This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Ryozen Town, Date City, located in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture, is a town famous as a power spot. It's full of attractions, including the sacred mountain and Ryozen Shrine, which have been worshipped since ancient times, and the traditional Ryozen Taiko drumming! This time, we'll also introduce a new gourmet spot, "Roadside Station Date no Sato Ryozen," which is celebrating its 5th anniversary.
History of Ryozen Town
Ryozen Town is located between Fukushima City and Soma City. It is at the northernmost tip of the Abukuma mountain range, and is surrounded by mountains 300-500m high on all sides, with Ryozen at its highest peak at 825m. It is a town rich in nature
It was founded in the first year of the Jogan era (859) by Ennin (Jikaku Daishi), the head priest of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei in Kyoto, and is said to have named it "Sacred Mountain" (Ryozen) after Mount Vulture Peak in India
In 2006, it merged with Date Town, Yanagawa Town, Hobara Town, and Tsukidate Town in Date County to become Reizan Town, Date City
sacred mountain
View of the sacred mountain
This mountain has a long history, dating back to ancient times as the site of Ryozenji Temple, a temple of Shugendo , and as Ryozen Castle during the Nanboku-cho period. Founded by Jikaku Daishi in 859, it became a base for the propagation of Tendai Buddhism in the Tohoku region, with over 3,000 temples and pagodas (places for religious practice) and monks' quarters (places for living) constructed within the mountain, earning it the nickname "Mount Hiei of the North."
Currently, Mt. Reizan has a wonderful combination of rocky terrain and autumn foliage, making it a recommended spot during the autumn foliage season. The hiking trails are well-maintained and the mountain is easy to climb, making it suitable for beginners, so it can be enjoyed by families. The strangely shaped rocks and bizarre stones, such as "Mikaeshiiwa," "Gomadan," and "Higashi no Monomi," the highest point on Mt. Reizan, make excellent observation spots, where you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Azuma-Adatara mountain range, the Abukuma Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean.
It has been designated as one of the New 100 Famous Mountains of Japan, one of the National Places of Scenic Beauty, one of the 100 Most Beautiful Sceneries of Japan, a Prefectural Natural Park, and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Utsukushima
Sacred Mountain <Information>
Mt. Reizan trailhead
Access: Tohoku Chuo Expressway (Soma-Fukushima Road): Approx. 5 minutes from Reizan Iitate IC from the Fukushima direction, Approx. 10 minutes from Soma-Tamano IC from the Soma direction
Parking: 9-1 Ishida Hojizawa, Ryozen-cho, Date City, Fukushima Prefecture, behind Ryozen Children's Village, approximately 80 spaces
Ryozen Shrine, located at the foot of Mount Ryozen, was built to enshrine Kitabatake Akiie and other deities, and is visited by many worshippers from outside the prefecture as a shrine that is said to bring good fortune
The maple trees in the temple grounds are said to have been transplanted from Arashiyama in Kyoto, and the five-colored leaves - red, orange, yellow, yellow-green, and green - create a beautiful sight that has been praised as the "five-colored maple leaves."
The spring and autumn festivals are held on April 29th and early October, and at these festivals, the Ranshin no Mai and the Lion Dance are dedicated. In addition to the long-standing Ranshin Buraku, the Kitamata Lion Dance and the Reizan Taiko drumming, which are designated as intangible folk cultural properties by the city, are also dedicated, making it a tourist spot that attracts many visitors
Address: 1 Furuyadate, Oishi, Ryozen-cho, Date City
Access: 60 minutes by bus from Fukushima Station (get off at Reizan Shrine). 45 minutes by car from the Fukushima Nishi/Fukushima Iizaka IC on the Tohoku Expressway
Reizan Taiko is said to have begun in the Kanbun era of the Edo period and has a history of over 350 years. Approximately 60 sets of taiko drums have been preserved and passed down within the town, making it one of the leading taiko towns in the country
The hallmark of Reizan Taiko is the dynamic beats on the large drum, performed with short, thick paulownia wood sticks held high in the air. Every August, the Reizan Taiko Festival is held, where drummers from each region's taiko preservation societies gather to perform powerful, simultaneous drumming.
I have also visited the Reizan Taiko Festival, and the rhythmic sounds of the drums are overwhelming! They are very powerful and moving. The traditional drums, which have a history of over 350 years, have been carefully passed down in the local community
New spot: Roadside Station Date no Sato Ryozen
Roadside Station "Date no Sato Ryozen"
The roadside station "Date no Sato Ryozen" is located in a tranquil mountain area along National Route 115, just off the Reizan Interchange on the Tohoku Chuo Expressway
Date no Sato Ryozen is a place where you can find all the delicious foods of Date! You can enjoy dishes using the brand chicken "Date Chicken" and homemade gelato made with plenty of freshly squeezed, rich Jersey milk (100%).
Other dishes include fluffy, fragrant freshly baked bread and Tsukidate's specialty, Kotehime udon, so you'll have a hard time deciding what to eat!
What's more, you can also experience fruit picking, which is rare at roadside stations. Depending on the season, you can pick strawberries, peaches, and apples, making it a great way to create memories with your family. (Advance reservations required)
Roadside station recommendation: strawberry cider
We recommend the strawberry cider, made with strawberries from local strawberry farm Matsubaen!
Matsubaen, which produces strawberry cider, sells freshly picked strawberries directly during strawberry season, and also has a cafe where they sell "Melting Fruit Frozen Cotton" all year round. Only at a strawberry orchard can they flash-freeze freshly picked strawberries to keep them fresh!
We recommend pouring condensed milk over it. The sweet and sour taste of the strawberries will fill your mouth with happiness
In addition to strawberry, you can enjoy a variety of seasonal fruit flavors, such as Shine Muscat and peach
It wasn't that hot today, but if you're interested, you have to go! The "Melting Fruit Frozen Cotton" at MATSUBAEN, Date City, is of course strawberry! I thought it was strawberry shaved ice, but when I tried it, (*・｀o´・*) Wow! "Strawberry! It's strawberry!" It was a new texture! Thank you for the treat. pic.twitter.com/O9q3LuAqAY
— Resident of Seimei Town (@00seimei55) July 15, 2019
Matsubaen ＜Information＞
Name: Matsubaen
Address: 42 Kamiochiai, Yamatoda, Ryozen-cho, Date City
With the completion of the Tohoku Chuo Expressway Reizan Interchange, Reizan now has better access to the Tohoku Expressway. The area is also home to a wide variety of local delicacies, including the brand chicken Date chicken and local fruit
The spots introduced here are all quite close together, so they're also recommended for day trips. Why not visit Mount Sacred Mountain to enjoy the magnificent scenery and natural beauty?
A housewife writer born and raised in Fukushima. Her favorite food is freshly harvested hard peaches from Fukushima. Her favorite things are driving and gourmet food. She would be happy if she could share the charm of Tohoku.
