Now it is the season of colored leaves. As I mentioned several times previously, Japanese always love seasonal things. The same way people go out for "Hanami (Seasonal Flowers Viewing)", people rush to see beautiful colored leaves in this season. However, we don't use the word "Viewing" for the colored leaves in fall. Somehow we use "Hunting" for the colored leaves, such as "Let's go to colored-leaves hunting this weekend!"
The pure red color of Japanese maple leaves is one of the most popular colors of autumnal foliage same as ginkgo's golden color. Then, this temple in the photo-slideshow above, Heirin-ji Temple in Niiza City, Saitama prefecture, would be a great spot to enjoy it in fall.
The temple has a long history and is said that it was originally established in 1375. Unfortunately during the Japanese Warring States Period most of the buildings were burned down, but it was restored under the protection of the very first Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa, of Tokugawa-shogunate era (Samurai era).
Actually this temple has a historical relation with Hachioji City. There is a grave of a Samurai princess born during the Japanese Warring States Period. She is an older sister of Princess Matsu, whom I introduced as "Refugee Samurai Princess" in my previous post in last April 10th and April 28th. (Please click the date to read the previous posts).
This older sister is known as "Kenshoin", and she also played an important role in Japanese history, although it was very different from her sister, Princess Matsu's contribution. Kenshoin was entrusted a hidden illegitimate child of the second Tokugawa-Shogun to raise. It was a request from the first Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa. Thus she was buried a major temple under the protection of Tokugawa-Shogunate government.
It is interesting to hear that the sister, whose family was defeated and went to ruin, survived by themselves and played important roles in history. Anyway, please enjoy the beautiful autumn view!
I introduced about "ginkgo nuts picking" on my another blog "Yuko's Japan Guide" previously on November 15th. Actually ginkgo is the City Tree of Hachioji because ginkgo trees line a 4 km (2.5 miles) long stretch on the roadside of Rd.20 (Koshu Kaudo) which is one of the oldest national road passing through Hachioji City, and the autumn view of it is one of the notable scenery in Hachioji.
Thus, a local festival under the ginkgo trees on Rd.20 (Koshu-kaido) started 37 yeas ago and named "Hachioji Ichou Festa". Ichou is the Japanese word for Ginkgo. This year, it will take place this weekend, between November 19th and 20th. There will be various parades and performances, such as a classic car parade, a Samurai parade, traditional drum performances, and dance performances under the ginkgo trees during the festival. Also several shop areas for food stalls and local items will be set up between Takao station and Oiwake intersection.
Besides the parades and performances, the festival has an interesting activity similar to stamp-collecting activity every year. Wooden passes called "Tsuko Tegata", which is the word for a kind of permission for travelers during Samurai era, are sold at the festival area and visitors can enjoy collecting branding of neighborhood areas' names along the Rd.20 (Koshu-kaido) as you can see in the lower center and left end photo. There are 12 checkpoints to provide the branding in the festival area. Perhaps it is like an old-days travel that people had to go through checkpoints to show their permission (Tsuko Tegata) on their way.
It would be fun to experience how people travel in old days, and the wooden pass would be a nice souvenir of Japan. In addition to it, when you completed to get all branding of the 12 neighborhood areas' names, you can also get some remembrance of the activity.
Hope the weather will be nice and you can enjoy gorgeous golden color of ginkgo leaves at the festival!
I introduced a local festival in Hachioji City commemorating a Samurai lord Ujiteru Hojo in my previous post on October 25th, and in the connection I'd like to introduce a new activity event relating to the historical Samurai lord family started recently. It is a collecting-stamps-activity called "Stamp Rally" which I have also introduced on this website on October 19th.
The lower photos are showing the leaflet of the activity. "Stamp Rally" activity is usually common for train lines, but for this one stamps are placed at the historical sites relating "The Hojos", a Samurai lord family in the middle ages. The stamp sites are spreading in 5 prefectures such as Tokyo, Kanagawa prefecture, Saitama prefecture, Shizuoka prefecture, and Okayama prefecture. When people completed to collect 5 different stamps on the leaflet, they can get a pin badge that has an original design of the Hojo family.
Well, you might not be a pin badge collector, but in addition to it you may get a local specialty from one of the 5 prefectures by lottery. The local specialties are mostly traditional craft-works, for example, wooden chopsticks with decorative carving, a pair of pottery tea cups, and a tote bag made of Japanese denim.
It would be fun to travel around to visit historical sites of Samurai era and learn Japanese history, then you may get a nice traditional item! The lower right end photo shows the stamp of Hachioji Castle which was a castle of Ujiteru Hojo.
Ujiteru Hojo was the third son of Hojo head-family in the late 15th century, and Ujiteru was entrusted with the defence of the east side of their territory, which is now Hachioji City. The stamp in the photo is placed at the Guidance Center of Hachioji Castle Ruins (location: 3-2664-2, Moto-hachioji-machi, Hachioji City, Tokyo), and it is available while the Center is open. The activity term is between October 1st 2016 and February 28th 2017.
Hope you can complete it during the period!
Other locations for this Stamp Rally "Go! The Hojos"
Odawara Castle: 6-1, Jonai, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tsukuiko Lake Shiroyama Koen Park Center:162, Negoya, Midori-ku, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tamanawa Furusato House:128, Ueki, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hakone Town Local Museum:266, Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hachigata Castle History Center: 2496-2, Oaza Hachigata, Yorii-machi, Osato-gun, Saitama prefecture
Former Yamazaki Family's Villa:2-7-8, Matsue-machi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture
Izu-no-kuni City Nirayama Local Museum: 2-4, Nirayama, Izu-no-kuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Yamanaka Castle Guide Center and Shop:410-4, Yamanaka-shinden, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Shuzenji Temple:964, Shuzenji Temple, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
OH!MOS:14-10, Uchiura-omosu, Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Ihara City Cultural Asset Center, Kodai Mahoroba House:333-1, Ihara-machi, Ihara City, Okayama Prefecture
