Tamba City (丹波市) is a city located in Hyogo, Japan.  The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of all six towns of the former Hikami District: Aogaki (青垣町), Ichijima (市島町), Kaibara (柏原町), Kasuga (春日町), Sannan (山南町) and Hikami (氷上町). As of March 1, 2010, according to population data, the city has an estimated population of 67,796 and a density of 137 persons per sq. km.  The total area is 493.28 sq. km.
  Tamba is a very small city, and has very beautiful nature --mountains and rivers abundant with fish.  Hikami is the biggest town from the six which formed Tamba.  It is a place of many shops, among the rest of food products.  Aogaki is sometimes considered the most beautiful town because of its natural environment.   Paragliders are very popular.  Aogaki is home to many agriculturists who grow rice, vegetables etc.  Aogaki is surrounded by countryside.  
  Tamba is a region rich with delicious food such as chestnuts and black bean.  Kaibara's sign is keaki tree.  The tree is estimated to be a thousands years old.  Kasuga has Kuroi Castle (黒井城).  Tamba has many shrines with the oldest being the Hachiman shrine, which has the greatest history.  The shrines in Tamba are very important cultural property and are very popular.  (Referred to the site of "Wikipedia.")

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JR Tanigawa Station

JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City (丹波市山南町) on JR Fukuchiyama Line (福知山線)

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(Sunday 14 March) JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Welcome board of JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Statue of "Tamba Ryu" (丹波竜; a titanosaur discovered in Tamba) by JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A view from JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A view from JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

Beheaded Statues of Jizo

The Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City (丹波市山南町) near JR Tanigawa Station (JR谷川駅). The origin of the unique Jizo (Skt. Ksitigarbha-bodhisattva: the guardian deity of children) statue can date back to the age of Gempei War in the late twelfth century. The Hei-shi clan (平氏), most prospered with Kiyomori Taira (平清盛, 1118-1181) and his grandson Emperor Antoku (安徳天皇, 1178-1185; r.1180-1185), was repeatedly defeated by their rival the Gen-ji clan (源氏). After losing at the Battle of Ujigawa (宇治川の合戦) in 1184, they ran away from Kyoto and scattered over Western Japan. Some came to here in Tamba, but unfortunately they were found by a party of the Gen-ji pursuers and executed in Yamada which was later called "Kubikiri-zawa" (首切沢; lit. "Execution Bog"). Hearing the sad news, the local people built small cenotaphs for the repose of the dead planting wild flowers around it. Later the monuments have been called "Kubikiri-Jizo-son."

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(Sunday 14 March) Approach to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Red Gate to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A stone stupa of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Approach to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Approach to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) A Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Red Gate to the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Red Gate to the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Red Gate to the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) In the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) In the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) In the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) In the Main Hall (本堂) of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Numerous wood peaces of prayers to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Numerous wood peaces of prayers to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Numerous wood peaces of prayers to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Numerous votive tablets to the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) The Eight Statues of Bodhisattvas behind the Main Hall of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Four of the Eight Statues of Bodhisattvas behind the Main Hall of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) "Fugen-Bosatus" (普賢菩薩; Skt. Samantabhadra) of the Eight Statues of Bodhisattvas behind the Main Hall of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) "Jizo-Reisui" (地蔵令水; the sacred spring water of Jizo), behind the Main Hall of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Ingredient chart of "Jizo-Reisui" (地蔵令水; the sacred spring water of Jizo), behind the Main Hall of the Beheaded Statues of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

Jizo-chaya

Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City. This small restaurant and souvenir store, full of the local products, is run by Kikue-obaa-chan (菊枝おばあちゃん). Highly recommended.

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(Sunday 14 March) Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) Information plate for "Gokaku-udon" (合格うどん; Japanese wheat vermicelli with a prayer for passing the entrance exam), Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

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(Sunday 14 March) "Gokaku-udon" (合格うどん; Japanese wheat vermicelli with a prayer for passing the entrance exam), Jizo-chaya (地蔵茶屋) near the Beheaded Statue of Jizo (首切地蔵尊; "Kubikiri-Jizo-son"), Sannan-cho, Tamba City

        

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