The short story of Kanji pictures
Legend has it that when Sugawara no Michizane passed away, a bull pulled the cart carrying his body. Along the way, the bull suddenly stopped and refused to move, seemingly out of grief for his death. This statue at Yabo Tenmangu Shrine represents the bull from this famous legend.
| 名称 | 谷保天満宮 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保５２０９ |
| HomePage | https://www.yabotenmangu.or.jp/ |
This painting depicts a replica of the ‘Takuri-go’ -Japan’s first domestically produced gasoline-powered automobile, manufactured in 1907.
It is in Yabo Tenmangu. now.
In 1908, a drive led by Prince Arisugawa Takehito at the wheel of this Takuri-go was held from Hibiya Park to Yabo Tenmangu Shrine. The party’s safe return to Tokyo became the origin of praying for traffic safety.
In honor of this event, Yabo Tenmangu holds the ‘Classic Car Festival’ every December, bringing classic cars from all over Japan together to parade through the shrine grounds and the local neighborhood.
| 名称 | 谷保天満宮 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保５２０９ |
| Homepage | https://www.yabotenmangu.or.jp/ |
Sugawara no Michizane was so intelligent that the Emperor highly recognized his talents and promoted him to a high position in the court. However, this led to tragedy: his rivals framed him with false accusations, resulting in his exile to Kyushu, far from Kyoto, where he later passed away.
After his death, his spirit was said to have ascended into the sky and become a vengeful god of thunder, striking his rivals’ homes with fierce thunderstorms. Terrified by these disasters, the people built this shrine to appease his spirit and worship him as the deity of thunder in the year of 947.
In fact, the name “Tenjin” originally means “the God of Thunder”!
Ishida-Sanyaku, a renowned remedy for bruises and muscle aches, was created by Toshizo Hijikata’s family around 300 years ago. Back then, Ishida was a district of Yaho Village, and a young Toshizo would walk around the Yaho area selling this medicine, carrying a wooden basket on his shoulder.
| 名称 | 土方歳三資料館 |
| 所在地 | 〒191-0021 東京都日野市石田２丁目１−３ |
| Homepage | https://www.hijikata-toshizo.jp/ |
The Honda family has resided here in Yaho for over 300 years. As prominent local leaders, they historically supported the community as both veterinarians and physicians.
Since the Hondas were related to the Hijikata family, a young Toshizo Hijikata frequently visited this house to study literature and learn about world affairs.
The Former Honda Family Residence still stands today. Even now, you can see the grand gate, which was specially built with extra height so that doctors could ride through it on horseback.
| 名称 | 旧本田家住宅（※修復工事中） |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保５１２２ |
Originally, the Honda family served as horse trainers and veterinarians in Kawagoe during the Edo period. The second head of the family showed such exceptional dedication to the Tokugawa Shogun that he was honored with a gifted saddle cover (kura-ooi) directly from the Shogun.
Later, in 1621, the family relocated to Yaho by the Shogun’s direct order.
| 名称 | 旧本田家住宅（※修復工事中） |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保５１２２ |
Toshizo Hijikata(1835-1869), who formed the Shinsengumi in 1863 to protect the Tokugawa shogunate, used to visit his relatives in Yaho to study literature and learn about world affairs.
Later in life, he came to be known as the ‘Last Samurai.’ It was during his younger days here in Yaho that his samurai spirit was truly forged.
| 名称 | 土方歳三資料館 |
| 所在地 | 〒191-0021 東京都日野市石田２丁目１−３ |
| Homepage | https://www.hijikata-toshizo.jp/ |
Nakaya Farm is famous for its ‘Picnic Corn,’ which is so sweet that you can eat it completely raw, straight from the summer field.
| 名称 | 中屋農園（6月下旬から7月中旬まで） |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保６０３９ |
| Homepage | https://nakayafarm.amebaownd.com/ |
Opened in 1958, ‘Hatono-yu’ is currently the only public bath (sento) remaining in Kunitachi City, having been completely renovated in 2020.
The main bathroom features a traditional Japanese wall painting of Mount Fuji, beautifully crafted by the master sento artist, Kiyoto Maruyama.
Loved by local residents, Hatono-yu is also famous for its appearance in the movie ‘Summer Blooms,’ where the lead actress, Aki Asakura, is seen taking a relaxing bath!
| 名称 | 鳩の湯 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0002 東京都国立市東２丁目８−１９ |
| Homepage | http://hatonoyu.jp/index.html |
The movie Summer Blooms (literally “April’s Long Dream”) is a love story set in Kunitachi. It beautifully captures the everyday moments of a woman (played by Aki Asakura) who has lost her lover, as she gradually frees herself from grief and her inner pain. In June 2017, it made Japanese cinema history by winning two major awards at the Moscow International Film Festival!