TID Travel Journal "A Trip to SASAYAMA - Ancient Castle Town"
By TID, Winter 2008 update

In this issue I would like to introduce Sasayama City, an ancient castle town located in the mid-eastern part of Hyogo Prefecture. The area of the city is 378ｋ㎡ and it has a population of 45,741. Sasayama is surrounded by mountains and many tourists visit the Sasayama Castle Ruins & Oshoin (a great samurai house), museums, potteries, and to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. In the spring over 10,000 runners participate in the ABC marathon starting from the castle grounds. Sasayama Kasuga Shrine offers a special performance of Noh, Japan's beautiful traditional drama. In August many people gather at the Dekansho Matsuri (festival) to celebrate and to dance. In autumn tourists eat black beans and yams. Inoshishi-nabe (wild boar) dishes are popular in winter. Tamba pottery is very famous as one of the old potteries in Japan. Tamba Toji (the chief sake brewer) has a history and a good reputation for making the number one sake in Japan. The Tojis are invited to the sake brewing districts in the southern part of Hyogo Prefecture in winter.

The 400th Anniversary of Tamba Sasayama Castle Construction Festival will be held from Saturday, April 4 until Sunday, October 25 in 2009 all over Sasayama City.
http://www.city.sasayama.hyogo.jp/emachgy.html

On a sunny day in mid-November I visited Sasayama. I took the JR train from Kobe via Amagasaki to Sasayamaguchi. There I changed to the Shinki Bus and got off at the Udo-Kannon stop.

First I visited Okashino-sato Tamba (Tamba Confectionery Land). Five buildings of Japanese and Western style are scattered across the site of 33,000 km².
At the entrance to the Main Building there is a jinrikisya (rickshaw) where tourists can take pictures. Many Tamba speciality products including agricultural products such as Tamba black beans, tofu made from black beans, confectionery, sake, pottery, handicrafts and other souveniors are sold at the main building. In the inner part there is a restaurant called "Sakura" that serves local dishes using foodstuffs produced in Tamba.
After visiting the main building I visited the rest of the site.

Mior Hall was constructed in 1931 (Taisho 6 ) and was once used as the Tarumi Police Station in Kobe before it was dismantled and reconstructed here. It is currently used as a restaurant, an antique cup gallery and a concert hall. The restaurant commands a fine view of the lake and the woods through the windows. At the entrance two classic Ford cars are on display. In the hall classical music was playing which suffused the air with an atmosphere to calm your frame of mind. Cups of Coalport exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Limoges, Noritake, etc. are also on display at the Antique Cup Gallery.

The Doitsu no yakata (German Hall) is modeled on an old farm house in Europe. Visitors may sample hot bread from the stone furnace everyday. They can also sample German sausages and beers in the hall which is surrounded by herb garden.

Kayabuki no ie (Thatched roof house)
This house constructed in 1854 was dismantled and reconstructed at this location.; In the house there is a Japanese style traditional cooking stove and an open hearth sunk into the floor. Matcya and Japanese sweets are served for a fee. Furoshiki (a large square of cloth for wrapping and carrying a bundle), handkerchiefs, small cloth articles of dyed with persimmon tannin juices, Japanese sweets are sold in the shop.

Yakushisan Sanso (Yakushisan mountain villa)
I went up to the hill to visit this mountain villa. This merchant house constructed at Aogaki-cho in 1857 was dismantled and reconstructed at the top of the hill. In this sanso visitors may enjoy local dishes. A reservation is preferable for more than 4 people. In the garden there is a statue of thanks for parents and others.

Okashino sato Tamba is a good place to visit for a couple, a family or group.

[Okashino sato Tamba]

Open:	10:00-18:00 (Last entry: 17:00)
Admmision:	Adult ¥300, Child (13 and younger): ¥200 *You can buy goods equivalent to the sum of the entrance fee inside the facility by presenting your entrance ticket.
Access:	(Train & bus) 6 minutes by Shinki Bus from JR Sasayamaguchi Station to Udo Kannon and a 4 minute walk (Car) Tamba Sasayamaguchi IC-Higashibuki Crossroads (turn left and drive 400m) - turn left -Okashino-sato Tamba Parking:5 buses, 91 cars
Address:	416 Higashibuki, Sasayama
Tel:	079-590-2133
Attention: Bringing pets, food and drink into the site are prohibited.

In the afternoon I moved to the heartland of Sasayama by bus and visited some tourist spots on foot. The below are the places I visited and learned about.

Taisho Romankan

Taisho Romankan is a tourist information center. It was built as a town office in 1924 and was the most modern building at that time. In the house there is a café and a souvenior shop selling local specialties. It is a good place for tourists to make a tour plan in Sasayama. Why not plan where you will visit next while enjoying a cup of tea in the salon?

Open:	9:00-17:00
Access:	(car) 60 minute drive from Kobe Sannomiya via Rokko Kita Road, Chugoku Expressway, Maizuru Wakasa Expressway, Tannnan Sasayamaguchi IC (train & taxi) 10 minutes by taxi from JR Sasayamaguchi Station
Address:	97 Kitashinmachi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-6668
URL:	http://www.tanba-sasayama-romankan.com/profile.html

Tamba Kotokan (Old Tamba Pottery Museum)

Tamba Kotokan exhibits many representative pieces of Tamba-yaki pottery from the Kamakura period (1192-1333) to the latter Edo period (1603-1868). The simple pieces of Tamba-yaki pottery tell the story of the lives of ordinary people throughout the ages. Jars, bows, plates, flower vases, sake bottles, sake cups are displayed in three white-walled storehouses.

