Page 311 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

a free arts and research
center. Ihatov was Miyazawa’s JAPANESE DOLLS
Esperanto name for Iwate. Over 1,000 years ago, simple cloth
dolls called sarukko were attached
Miyazawa Kenji Museum to babies’ clothing as charms against
" ⌂ 1-1-36 Yasawa § (0198) harm. Clay dolls unearthed at
31-2319 # 9am–4:30pm daily Jomon-period sites are also believed
to have had symbolic functions.
These dolls remind some of oshirasama
t dolls – stick fig ures, usually of a horse
Tono and a girl – still found, and venerated,
in parts of northern Japan. Other
遠野 favorites include the limbless painted
kokeshi dolls, made at towns around
! G2 ⌂ Iwate Prefecture £
n By JR Stn; (0198) 62-1333 northern Japan, such as Morioka;
ohinasama, the elaborate tiered arrays
In Tono people still live in of silk court dolls displayed each Girls’
rhythm with nature, and Day (March 3); and anesan ningyo (big KOKESHI
observe old traditions. Much sister dolls), folded from paper. DOLL
has changed, though, since
folklorist Kunio Yanagita
compiled the Legends of Tono y Over Nakatsu River is the
in 1910. Few of the magariya Suzuki Morihisa Iron Studio,
(L-shaped houses, shared by Morioka which has superb iron pieces
people and horses) are left, 盛岡 on display. For folk crafts, such
but the mountains ringing the ! G2 ⌂ Iwate Prefecture as cute kokeshi dolls, head for
Tono basin are still beautiful. £ n 2nd flr, JR Stn; www. Konya-cho (dyers’ street) and
Tono’s attractions are best morioka-hachimantai.jp/ Zaimoku-cho (lumber street).
reached by car or bicycle, Morioka is home to the
both of which can be rented eng/index.html noodle-eating tradition of
at the station. The Municipal Once the center of the Nanbu wanko-soba. At Azumaya
Museum in the town center domain, Morioka is now Iwate’s Soba Shop, patrons eat as
introduces local culture. At capital and a transportation many small bowls of soba
Denshoen, local experts teach hub for the north, known for buck wheat as possible.
traditional crafts. A short walk its Nanbu tetsubin (iron ket-
away are Kappabuchi stream tles) and Mount Iwate, the Suzuki Morihisa
and the tem ple of Joken-ji, both volcano that over looks it. In Iron Studio
tradi tionally the home of kappa October salmon run up the ⌂ 1-6-7 Minamiodori
(water imps). North west of the Nakatsu River, one of three § (019) 622-3809
railroad station Tono Furusato rivers that bisect the city. # 9am–5pm Mon–Sat
Village has six magariya, where Near the ruins of Morioka
you can see traditional craft- Castle is a cherry tree, over Azumaya Soba Shop
work being made. Hayachine 350 years old, that has grown \ ⌂ 8-11 Moriokaekimaedori
Shrine, a 30-minute drive from from a crevice in a boulder. § (0120) 733-130
the station, is known for its
kagura (sacred dances), and
Mount Hayachine is popular
with climbers.
Municipal Museum
" ⌂ 3-9 Higashidatecho
§ (0198) 62-2340 # Apr–
Oct: 9am–5pm daily; Nov–
Mar: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun
¢ Last day of month in May–
Oct, Mar 1–4, Nov 24–30,
public hols

Bright-red fall leaves
surround the poignant
ruins of Marioka’s castle
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