Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [406]
Beside the Konjiki-dō, the temple treasury, Sankōzō, contains the coffins and funeral finery of the Fujiwara clan – scrolls, swords and images transferred from long-vanished halls and temples. The sutra treasury Kyōzō, built in 1108, is the oldest structure in the complex.
MŌTSŪ-JI
Dating from AD 850, Mōtsū-ji (46-2331; admission ¥500; 8.30am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar) once surpassed Chūson-ji as Tōhoku’s largest temple complex; it too was established by Ennin. Now the temples are long gone and only the beautiful gardens remain, a so-called Pure Land garden from the Heian era, designed with the Buddhist notion of preserving ‘paradise’ in mind.
TAKKOKU-NO-IWAYA BISHAMON-DŌ
Five kilometres southwest of Mōtsū-ji, Takkoku-no-Iwaya Bishamon-dō (46-4931; admission ¥300; 8am-5pm, varies per season) is a small picturesque cave temple dedicated to the deity Bishamon (the Buddhist guardian of warriors) by the famous general Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. It was built in AD 801 after Sakanoue’s victory against the Ezo, the original inhabitants of Northern Honshū; the present structure is a 1961 replica. You can cycle to the cave along a paved path from Mōtsū-ji in about 30 minutes.
TAKADACHI GIKEI-DŌ
A small memorial honouring Minamoto Yoshitsune, Takadachi Gikei-dō (46-3300; admission ¥200; 8.30am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar) includes a monument inscribed with Bashō’s ‘summer grass’ lament. The hall is at the top of a small hill with fine views of the Kitakami-gawa, about 700m from the entrance to Chūson-ji.
GEIBI-KEI
A huge natural gorge, Geibi-kei features sheer 100m-high cliffs. Singing boatmen on flat-bottomed boats (47-2341; per 90min ¥1500; 8.30am-4.30pm Apr-Oct, 9am-3pm Nov-Mar, varies per season) regale passengers with local folk songs that echo along the cliffs. Take the bus from stop 7 outside Ichinoseki station (¥620, 40 minutes, hourly) or the train from Ichinoseki to Geibi-kei station on the JR Ōfunato line (kaisoku ¥480, 30 minutes).
Festivals & Events
Haru-no-Fujiwara Matsuri (; Spring Fujiwara Festival) From 1 to 5 May; features a costumed procession, performances of nō (classical Japanese dance-drama), traditional ennen-no-mai (longevity dances) and an enormous rice cake–carrying competition.
Aki-no-Fujiwara Matsuri (; Autumn Fujiwara Festival) A similar festival takes place from 1 to 3 November.
Sleeping & Eating
Mōtsū-ji Youth Hostel (46-2331; 58 Ōsawa; dm/r from ¥2800/4200; ) Despite the youth hostel moniker, this accommodation is actually part of the Mōtsū-ji temple grounds, and allows guests to attend morning prayers and zazen (seated meditation) sessions. Facilities are shared, there’s a strict 9pm curfew and proper manner is expected, though the serene ground can calm even the most rowdy of temperaments.
Hotel Musashibō (46-2241; fax 46-2250; www.musasibou.co.jp, in Japanese; r per person incl 2 meals from ¥8550; ) If you’re looking for a bit more privacy, the Musashibō is something of a cross between a business hotel and a ryokan, offering Japanese-style rooms, an onsen bath, formal sit-down dinners and an informal snack bar. From the station, walk straight for 500m and turn right, pass the temple, then look on the corner after the second road on the left. LAN cable internet available.
Ekimae-bashōkan (46-5555; soba sets from ¥1050; lunch & dinner) A nice little noodle shop that is literally in front of the train station (look for the blue-tiled roof), Ekimae-bashōkan is a great place to try wanko-soba (¥1750). A speciality of nearby Morioka, tiny bowls of soba are served one after another alongside a tray of accompaniments (note: true wanko-soba aficionados skip the fixings and focus