Top Things to do in Nishiiwai-gun
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The 7 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Nishiiwai-gun, Tohoku
Discover the best top things to do in Nishiiwai-gun, Japan including Chuson-ji Temple, Takkoku no Iwaya, Chuson-ji Konjiki-do, Motsu-ji Temple, Takadachi Gikeido, Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center, Kanjizaioin Ruins.
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1. Chuson-ji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 777 reviews
Reviewed By W9171FFmichellec - San Diego, United States
It's good to get here early as walking around the temple buildings can be done anytime and its cool to see the small army of red smock wearing cleaning ladies do their thing. Lots of mature shade trees. Historical atmosphere. At 9am, the omikuji/temple offices/souvenir shops start opening. Multiple opportunities to get Goshuin (temple stamps) so bring your Goshuin-Cho (accordian style book) or buy one there. Museum and Golden Temple(its inside a building) combined ticket is 800 yen. Tourists start showing up in droves at 10am, on Saturday. Parking lots for this attraction start at 1000 yen, but can be found for 500yen. Not many obvious places to eat in this Hiraizumi area, (we missed our turn and drove and drove, looking for food, but settled for Expressway Rest Stop) but there is a cafe within the temple complex in the thatch roof building and near the museum.
2. Takkoku no Iwaya
3. Chuson-ji Konjiki-do
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 202 reviews
Reviewed By JohnD209 - Leavenworth, United States
The Konjiki, or Golden Hall, is where the bodies of four generations of the Fujiwara are enshrined. It is such an important national treasure that a larger modern structure was built around the Konjiki to protect it from the elements. Basho wrote a haiku, "Have the summer rains come and gone, sparing the Hall of Light" to commemorate his visit during his travels in Michinoku. From his haiku, we can see that many people were concerned with the effects of weather on the shrine. If you see nothing else during your visit to Chuson-ji, make sure you see this. There are audiotapes in several languages to help understand the significance of the shrine and the Fujiwara clan.
4. Motsu-ji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 430 reviews
Special Historical Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty The garden represents the Pure Land Buddhist world and beauty of Japan. The temple garden of Motsu-ji has been doubly recognized as a Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty, a tribute to its extraordinary cultural value. The temple itself, like Chuson-ji, is said to have been established in 850 by Ennin (Jikaku Daishi, third head abbot of the Tendai sect.) Building began here in the twelfth century, during the time of Fujiwara no Motohira, and was completed by his son, Hidehira. At its peak, Motsu-ji was home to more than forty halls and pagodas, and more than five hundred monks' quarters. Its main hall, Enryu-ji, was considered "without peer in all the land" by medieval sources. The garden is centered on a pond known as Oizumigaike, an exemplar of the elegance of Heian era gardening technique.
5. Takadachi Gikeido
6. Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 86 reviews
Reviewed By GraftonRiverguide - Grafton, Australia
We only discovered the Cultural Heritage Centre on a walk from our hotel while exploring the surrounding area. A visit to here should be the initial step in exploring Hiraizumi's World Heritage Sites. The explanations in english of the history and artefacts of the area put many features of the local sites into context. This was an extremely significant area in the history of Japan and change in the country brought about by changes in the Shogunates. Although I find names in Japanese history extremely difficult to follow and the relationship between the Shogunates and the Imperial family extremely complex this centre goes some way to illuminating to how all this worked and how different Buddhist sects had crucial roles in the politics of Japanese feudal society. It also highlights how some of the more beautiful natural features in Japan were integral to the view of the world of all the players in an intricate and complex society. Set aside an hour to visit here and you will better understand what you see in this stunning part of Tohuku.
