Page 306 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

on earth, Kiyohira enriched the
9th-century temples Chuson-ji
and Motsu-ji. Chuson-ji is five
minutes by bus from the sta-
tion, followed by a long climb
lined with towering Japanese
cedars. Only two of its many
original buildings remain: the
small Golden Hall, splendid
with gold leaf, lacquer, and
mother of pearl, where the
first three Fujiwara leaders are
buried; and the Sutra Hall. In
the Treasure Hall are precious
artifacts from the Fuji wara
coffins and the temple.
All that remains of the
original Motsu-ji (a ten-minute
walk from the station) are its
Buying fresh oysters at the Shiogama foundations and beautiful
Wholesale Fish Market, in Matsushima Heian-period paradise
garden, the best in Japan.
7 Although the tsunami of
March 2011 caused wide spread
Matsushima destruction along Japan’s 9
松島 northeast coast, Matsushima Tsuruoka
was spared thanks to the 鶴岡
! G3 ⌂ Miyagi Prefecture numerous islands in its bay.
£ To Matsumisha and These pine-covered islets ! F2 ⌂ Yamagata
Matsushima-Kaigan Prefecture £ n City Office,
g From Shiogama n By are the reason Matsushima 9-25 Baba-cho; (0235) 25-
Matsushima sightseeing became renowned as one of 2111
Japan’s “three famous views.”
boat pier; (022) 354-2263
Tsuruoka was the Sakai clan’s
Take a hint from Matsuo castle seat. Best of this friendly
Basho’s 1689 visit to the bay 8 town’s attractions is the Chido
of Matsushima (p306) and Museum, west of the former
make Shiogama your starting Hiraizumi castle grounds. It includes a
point. The busy Shiogama 平泉 kabuto-zukuri (helmet-style)
Wholesale Fish Market, active ! G2 ⌂ Iwate Prefecture farmhouse, and marvelous
from early morning until folk objects such as lac quered
about 1pm, is known for its £ n Next to JR Stn; (0191)
46-2110
huge tuna auctions. Make
time to lunch at one of Nine hundred years ago,
Shiogama’s superb sushi the Northern Fujiwara clan,
restaurants before taking under Fujiwara Kiyohira, made
the ferry to Matsushima. this small town into a cultural
and econo mic capital, second
only to Kyoto. Three genera-
HIDDEN GEM tions later, Hiraizumi was in
For Sake’s Sake ruins. Yoshitsune, Japan’s
Niigata, set across the archetypal tragic hero, had
water from Sado Island, sought refuge here from
is known as the home of Yoritomo, his jealous brother
sake. Founded in 1767, and Japan’s first shogun, but
Imayotsukasa offers a was betrayed by Yasuhira,
free tour that illustrates the last Fujiwara leader, and
the history of sake and killed. Yoritomo then turned
the brewery, and, of against Yasuhira and had
course, with a tasting the clan wiped out.
at the end (www. At its peak, Hiraizumi had a
imayotsukasa.co.jp/en). population of 100,000. Wishing
to create a Buddhist paradise
306

306-307_EW_Japan.indd 306 04/02/2019 14:55

EW Catalogue template v3.0 – 12th July 2018
Fonts: Aptifer Sans LT Pro, Posterama Text, Soho Gothic
Pro, Soho Pro, ITC Caslon 224