Okabe Things to Do

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Seiganji temple is located in the city of MARIKO not far from SUMPU TAKUMI SHUKU.....
It is said that is was constructed by MINAMOTO NO YORITOMO(1147-1199) founder of the KAMAKURA shogunate..

Minamoto no Yoritomo was one of the greatest men in Japanese history. While charged with being unnecessarily cruel for driving his cousin to seppuku and being indirectly responsible for the death of his brother modern historians have classified him with Oda Nobunaga as being cruel because of the times in which he lived

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I am not sure what the figure represent and what they are doing there.

Each one has a name and what they represent.....from left to right

Japanese Name: Kaifuke-o (Houshou) his name mean... The Jewel-born One
direction: The Buddha of the South

Japanese Name: Hodo (Ashuku) Nyorai ,
his name mean.. Unshakable
Direction: The Buddha of the East

Japanese Name: Dainichi Nyorai ,
his name mean He Who Is Like the Sun,
Direction: The Buddha of the Center

Japanese Name: Fukujoju (Shaka) Nyorai
his name mean Almighty Conqueror
direction: The Buddha of the North

Japanese Name: Amida Nyorai
his name mean Infinite Light
Direction: The Buddha of the West

But also there is a mistery I can not explain, behind each figure sits another figure. Just as the first big figure, like a carbon copy..

But why? Why are they seated behind? Or is it just storage? Mystery unsolved..:)

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After crossing the ABE river and entering a mountainous area, you reach to MARIKO post town, which is famous for TORORO-JIRU(jam broth poured on barley rice).....sorry but I dont really care for it..:)......

In HIROSHIGE picture he described....

".....It is a peaceful scene in early spring...the plum trees are budding, a bird is chirping on the thatched roof of the tororo jiru shop and old farmer heads for his fields where green young herbs are sprouting...."

This is landscape painting with a poetic touch of a haiku poem by the famous MATSUO BASHO....

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The UTSUNOYA PASS between MARIKO and OKABE post towns is one of the most dificult places on the TOKAIDO HIGHWAY...

The mountain path, which is dark even in the daytime, has been feautred since olden days in many literary works...
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...The entrance to this little tea house is beautiful in spring with many sakuras along the river...

Other pictures in my traveloge.....SURROUNDING AREA

Wooden clogs(geta) with a lacquer coating that began to be produced in the early Meiji period(1868-1912).

Their widely acclaimed charm derives from the lacquer coating and makié ornamentation, very much a craft of the area of shizuoka..

This temple is located up the mountains near SUMPU TAKUMI SHUKU in MARIKO town...

According to the poet SOCHO(1448-1532), he lived here in his final years.....He wrote...
"sitting at this temple at night, it seems as if the moon pops out from behind a mountain..."

It is said , it is agreat place for viewiing the moon......

SOCHO also constructed the garden similar to those of GINKAKUJI in KYOTO...

The garden, including the rock and sand gardens, are designated as a "PLACE OF SCENIC BEAUTY" and a HISTORICAL SITE by the national goevernment...

The best time to see this temple is in the fall, with its maple trees, and other fall foliage...

The fee is 300 yen for adult, and 100yen for kids...
Open all year
9am-5pm...may-otc..
9am-4pm....nov-april

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There is a great museum for the TOKAI ROAD, at the SUMPU TAKUMI SHUKU... the charge is only 150yen..

Here you can learn about how people traveled in the feudal era..The relay station towns of those times are also shown here...UKIYOE design by HIROSHIGE are all over the walls, so you can feel like you were actually there....

There is also an OLD TIME tea room which was recreated...

There is also some history of the MARIKO castle....its a great little museum, there is no english explanation available......