Jokanji Temple in Matsuzaki Town in Shizuoka Prefecture is a temple belonging to the Honganji denomination of Jodoshinhsu. The principal object of worship is Amida Nyorai. It was founded by the priest Joshin during the Einin era (1293-1299).
The temple had declined since it was burned down in a big fire during the Genroku era (1688-1703) and was revived by the 13th resident priest, Honda Shokan. Jokanji Temple has been famous for its divine power to get rid of evils and bring happiness.
Jokanji Temple is also famous as the place where Chohachi Irie, a plaster artisan in the Meiji period (1868-1912) is buried. Although most of his representative plaster works in Tokyo were lost by Great Kanto Earthquake and fires caused by air raids on Tokyo, some 20 excellent works including Happo-nirami-no-ryu (the Dragon Glaring in Eight Directions) and Hiten (the Heavenly Maiden) are preserved in the main hall of the temple, which is open to the public as Chohachi Memorial Museum. The bronze bust of Chohachi and the stone monument are elected in the precinct.
Sugihara Paper is a traditional handicraft handed down for over 1,000 years in Kami-ku, Taka-cho, Hyogo Pref. Cold and clear water that springs out of the deep mountain and the severe climate with heavy snow have grown fine mulberry that is made into this paper. This craft dates back to the Nara period (701-794). Its further advanced techniques have made it possible to produce fine paper for copying mantras and thin paper. It was once listed as the most excellent paper in quality as well as in quantity in production. However, with the change of times, it was replaced by western-styled paper, and the paper making in Sugihara valley came to a period in 1925. It was in 1966 when the townspeople started to work on the preservation of this craft. They put up the stone monument at the birthplace of Sugihara Paper, and then in 1968, established Sugihara Handmade Paper Factory, where annually 700 kg of washi paper is produced with the traditional paper filtering techniques. They had revived the craft so far as to be designated as a prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property and in 1983.
Ikushina Shrine located in Nitta Ichinoi-cho, Ota City, Gunma Prefecture is a shrine pertaining to Nitta Yoshisada, a loyal retainer of Emperor Go-Daigo. The enshrined deities are Onamuchi no Kami, Homudawake no Mikoto, and Takeminakata no Kami. The shrine is listed on Jinmyocho (the list of deities made in the Heian period) but when it was founded is unknown. It is the main shrine of all the Ikushina shrines in the city.
It is said that Nitta Yoshisada raised his army in the precinct of this shrine before he made war against the Kamakura Shogunate under the order of Emperor Go-Daigo. There are a lot of remains pertaining to Yoshisada in the precinct including the statue of Nitta Yoshisada, the mound where Yoshisada raised his army, the place where he set his portable chair, the sawtooth oak tree on which he hung his troop flag and a stone monument.
On May 8th, the day when Yoshisada raised his army, Kaburaya Festival is held every year, in which local elementary school children launch arrows all together in the direction of Kamakura.
Gojinbayama Hill in Tomai City, Miyagi Prefecture, is the ruins of encampment set up by Date Masamune during the Azuchi Momoyama period (1568-1598). The stone monument explaining Masamune’s feat is erected at the top of the hill.
After the Siege of Odawara, Toyotomi Hideyoshi took the measure of Oshu Shioki (punitive action) against the powerful clans in the Tohoku region who had not joined his attack operation on Odawara Castle. The Kasai and Osaki clans, the previous rulers of the southern Tohoku region, who had been deprived of their territories by Oshu Shioki, rebelled against Hideyoshi in 1591 and besieged Sanuma Castle, where Kimura Yoshikiyo, the local lord and his son Kiyohisa barricaded themselves. Having received the order to put down the rebellion by Hideyoshi, Date Masamune marched onto the castle and saved the Kimura’s. Gojinbayama is where he set up his base camp at this battle.
Sokken Yasui’s residence located in Kiyotake-cho, Miyazaki-gun, Miyazaki Pref. is a designated National Cultural Asset. Sokken Yasui, a great Confucian scholar of the late Edo period, was born in the town of Kiyotake in 1799. Since his childhood, he was fascinated by learning. His accomplishment was highly evaluated as the comprehensive study of Confucianism in the Edo period, which served as the foundation for the near modern study of Chinese classics. He also fostered as many as 200 excellent figures including Kanjo Tani and Munemitsu Mutsu, base don the idea of “One should begin planning for the day in the morning. One should begin planning for the year in the spring. One should begin planning for their life in their youth.”
On the grounds stands a stone monument with the verse written by Ietatsu Tokugawa. The plum tree planted by Sokken himself still remains in the garden. Visitors can sense the atmosphere that produced a great thinker, who had a large influence in the world of thought at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Futabayama Sadaji is the only sumo wrestler who was ever dubbed 'Extraordinary Yokozuna'. His legend has never been surpassed. He won 69 victories in a row in sumo. Futabayama Sadaji was undefeated champion 8 times, and he won a total of 12 competitions.
He is still remembered as a famous sumo wrestler in his hometown Usa, where a statue of him stands. His old house has become a monument to pass on his achievements to the next generation. In the harbor of the town, there are also statues, as well as the former sumo wrestling stable: inside, it is like a museum with exhibits of sumo implements. There is also a room where movies of the famous Yokozuna are shown.
Since its opening, this sumo place has been crowded with sumo and Futabayama fans.
The Fukuzawa Residence, in Rusuimachi, Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, is where Yukichi Fukuzawa spent his childhood and youth. It is designated a National Monument.
Yukichi was born in the Nakatsu-Hanzo Residence in Doujima, Osaka Prefecture, in the 5th year of the Tenpo era (1835). After his father's death, Yukichi returned to his hometown when he was a year and 6 months old, living in this house until he was 19.
The storehouse in the backyard was remodeled by Yukichi for the sole purpose of studying, while the main house was where he slept and ate. The Museum built next to the house has many exhibits from this period on display.
After reaching 19, Yukichi traveled to Nagasaki to take Dutch studies, but soon became keenly aware of the importance of English. He studied English by himself and boarded the "Kanrin-maru" ship in order to sail to the United States. Later, Yukichi wrote the famous book "Gakumon-no-susume", which sold more than 3.4 million copies, and he became the founder of Keio University.
The Fukuzawa Residence is an historic household that preseres the youthful origins of Yukichi Fukuzawa, the pioneer of democracy in Japan.
The coasts facing the open sea of Noto Peninsula are wild and masculine. There are also a lot of bold cliffs. Among them is Yase Cliff located in Sasanami, Shika-cho, Hakui-gun, Ishikawa Pref. The ledge outstanding over the sea has the height of 55 m. The promenade is arranged along the cliff but there is no banister or anything else to lean on. It looks as if the cliff refuses our human intervention. The sea seen from the ledge is an exquisite view. The ledge is known as the place from which the heroin of Seicho Matsumoto’s novel “Zero no Shoten (Zero Focus)” jumped to her death. There is a monument of the novel in a pine tree grove on the way from the cliff down to Ganmon Cave. In the vicinity of the cliff, there are several other places of interest including Ganmon Cave and Yoshitsune no Funakakushi (hiding place for a ship)