Ride on a rail mountain bike! A trip to popular Kumano spots

On August 1, 2013, Onigajo Center opened at the entrance to Kumano, a world heritage site.
Located at the gateway to the world heritage city of Kumano, this facility offers meals that allow you to experience the four seasons of Kumano, information for upcoming trips, and specialty products.
Enjoy dishes made with fresh local ingredients at the restaurant.

Hana-no-Iwaya is mentioned as a ``stage for domestic production'' in the first part of the Jindai period of Japan's first history book, Nihon Shoki, which was written in 720 (Nara period). This place has an important meaning as the ancient sacred place ``Kumano of Kumano'', which predates the Kumano Sanzan faith, and is truly a place that can be called the roots of the Japanese people.

History books mention that the sacred treasures were moved from Hana-no-Iwaya to Hongu Taisha. Just as written in the Nihon Shoki, the annual festival is still held on February 2nd and October 2nd every year, and many people come to worship.

Hana-no-Iwaya is registered as a World Heritage Site along with the Kumano Kodo. Said to be Japan's oldest shrine, it does not have a main building, but instead is a huge rock approximately 45 meters high that serves as its object of worship.
Adjacent to Hana-no-Iwaya is Michi-no-eki Kumano Hana-no-Iwaya hospitality restaurant ``Otsuna Chaya''.

This facility is designed to allow visitors to Hana-no-Iwaya to stay in a relaxed manner, and to disseminate information about Hana-no-Iwaya through meals and merchandise sales.
The facility is full of charm, with plenty of resting spaces created with verandas, etc., creating a comfortable space with the atmosphere of a sacred Hana-no-Iwaya.

[Main facility contents]
○ Cafeteria: In addition to udon and rice balls made with ancient rice (Izanami rice), a local specialty, we offer regional specialties such as saury sushi Mehari-sushi.
○Souvenirs and products sales…We mainly stock regional specialties, such as ancient rice (Izanami rice) mitarashi dango and otsuna mochi.
○ Exhibition of materials... Materials related to Hana-no-Iwaya will be displayed to convey the history and origins of Hana-no-Iwaya.

We welcome all visitors with heartfelt and warm hospitality. Please stop by.

This is a facility where visitors to Hana-no-Iwaya can stay in a relaxed manner, and provide information about Hana-no-Iwaya through meals and merchandise sales. The facility is full of charm, with plenty of resting spaces created with verandas, etc., creating a comfortable space with the atmosphere of a sacred Hana-no-Iwaya.

Let's go on a small trip on a rail mountain bike! !

A rail mountain bike is a modified bicycle that runs on rails that were used at the Kishu Mine in KumanoCity City, Mie Prefecture. While trolley trains are currently running for sightseeing, rail mountain bikes will also be operated on the basis of regular trolley train services.

Trolley trains and rail mountain bikes connect Iruka Onsen and Yunoguchi Onsen, which has free-flowing hot spring water!

"Iruka Onsen Hotel Soryuso" is located in Kiwa-cho, KumanoCity, Mie Prefecture, on a scenic hill facing the downstream of the famous scenic spot "Doro Doro-kyoGorge".The open-air bath overlooking the beautiful river surface offers a quiet and relaxing stay. This is a hot spring accommodation facility where you can enjoy your stay.

The Kumano Kodo, MaruyamaSenmaida rice fields known as Japan's best rice terraces, the ruins of Akagi Castle, Kumano Hongu Taisha (Kumano Sanzan), and Tamaki Shrine are scattered nearby, making it a popular tourist destination as it is close to heritage sites and famous spots in Wakayama and Nara. The location is very convenient for access.

Adjacent to it is the ``Trolley Train'' that runs through the approximately 1km tunnel of a former mine, leading to the secluded hot spring ``Yunokuchi Onsen,'' which is fed directly by the source, and offers a valuable experience.
In addition, our chefs prepare each and every dish with care, using plenty of local ingredients such as KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken), Kumano beef, and Katsuura raw tuna, so that you can enjoy seasonal local cuisine. We look forward to welcoming you. You can also use the restaurant for day trips.

As a base for your Kumano trip, this inn boasts trolleys, hot springs, and cuisine. Please do come.

Akagi Castle is a flat mountain castle built by Todo Takatora, a master TakatoraTodo builder, using a combination of medieval and early modern castle construction methods, and has castle functions that can be considered the embryo of early modern castles. Also, the castle ruins floating in the morning mist are so fantastic that they are said to be castles in the sky. There are many cherry blossoms in the main building, and it is also known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot.

The Tahirako Pass Execution Ground is the site where the Kitayama people who resisted the new feudal lords such as Todo TakatoraTodo, who were important figures in both the Toyotomi and Tokugawa regimes, were executed. It is an important ruin that shows the process by which the old forces were suppressed despite their repeated resistance.

TakatoraTodo moved to Kitayama during the invasion of Kishu in 1585, and lived near Kitayama for 11 years until he was given the three Iyo districts of Shikoku in 1595. During this time, the Kitayama uprising of 1587 was defeated and Kitayama timber was cut, and it is thought that the current castle was built around this time.
[Location] KumanoCity Akagi, Kiwa-cho, Kumano City (altitude 230m)
[Nationally designated historic site] Designated on October 9, 1989




[Recommended content: Walking the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route for the first time]

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[Official] Post shared by Mie Tourism (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation) (@kankomie)-July 26, 2020 3:17am PDT

In the Maruyama district of KumanoCity, there are many small rice fields called Senmaida. The scenery is spectacular, and it is said to be the best terraced rice field scenery in Japan. There are approximately 1,340 small rice fields stacked on top of each other, so much so that it is said that ``I thought one rice field was missing, but it was hidden under the shade.''

Numerous events are held throughout the year, including rice cultivation experiences, and conservation activities are carried out by local people.

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[Mushi-okuri at MaruyamaSenmaida] (Kumano City, KumanoCity) ``Mushi-okuri'' is a modern-day method of exterminating pests in rice cultivation, and was actually carried out in the Maruyama area until 1950. It has been revived as an agricultural event and will be held this year on Saturday, June 8th. When the Senmaida fields are lit with torches in the evening, a fantastic scenery spreads out. (*This photo is an entry photo for MaruyamaSenmaida 48th Photo Contest. Photographed on HigashiKishu 10, KumanoCity) #Insect feeding #Evening view #Night view #japan #mie #kumano #maruyamasenmaida #eveninglandscape #bestJapanpics #unknownjapan #bestphoto_japan #lovers_nippon_portrait

[Official] Post shared by Mie Tourism (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation) (@kankomie) -June 7, 2019 3:00am PDT

This is the only mining museum on the Kii Peninsula, which is rare even in Japan.
In addition to real trolleys and mining equipment that were actually used, this educational complex features a variety of ores, swords made by Iruka blacksmiths, theatrical exhibits of Daishoya, and even a corner about nearby tourist spots.
You can experience mining for ore, and there is a footbath on the premises, as well as paragliding, jet boats, and hot springs nearby.

A local product direct sales store directly managed by the seafood company Owase Bussan. We have fresh fish and farmed fish landed at Owase Port, and tuna on sale when our inshore tuna longline boat Ryoei Maru unloads. There are not only local products from the surrounding area, but also original products, so you can enjoy everything from everyday shopping to souvenirs. At the in-store restaurant, ``Owase Fish Shokudo,'' you can casually enjoy rice bowls, sushi, sashimi, and daily specials made with local ingredients.