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Ryusen-do Cave (龍泉洞) Kado (門) Minamisawaguchi (南沢口) Hayasaka-kogen or Hayasaka Highland (早坂高原) |
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| Ryusen-do Cave (龍泉洞) is located at the eastern foot of Ureira-san Hill (604 m) in the north of Iwaizumi. "Ureira" is an Ainu [a native Japanese in the north] word that means "a foggy mountain or foggy peak" or "a rock mountain in the rear of the hamlet." The limestone [stalactite] cave was originally called "Wakkuzu" which probably means "a cave of gushed water." The water gushed from the cave mouth has been used as the the source of water-supply for the local people. Ryusen-do Cave is one of the best three Japanese limestone caves as well as Ryuga-do Cave, Tosayamada Town, Kochi and Akiyoshi-do Cave, Akiyoshi Town, Yamaguchi.
In August 1930 the local volunteers began to explore the cave and discovered "Suisho-gu" (水晶洞; the Crystal Hall) in January 1931. It was Dr. Testsugoro Wakimizu (1867-1942) that named the cave as "Ryusen-kutsu" (龍泉窟; Cave of the Dragon's Fountain) in August 1937. In December 14, 1938, the cave and the bats living in the cave were designated as the national specification natural treasure. "Ryusen-kutsu" was renamed as "Ryusen-do" (Cave of the Dragon's Fountain) in April 1959 when it was open for the sightseeing. In August 1962 the first hall was founded as the result of the first diving investigation: The great underground lake and the second to fifth halls were discovered till 1968. In November 1967 another cave was founded near "Ryusen-do" under construction of the prefectural road and named "Ryusen-shin-do" (龍泉新洞; New Ryusen-do Cave). The diving team of NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai or Japanese Broadcasting Association) made a diving record of 73 meters in the Ryusen-do Cave: They researched that the depth of the third underground lake is more than 98 meters and the fourth lake is more than 120 meters depth. The beautiful blue water and innumerable stalactites create an atmosphere of mystery and awesome beauty. The length of the cave is, at present, known to be over 2,500 meters, however, it is estimated to be over 5,000 meters and is still being explored. |
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(Friday 30 September) Signpost of Ryusen-do Cave, Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi-cho: It is 2 km north from the junction of Route 455 along Prefectural Road No. 7. | |
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(Friday 30 September) Drinking water gushed out from Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) The tree planted in memory of Hiro-no-miya (Crown Prince Naruhito)'s visit on September 5, 1976; near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) The tree planted in memory of Prince Aya-no-miya (Akishino-no-miya)'s visit on July 13, 1984; near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) The tree planted in memory of Prince Takamatsu-no-miya's visit (date unknown) near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Monument of Sataro Sato (1909-1987)'s tanka poem (see the above pic "iwz2005-006) near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave:
地底湖に (Chitei-ko ni) したたる滴 (Shitataru Shizuku) かすかにて (Kasuka-nite) 一瞬の音 (Isshun-no-oto) 一劫の音 (Ichigo-no-oto) (Into the underground lake The drops dripping Sound faintly. The sound of one moment, The sound of one kalpa.*) (Trans. Eishiro Ito) *Kalpa: A Day of Brahma-4,320,000,000 years. It alternates with a Night of Brahma of the same length. In the Day of Brahma creation is manifest and in the Night of Brahma is it resolved into its causal state. (See "Kalpa" in Hindu Sanskrit Dictionary) Sato visited this cave on October 25, 1970 and created the above poem. |
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(Friday 30 September) The wooden sculpture of Dragon near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Gyokukyo-no-taki" (玉響の滝; lit. Gems-sounding Fall), Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Chomei-no-izumi" (長命の泉; Spring of Longevity), Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Inside Wall of Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Stalactite of Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Ryugu-buchi" (竜宮淵; Abyss of the Dragon Palace), Ryusen-do Cave: Actually it is very beautiful deep blue but my old digital camera could not take its real color in the dim light. | |
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(Friday 30 September) Stalactite of Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) The Rock of "Mamori-shishi" (守り獅子; Guardian Lion), Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Near "Ryugu-no-mon" (竜宮の門; Gate to Dragon Palace), Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Jizo-iwa" (地蔵岩; Rock of The Buddhist Guardian Deity of Children), Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Entrance to "Ryusen-shin-do" (龍泉新洞; New Ryusen-do Cave): It is also a scientific museum. | |
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(Friday 30 September) Stalactite of Ryusen-shin-do Cave (New Ryusen-do Cave) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Stalactite of Ryusen-shin-do Cave (New Ryusen-do Cave) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Stalactite of Ryusen-shin-do Cave (New Ryusen-do Cave): "Rock Debris Terrace of Upper Level" | |
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(Friday 30 September) Reappearance of the primitive men lived in the cave, Ryusen-shin-do Cave (New Ryusen-do Cave). | |
