Futamata Travel Guide

This temple is best known by the history buff as the place where Nobuyasu Tokugawa the eldest son of Iyeyasu Tokugawa was buried in a mausoleum. It also has a Ido Yagura of Futamata castle said to have been used to house a well.

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Uchiyama Matatsu is one of the deciples of Kamono Mabuchi. Uchiyama focused his study on collecting folklore records and legends in Enshu area. Also he is the regional leader of Kokugaku School then led by Kamono Mabuchi. The museum exhibiting Matatsu's writings and related texts also shows the good old house of Enshu area as well as agricultural tools used in 18th and 19th century.

The castle ruin is known as the place where Iyayasu Tokugawa and Takeda clan fought over to claim the castle in late 16th century. It is just one kilometer north of Tobayama castle facing close to each other. It is also known as the place Nobuyasu Tokugawa, Iyeyasu's eldest son was put to death.

Tobayama castle is the fortress made by Iyeyasu Tokugawa to face Takeda clan who based in Futamata castle only one kilometers north. Now it is a park known for the Tenryu River views and autumn foliage and cherry blossoms.

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Akino Fuku (1908-2001) is one of the well-known Japanese painters who loved the landscape and people of India. Her works vividly portray the life and landscape of India. The museum is designed by Terunobu Fujimori known for his uniquely styled buildings. The building mixes Japanese and Mediterranean architecture style. Viewing up the museum it looks like mountain castle fortress but looking from the entrance plaza it looks like a typical house in southern Europe. Since there are so many works the museum has to have a series of exhibits to fully show her works. That means you have to visit the museum often to see most of her major works.

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Getting to Futamata though Kakegawa is for tourists who come from Tokyo, Hakone, Fuji Five Lake Areas. In JR Kakegawa station, where KODAMA Shinkansen stops, there is a train line called TENRYU-HAMANAKO line. This train line is very slow but the views from the train is nice. Then get off at TENRYU-FUTAMATA station. Tenryu-Futamata station is manned so hand the ticket to the station clerk at the station when you get off.

From the places, Toyohashi, Okazaki, Nagoya and western areas from Nagoya including Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, first you have to reach Toyohashi by whatever means to change to local JR trains. Find a train bound either for HAMAMATSU, KAKEGAWA, SHIZUOKA, OKITSU, ATAMI then take the train to get off the second station from Toyohashi, Shinjohara where the TENRYU HAMANAKO LINE joins. After changing trains get off at TENRYU-FUTAMATA station. Then start walking.