Shimada Things to Do

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Kanaya is now a part of Shimada city. It is best known by the great landscape of Oigawa river, and you can see the landscape similar to Utagawa's Hiroshige's Kanaya of Tokaido Series. The town's biggest draw is Ocha No Sato tea museum with world tea museum and a nice Japanese garden. You can also enjoy Tokaido Hike from JR Kanaya station to Nissaka and Kakegawa.

Also see Kanaya Travel Guide.

When I went to Chimanji in 9th of July I found Hosta Montana blooming around July and August. Hosta Montana is often cultivated because its budding leaves are used for local cuisines during April and May. Japanese name for Hosta Montana is OOBAGIBOUSHI.

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One of the most popular temples in Shimada is located at the northern part of Shimada deep in lush cedar forest. The temple is best known by the thatched-roof Main Hall and ten huge and old cedar trees. I first went there as a high-school excursion about thirty years ago. It has sacred and spiritual atmosphere. To get there you will have to walk about two hours from Oigawa Riverside or take a taxi or rent a car to get to the nearest parking space. The summit of Mt. Chiba is 496 meters above sea level.

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Unno is a famous local artist of the work of woodblock his house was open to the public in 2000.....You are able to see his home and his work at a next door exhibit hall....

His home its a house from the 1890..He is a native of shizuoka and his work been in a few galaries around...

With the admission to the SHIMADA MUSEUM you are able to see this museum which is up the road ....

9 :00 - 17 :00
Hours open

closed Mondays, the day after national holidays, New Year's break

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The Oi River, the difficult spot of the Old Tokaido Highway, had no bridge according to the Government policy, and was provided with an official control house, carriers' inn and shops around here under the river crossing system by carriers.

Now the official control house, carriers' inn and ticket center were restored.

(pic2) A picture in this little museum shows a view looking down upon a wide bed of the Oi River, with people waiting on its sand-banks to be taken across.
There was no bridge across the Oi River and travellers had to cross it in a variety of ways as is shown in the picture.
It became difficult to cross when heavy rain turned the river into fierce, raging rapids.

Free of charge
Open all year
8:30 - 17:00

Also called Kawagoshi Historic Sites, or Oi-River Crossing Historic Sites at Shimada City

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In the Toko Temple , the monkey dance is held on April 14...

Two children wearing masks of male and female monkeys dance to the music of flute and drum.

This is nationally unique folklore performance played at the festival of Hiyoshi Shrine, which houses the "guardian god of Toko Temple",

and is designated as an INTANGIBLE FOLKLORE CULTURAL HERITAGE by Shizuoka Prefecture.

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This museum is a great stop, IS VERY close to the KAWAGOSHI RELICS, its regular exhibition features "travel and travelers" under the question "why do people travel?", and introduces the history and culture of Shimada city, illustrating the scenes of the Oi River, Shimada station and the river crossing.

The exhibition is in japanese but is a great museum giving the history of the area...

There are occasional special exhibitions on the second floor, the day I went it was for different japanese hair styles of the edo era...

With the price for the entry of the museum you can also see the house of a local famous woodblock printer.....is just a few blocks down the road..

Its 300 adult and 120 yen for elementary and junior-high school student

Closing monday and Dec 29 - Jan 3
and open from 9am to 5pm

From Yoshida Exit off of the Tomei Highway (10km, 20 min.), drive on Route 1 Shimada By-pass roads, and get off at Hatayubi Exit (2.1km, 5 min.)

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There are 8,700 roses planted in the garden . You can enjoy the greenhouse and the walking path ...

You can also purchase the kind of roses that grow in the park....I did but they never live that long..:(.....they seem very difficult to grow..

The "rose house" in front of the ROSE PARK sells rose related articles (1st floor) and offers French cuisine (2nd floor)

Its closes on MONDAY, and Dec 29 - Jan 3
Fee: May - Nov, adult 300 yen
elementary and junior-high school student 150 yen
hours..9-6pm

Dec - Apr, adult 200 yen
elementary and junior-high school student 100 yen
hours..9am to 4pm
May to Nov is the best time to go.