomiya was built on the summit of the mountain to enshrine the divine spirits. Currently, the vast precincts are thickly covered with old giant cedar and cypress trees, giving the place an atmosphere of forestry. An annual festival is held on the 18th of July, and the festival is famous for the mikoshi washing process, in which the mikoshi is carried to the nearby Takigawa River and washed while being sprinkled with river water.