Friday October 2, 2009
Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula
Rain, rain, rain…..
This year our team at work decided to do a weekend outing at Shuzenji – an Onsen (hot springs) town located at the Izu peninsula. It is just a 2 hour train ride from Tokyo. I was debating whether to go or not because it seemed to be another all boys gathering. However, since 2 other women in the team decided to go, I made a last minute decision to attend.
So on a late summer rainy Friday, I took the 9am Odoriko train from Tokyo to Shuzenji. It was my first time in Shuzenji so I decided to explore the town on foot first, before heading toward the hotel. As all the “boys” were golfing and the two other women were not interested in joining me, I was on my own. And honestly, I was glad to be on my own as I needed “me” time for reflection. I really had no plan and was just going to “wing it” when I get there.
Shuzenji (also known as Shuzenji Onsen) was discovered some 1200 years ago by Kobo Daishi – an important Buddhist monk who is the founder of the Shingon sect. It is also the stage for the dramatic and historic event of the decline of the Minamoto Shogun in the Kamakura era. So since ancient times, Shuzenji has been a popular destination for artists, writers and tourists.
I arrived around 11am at Shuzenji station on a rainy and miserable day. There was hardly anyone at the station and the whole town seemed deserted. The stores were open but no one was walking around or in the stores near the station. I found a tourist office in the tiny station and asked for a suggested itinerary. Fortunately, they had an English pamphlet with all the highlights of Shuzenji. I decided to walk the town and visit the historic sites. The lady at the tourist office thought I was crazy and said I should take a bus to the different sites as it will take me about 2-3 hours to see everything by foot. “And” she said, “ It’s Raining!!” Well, I find by walking the town, one can discover hidden gems about the town and thus find it more enjoyable, so off I went by foot.
The town of Shuzenji
My first stop was the famous Shuzenji temple, which is about a 20 minute walk from the train station. It was founded by Kobo Daishi and is the oldest temple of Shuzenji. It is at this temple, the second shogun of the Kamakura period, Minamoto-no Yorie was imprisoned. A very famous Kabuki play called Shuzenji Monogatari is about Minamoto-no Yorie. It is a small temple but what a gorgeous walk to the temple and surroundings. The back of the temple is the mountain and in front of the temple is Katsura River. There must have been some event as several monks and men in suits were walking out while I was walking in. As I gift to myself, I bought one of the handmade beaded bracelets with sutras carved in each bead by the monks of the temple.
Shuzenji Temple
The grounds are dotted with interesting statues but descriptions were in Japanese so not sure what they are.
The side wall of Shuzenji temple
Across from the temple is another famous sight known as the Tokko no Yu. It’s located right on the river and is the oldest onsen (hot spring) in Izu. The monk at the temple told me it is the symbol of Shuzenji. Legend is that the hot spring water sprang from a rock that was struck with an iron club ( called Tokko in Japanese) by Kobo Daishi. The onsen can only be used these days as a foot bath. I took one and it was relaxing. But then a busload of tourists showed up so I quickly got out and made my way to my next destination.
Tokko no Yu
On the other side of the river and about a 10 minute very slippery walk is the Shigetsuden. It is a library built for dedication and storage of Buddhist sutras by Hojo Masako, the mother of the assassinated shogun Minamoto-no-Yoriie. It was built to protect her son’s soul. The image of Buddha enshrined here is a very rare Zen sect type. It is also the oldest wooden structure in the Izu area. The grave of Minamoto-no-Yorie is also located in this compound. He is the second shogun of the Kamakura period and was arguably one of the most intelligent. However, his intelligence was a threat so he was imprisoned by the rival Hojo clan in Shuzenji temple and assassinated when he was only 23. It is quite a small compound but very pretty and feels sacred. There is also a very old and small Shinto shrine right next to the grave. I could not read the Japanese, so not sure what it was dedicated to. On the other side of the compound are the graves of the 13 disciple of Minamoto no Yorie. This place is a hidden gem. Amazing because it’s surrounded with homes. If there were not a sign, no one would know how special this place is.
Shigetsuden
The rare Zen image of Buddha
The Grave of Minamoto-no Yorie
Shigetsuden grounds where the graves of the 13 disciples can be found.
An old Shinto shrine in Shigetsuden
View from Minamoto-no Yorie's grave
I then took the slippery slope back down to find Chikurin no Komichi. While looking for the path, I ended up in a small garden with a small statue. I believe it’s the Chigo Jizu but because the sign was in Japanese, I could not be sure. Hot spring water was pumped from the ground and ended up in a small pond where this statue stands. It was quite beautiful and easy to miss if one does not pay attention.
I immediately found the sign to Chikurin no Komichi after I exited the garden. And wow, what a beautiful path albeit short. I basically had the path to myself. It is a very peaceful path that is in a middle of a bamboo grove. It was still raining and the whole atmosphere got me in a melancholic mood. I don’t know why because it was beautiful. While taking in the whole atmosphere, I ran into an outdoor gallery that was showcasing photos of the Japanese maple trees. I was so enthralled with the bamboo that I did not notice the maple trees that dotted the path. Inspired, I took some photos of the beautiful maple trees. This place must be breathtaking during the fall.
Chigo Jizo (I believe)
Chikurin no Komichi
Detail of an old well found on the path.
Japanese Maple Trees
The path led to a narrow street dotted with shops and then through fields that took me to Minamoto-no Noriyori’s grave. Again, it’s so unassuming and is in the middle of fields. I’m not an expert in Japanese history, but believe he is the son of one of the shoguns and became a very capable military commander that overthrew a rival clan. However, he was accused of revolting against the shogun and thus committed suicide in Shuzenji’s Hie Shrine. Japanese history is complex and interesting as she had a very long feudal history. Visiting these sights made me want to learn more.
The path to Minamoto-no Noriyori's grave.
Minamoto-no Noriyoro's grave. The red and white rope must sympbolize something but I don't know what.
After the visit, I decided to make m
y way to the Kamiya Bridge. Although the brochure I had did not have any information on it, one of the local ladies I met said that the area of Kamiya was well known during the old days for papermaking. If I were lucky, the traditional papermaking store might be open. So I followed a quiet path along the river to the Kamiya Bridge. The rain stopped for about 10 minutes where I was treated to blue skies and sun shining on flowers and rice paddies. Again, no one was in sight. The papermaking store was closed but the walk was well worth it.
The path to Kamiya bridge.
The path was dotted with wild flowers.
Kamiya Bridge
I took the path on the other side of the river back, and ended up in Akagaeru park. It’s named after a book written by a famous author Kensaku Shimaki, He was walking along the river, thinking about his life as he had an incurable disease. He saw a red frog trying to cross the river. But the current was so strong, that after a struggle the frog died. He saw similarities in his own life and wrote a book about it. It was published posthumously.
Akagaeru Park
From the park, I took the beautiful Chikuren no Komichi back and this time I was not melancholic but reflective. It truly is a beautiful path. I traced my steps back and stopped at my last destination- Hie Jinja, before heading back to the hotel. This is where the great warrior Morimoto no Noriyori committed suicide. Again, the grounds are small but beautiful. I did not spend much time there as it really started to pour. So I gave my respects and started the 4 km walk or so to the hotel.
Shuzenji really is a gem of a town. It is a great getaway from Tokyo where one can experience culture, history and nature. It is small enough that a day trip is possible, but I recommend an overnite trip so you can fully enjoy the therapeutic onsens (hot springs) of Shuzenji. That is exactly what I did the rest of the evening!
Tracing my steps back
Hie Jinja
I soaked in this wonderful onsen and called it a day.