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(Friday 30 September) Shizu-gawa (清水川; the Shizu River), near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave: The source of the river is of course fountains of Ryusen-do Cave. | |
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(Friday 30 September) Shizu-gawa (the Shizu River), near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) Shizu-gawa (the Shizu River), near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Kendo 7-go-sen" (Prefectural Road No. 7), near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Tamugi-ya" (田麦舎; a traditional Japanese restaurant) near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave: 1-5 Kannari, Iwaizumi-cho, Shimohei-gun, Iwate 027-0501: tel: 0194-31-2202; fax: 0194-31-2203; e-mail: info@tamugiya.co.jp. | |
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(Friday 30 September) Interior of "Tamugi-ya" (traditional Japanese restaurant) near the entrance to Ryusen-do Cave: A bear-skin hangs on the partition in the left which perfectly matches with the atomosphere reappeared an interior of the "Nambu-Magari-ya" (the traditional L-shaped house) in this area. The L-shaped design of the house was very practical as the family occupied the long part of the "L" and their livestock (mostly horses) the short end. See the Tono page. | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Kiji soba" (pure buckwheat vermicelli served with slices of pheasant's meat), "Tamugi-ya" | |
| Kado (門) along Route 340 (partly Route 455) | ||
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(Friday 30 September) Kogawa Junnior High School, 39-1 Machimukai, Kado, Iwaizumi, 028-5641, viewed from Route 340 (near Kado-O-hashi [門大橋]) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Machimukai, Kado, Iwaizumi, viewed from Route 340 near Kado-O-hashi [門大橋]) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Machimukai, Kado, Iwaizumi, viewed from Route 340 near Kado-O-hashi [門大橋]) | |
| Minamisawaguchi (南沢口) along Route 455 and the Mitagai River | ||
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(Friday 30 September) "Hase-gake" (はせがけ; constructing multiple rice-lines to expose the rice plants to the sun) after reaping using a binder: It is a traditional way to make the rice more delicious than using a combine harvester. Recently many farmers in other areas tend to use some machines to dry the rice because of avoiding hard labor.
Another traditional way of drying the rice plants is "Honio-gake" (ほにおがけ; setting stakes in the field and ricking rice-plants to dry in the sun) which requires less labor than "Hase-gake." Although "Hase-gake" is more effective than "Honio-gake" to dry up the rice-plants, many aged farmers are inclined to give up "Hase-gake" and do "Honio-gake" or use a combine harvester: As observed in other agricultural areas of Japan, Iwate is gradually becoming an aging society suffering from want of young labors. In Iwate Prefecture, "Hase-gake" can be seen in the central and northern parts where many rice-fields are located in the mountain areas, while "Honio-gake" can be seen in the southern part where the majority of the rice-fields are in the plain areas. In these days, many farmers tend to use combine harvesters. However, the rice made by the traditional methods, either "Hase-gake" or "Honio-gake," is much more delicious than that by the modern method using a combine harvester. |
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(Friday 30 September) "Hase-gake" (constructing multiple rice-lines to expose the rice plants to the sun) after reaping | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Hase-gake" (constructing multiple rice-lines to expose the rice plants to the sun) after reaping | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Hase-gake" (constructing multiple rice-lines to expose the rice plants to the sun) after reaping | |
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(Friday 30 September) "Hase-gake" (exposing the rice plants to the sun) after reaping | |
| Hayasaka-kogen (早坂高原; Hayasaka Highland) on the way to the town center from Morioka along Route 455, is known as the birthplace of the famous folk song "Nambu Ushioi-uta" (「南部牛追い唄」; The Cowherd Song of Nambu). The story of "Nambu Ushioi-uta" is set in a very rich region in the paddy-fields of Iwate, that is, Iwaizumi. A man is leading his heavily-laden oxen over the Yamazaka Pass.
The Grand Meeting of "Nambu Ushioi-uta" is annually held on the final weekend of September.
Hayasaka-kogen is also known as the highland with beautiful "shirakaba" trees (white birches; Betula tauschii) and azaleas: The peak of Hayasaka Pass is 916 meters above the sea-level: The Reserved Forest of Hayasaka Area covers 56.0 hectares. |
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(Friday 30 September) Signpost of Hayasaka Pass, Hayasaka-kogen (along Route 455) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Monument of "Nambu Ushioi-uta"(The Cowherd Song of Nambu), Hayasaka-kogen (along Route 455) | |
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(Friday 30 September) Signpost of Hayasaka-kogen, the pavilion and the parking lot | |
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(Friday 30 September) Guide map of Hayasaka-kogen, the pavilion and the parking lot | |
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(Friday 30 September) Hayasaka-kogen, near the pavilion and the parking lot | |
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(Friday 30 September) Hayasaka-kogen, near the pavilion and the parking lot | |
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(Friday 30 September) Hayasaka-kogen, near the pavilion and the parking lot |