Open:	9:00-17:00 (Last entry 16:45)
Closed:	Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday), the fourth week of August, December 25-January 2.
Admission:	Adult ¥700, Uni. & Sr. High School Student ¥500, Jr. High & Elementary School Student: ¥300 (Ticket is also valid for the nearby Museum of Noh Artifacts)
Address:	185 Kawara-machi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-2524

Noh Museum (Nogaku Shiryokan)

This museum exhibits noh masks, costumes, musical instruments and information materials about Noh from the Middle Ages through the Modern Ages.

Open:	9:00-17:00 (last entrance: 16:45)
Closed:	Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday), the fourth week of August, December 25-January 2
Admission:	Adult ¥700, Uni. & Sr. High School Student ¥500, Jr. High School & Elementary Student ¥300 (Admission ticket is also available for Tamba Toji Sake Brewery Museum)
Access:	3 minute walk from the Shinki Bus Hon-sasayama stop starting from JR Sasayamaguchi Station (car) 10 minutes from Tannann Sasayama-guchi IC of Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway
Address:	175 Kawara-machi, Sasayama
Tel:	0795-52-2524
URL:	http://www.nohgakushiryoukan.jp

Tamba TojiSake Brewery Museum

The Tamba Toji Sake Brewery Museum explains the origin of Tamba Toji sake brewers and the nine processes that make up the sake brewing process with displays of tools, documents and old fashioned hand-brewing methods.

Open:	10:00 - 1700
Closed:	New Year
Admission:	¥100
Access:	15 minutes ride on the Shinki Bus from JR Sasayamaguchi to Kasuga Jinja-mae stop and 3 minutes walk
Address:	1-5 Higashi Shin-machi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-0003
URL:	http://kanko.tanba-sasayama.com/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=9

Sasayama Historical Artifacts Museum

This museum is housed in the renovated building of Japan's oldest wooden courthouse, which dates back to 1891. Inside I saw numerous examples of the fine artwork which Sasayama has been famous for since ancient times. When I visited the museum a special event called "In Retrospect of The Tale of Genji" was being held because this year is the millennium year of The Tale of Genji. This was the first time the picture scroll of the Tale of Genji had been on display particularly because it has been declared a cultural asset by Sasayama City. Other exhibits were the pictures of Genji in the Edo Period and a collection of poems on dynasty literature, copies of an annotated edition of the Tale of Genji, folding screens, and Heian period game goods made from clamshells.

Access:	Take the Shinki Bus from JR Sasayamaguchi Station and get off at Kasuga Jinja-mae stop
Address:	75 Kurooka, Sasayama
URL:	http://www.city.sasayama.hyogo.jp/rb.html

Kasuga Shrine

Kasuga Shrine, the largest shrine in Sasayama, features many beautiful wooden pictures called Ema and a stage for Noh performances, a traditional Japanese form of drama.
The Noh performance stage in the shrine is the most outstanding one in Japan and has been designated as an important national cultural asset. 22 faces of votive pictures on a wooden tablet are displayed at the Ema (votive picture on a wooden tablet) Hall. Noh performances are held in the spring and a special New Year's Eve.

Open:	10:00 - 1700
Closed:	New Year
Admission:	¥100
Access:	15 minutes ride on the Shinki Bus from JR Sasayamaguchi to Kasuga Jinja-mae stop and 3 minutes walk
Address:	1-5 Higashi Shin-machi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-0003
URL:	http://www.city.sasayama.hyogo.jp/kasuga.html

Aoyama History Museum

The family treasures of the lord of Sasayama castle are on display. Main exhibits are Chinese literature carved into wood, pictures and a lot of historical information materials about Sasayama.

Closed:	Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday), New Year's
Admission:	Adult ¥300, Uni. & Sr. High School Student ¥200, 6-15 years old ¥100
Address:	48 Kita-shinmachi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-0056

Sasayama Castle Ruins & Oshoin (A great samurai house)

The Oshoin was the second enclosure of Sasayama Castle for 335 years until it was destroyed by a fire in 1944. The reconstruction is a product of much scholarly research and craftsmanship and has been recreated down to the ancient building techniques and exquisite decoration. For example two different but elegant techniques have been used to construct the roof of the Museum, and the beautiful sloping roof that is the symbol of the Oshoin. About 4 years were spent completing Oshoin and if you look closely you can see the every detail has been given consideration.

Open:	9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed:	Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday), New Year's
Admission:	Adult ¥400, High School & Uni. Student ¥200, aged 6-15 ¥100
Tel:	079-552-4500
URL:	http://www.city.sasayama.hyogo.jp/museum/index.html

Anmas Historical Museum (Bukeyashiki Samurai House)

Aoyama was a vassal of Aoyama, the Daimyo or feudal lord of Sasayama and his house is representative of the houses of samurai of his station. Inside visitors can see the furniture and cooking utensils that were used by the Anma family and get a glimpse of how people lived at the time.

Closed:	Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday), New Year's
Admission:	Adult ¥200, Uni. & High School Student ¥100, aged 6-15 ¥50
Address:	95 Nishi-shinmachi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-6933

Horoyoi Jokagura

The Homei Brewery was established in 1797. Horoyoi Jokagura is the original building and still maintains the feeling of an old-fashioned Japanese sake brewery. The Homei Brewery brews sake with music that changes into vibration and produces good sake. The brewery gave me a small bottle of good tasting sake named Yume no Tobira (literally a door for dream). This sake has heard the melody of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony which became vibrations to make the sake delicious.

Address:	73 Gojuku-machi, Sasayama
Tel:	079-552-1133
URL:	http://www.houmei.com/

As evening approached I was forced to leave downtown Sasayama. I returned to JR Sasayamaguchi by the Shinki Bus and headed home.