| Friday, July 3. The last day of the trip. Fine under the blue sky.
Though we already finished visiting Joraku-ji and Anraku-ji temples planned
this morning at first, it is a waste of time to stay in the room.
We decided to look around Ueda Castle Ruins and the surrounding area until
getting on the Shinkansen, so checked out the hotel at 9:00.
The train was waiting when we got to Bessho Spa Station in 10-minute walk.
While seeing the pastoral views on the both sides, the train arrived at
Ueda Station of Bessho Line.
JR Ueda Station for Shinkansen is the next building. |
| Ueda Castle Ruins
It is still 10:00. We have enough time as long as 4 hours, since the Shinkansen
starts at 14:15.
I do not have any memory of seeing the sights of Ueda City, though I dropped
in here several times.
I once visited Wakana-kan in front of JR Ueda Station to see Mr. Ryohei Komiyama, my senior in university.
He took me to his "Editor's Museum" on the 3rd floor, and showed
his huge collection of books, art pictures and the photos of his memory.
I like his long novel "Chikuma River".
Then he treated me in the eel-dish restaurant on the 2nd floor. But after
that I just went back to Kakeyu Spa where I was staying then, not looking
around even the riverside of Chikuma River which is the duel stage of the
famous movie "Tasogare Seibei" (Twilight Samurai) filmed by the
director Yoji Yamada adoring Mr. Komiyama very much.
Well, this time, we are walking to Ueda Castle Ruins.
Ueda Castle was originally built in 1583 by Sanada Masayuki, a samurai
leader known throughout Japan. The castle is historically significant in
that it saw attacks by the Tokugawa army not once, but twice.
A park has been developed around the Castle remains, and in springtime
it becomes quite festive with people coming to see the cherry blossoms.
In fact, Ueda Castle Park is one of Nagano's top cherry blossom viewing
destinations and numerous events are held in mid April every year as part
of the Ueda Castle Sen-Bon Sakura (1000 Cherry Trees) Festival. |
A seemingly local gentleman came close and talked to me, perhaps noticing
we looked curious at the entrance to the Castle Ruins.
"Is this your first visit here? I would like to show you around if
you please."
It was quite timely to me.
He guided me to almost all the sights of the castle ruins, believe or not,
for more than 2 hours from 10:30 with a rich explanation. During the time,
Emiko waited at the turret looking around freely.
 When we came to the exhibition room of "Shachihoko", he said,
"In fact...."
I understood then that his group dug up the actual shachihoko under the
ground of the castle remains. (Shachihoko is a golden fabulous dolphinlike
fish tile, a pair of which were traditionally used to decorate the roof-ridge
of a Japanese castle.)
He was Mr. Kesao Takahashi. According to his name card, he was the representative
of the group "Let's Restore the Gold Foil Shachihoko Tiles on Ueda
Castle". In spite of a physically challenged person, he was very kind
to show me around wholely including going up and down the stairs.
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This pair of shachihoko is called "Gold Foil Shachihoko Tiles on the
Ueda Castle at the Time of Sanada Clan". Mr. Takahashi himself is
the original planner of the restoration.
He said to me, "We restored the gold foil shachihoko of the then-built
Ueda Castle, in order to pass the prosperity of Sanada clan and the craftsmen's
skill down to future generations. I had the precious cooperation with the
two technology holders of the traditional crafts, Mr. Yasuo Kameyama in
charge of making shachihoko tiles, and Mr. Yasuo Kobayashi in charge of
gold foil processing and Hanaoka lacquer ware". |
Ueda Castle Ruins, Other Pictures
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The title of this trip sponsored by Hankyu Trapics was "The 3 Holidays
Staying in the Hotel Designated as the Tangible Cultural Properties by
the Agency for Cultural Affairs". The hotel is Hanaya Inn of Bessho
Spa in Shinshu, Nagano Prefecture.
Hanaya Inn opened in Taisho 6 (1917), with 6,500 tsubo (21,450 square meters) of the house and lot together.
Every room is different in the house plan by the enthusiasm and the playful
spirit of each then temple carpenter. As we expected, it was equipped with
elegant furnishings at that time as a hotel in a "Taisho Roman"
style, or a trend of thought or cultural events that conveys the atmosphere
of the Taisho period (1912-26).
The hotel pamphlet says;
Our baths are all water flowing directly from the hot spring source of
simple sulfur springs with slight smell of sulfur.
The open-air bath is situated independently, where you can enjoy birds'
songs flying to the trees for their food, while soaking in the hot spring
in the nature.
You will also enjoy our original-taste meal of local foodstuffs well balanced
with soup. Please savor dishes served in superb wooden bowls.
The dinner is easy for your body, so you will be refreshing in the next
morning even if you finish off everything.
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Both of us were satisfied with every breakfast and dinner in Hanaya Inn.
Thanks a lot for the hospitality during our "Three-Holiday" stay.
Pictures in Hanaya Inn
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