Mishima Taisha Shrine

The last time I visited this shrine was during the New Year Holiday and it was very crowded. When I visited this week there were still quite a few people there, but no where near what it was during the holiday time.

Sano Art Museum, Mishima

After visiting the park and the river, my next stop was the Sano Art Museum in Mishima to see the "Rhythm of Life, Artworks of Fumiko Hori". The exhibit continues through June 9th, 2024, the museum is closed on Thursdays, adult tickets are 1100 yen, and all museum information is in Japanese.  Also, photos are not allowed to be taken in the museum.

A large poster of one of Fumiko Hori's pieces is in the glass window of the museum. It is a wonderful exhibit!

On the museum grounds is a fabulous Japanese garden called Ryusen-en. The front gate and Japanese-style house in the garden are designated as tangible cultural properties by the national government.

Genbe River, Mishima

After leaving Rakujyuen Park, I continued to the Genbe River, passing by the Hasunuma River. 

There are many signs so you don't get lost and also to inform visitors of the history of places. Helpful and interesting!

It is always helpful to find English signage.

The river walk starts on this wood walkway.

After a very short distance on the wood walkway, there are stone squares in the center of the river.

The river water is crystal clear.

I recommend visiting this calm, cool walkway!

Rakujyuen Park, Mishima

Rakujyuen Park is located across the street from the south exit of Mishima Station. The Japanese government has designated the park as a National Monument and Place of Scenic Beauty. The park is closed on Monday and adult admission is 300 yen.

When I first entered, it appeared that it was a children's play park, with rides and a little train and a small zoo.

There were also pretty woodsy areas, 

a kind of challenge course for young children,

and a stationary bit of train for children to play on.

It wasn't at all what I expected, but there were some pretty woodsy spots.

Work In Progress Wednesday

This week, I altered some clothing for one friend and repaired some pants for another - sewing not stitching, so I won't show it here. 

Japanese Pattern 5, done with three strands of DMC 550.

Another little practice huck weaving piece

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine - The Day of a Million Steps

Last Friday was a beautiful day - sunny and breezy.  I decided to walk to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and climb up the stairs. I had visited this shrine years ago with two friends.  One friend drove us to the parking area at Nihondaira and we took the ropeway to the Shrine area. I wrote about that 2016 visit here.

So, last week I walked two hours to get to the bottom of the steps leading to the shrine area. My route led me to walk between the sea and the strawberry farms.

There were a few people walking up the steps but not so many.

At the start the steps were not steep, as you can see looking back.

The steps went back and forth and I couldn't see the top.

Every so often, there would be a sign to show how far you've come and still have left.  Here I was at step 340 of 1159.

Sometimes, I looked back.

A big door!  I thought I must be there, but not yet.

I needed to go higher...

This is the entrance, where I paid 800 yen for a combined ticket to the shrine and the museum. (Photos not allowed in the museum).

The shrine has a history of over 400 years, and enshrines Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603, which brought peace to Japan for 265 years. The beautifully decorated shrine buildings were designated as a National Treasure in 2010.

Yes, there were many more steps inside the shrine area.

History of the Shrine

Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) endured many hardships in his youth before becoming the first Tokugawa shogun in 1603. He retired as Shogun in 1605, and spent the remainder of his days in Sumpu, the current Shizuoka City. He passed away on the 17th of April in 1616 at the age of 75.
Before his death Ieyasu had instructed his retainers to bury his remains at Kunozan. Ieyasu’s successor, the second Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada carried out Ieyasu’s instructions and ordered a shrine to be built to enshrine Tokugawa Ieyasu.
A master carpenter named Nakai Masakiyo was chosen to build the shrine. Construction started in May of the year of Ieyasu’s death and the shrine was completed within a year and seven months. The shrine was built using the finest craftsmen of the time and became a model for other Toshogu shrines all over Japan, including the Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Other examples of Nakai Masakiyo’s workmanship include such important historical structures as Nagoya Castle (a nationally designated important historic site), and in Kyoto Ninnaji Temple (a National Treasure and World Heritage Site) and Nijo Castle (a National Treasure and World Heritage Site). The Kunozan Toshogu shrine is considered a masterpiece of Nakai Masakiyo’s later years and was designated as a National Treasure in 2010.

It seems like all shrines and temples have some incredibly old sacred tree.

This is where some of the remains of Tokygawa Ieyasu are.  The rest are at the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, where I visited in 2019.

It was time to start back down the stairs.

On my way home, I stopped for lunch at kaiten sushi, so the walk was longer going home.  I was tired, but happy after a good day.