Advising businesses in Takasago city (Hyogo prefecture) yesterday & today, I caught the opportunity to visit the Shinto shrine related to the famous Takasago Noh play and another shrine that holds an unusual annual festival featuring “futon” Japanese mattresses. It reminded me of guiding a French group in Takasago city as part of a spiritual tour featuring the impressive Ishi-no-hoden.
Takasago City
Takasago city has ±84,000 inhabitants (down from 97,000 thirty years ago) and faces Harima Bay on the Seto Inland Sea. Its symbols include the pine tree. Direct access is possible by local train from Himeji station (connected by shinkansen to Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, and Tokyo). 3 minutes on foot from Takasago train station, Ever Hotel Takasago Ekimae is quiet, clean, comfortable, cheap, and with friendly staff.
Initially a fishing port and salt production centre, Takasago became an influential castle town notably known for Takasago-zome (“Takasago dyeing”); it was later eclipsed by neighbouring Himeji city. It is now a centre for heavy industry (steel mills, refineries, chemical processing) including factories of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, the Kobe Steel Takasago Manufacturing Complex, Mitsubishi Paper Mills, Takuma Power Plant, and Kikkoman Soy Sauce.
Off-the-beaten-track, Takasago is without crowds. Things to do for tourists:
- Admire 100+ year old Takasago-zome kimono. Such kimono used to be extremely luxurious gifts, and seeing well-maintained ancient ones in Takasago is an extremely rare opportunity as Takasago-zome kimono are not produced anymore.
- Create a movie with the support of Takasago Film Commission.
- Learn about bottling/packaging at Suntory’s Takasago factory.
- Learn about soy sauce making at Kikkoman’s Takasago factory.
- Savour locally-popular vegan Kashiwa-mochi. I hope to try one at Keishindo shop (Kashima shrine area) during my next visit.
- Watch Noh theatre plays.
Special Spots
Takasago’s main attractions are Ishi-no-hoden power spot and Takasago District historic building preservation zone. Hikers can admire the city from the Harima Alps, and the low pluviometry makes tourism from abroad nicer to plan than many other destinations.
Ishi-no-hoden
National historic site dating back 1,200 years ago, Ishi-no-hoden (“stone sanctuary”) is a 465-ton cubic stone (6.4 x 5.7 x 7.2m) surrounded by water, appearing to float over a pond (hence its nickname Uki-ishi “floating stone”). Power spot of mysterious purpose on the grounds of Oshiko Shinto Shrine near Hoden stone quarry, it is one of the three wonders of Japan along with Shiogama Shrine in Miyagi prefecture and Amano-saka-hoko at Mount Kirishima in Miyazaki prefecture.
Sone Tenman Shrine
Breathe and enjoy the peaceful holy grounds of this Shinto shrine, where Sugawara-no-Michizane is enshrined. Designated as a natural monument, its old holy pine tree was allegedly planted by this god of learning… and in winter/spring, you can also enjoy the fragrance of 40+ varieties of pink/red plum trees in full bloom!
The giant rope adorning the main hall reminds of the famous Izumo-taisha, and its annual Sone Tenmangu autumn festival features unusual, beautiful and exciting “futon yatai” floats (something I hope to see with my own eyes some day).
Takasago Shrine
In a peaceful district, Takasago Shinto Shrine is reputed for marriage and marital harmony. Its Aioi-no-matsu pine tree is famous thanks to the famous Noh play entitled Takasago. I’m very grateful to my professional partner Ruth for bringing my first opportunity to visit this shrine.
According to Shinto legends, Ishi-no-hoden was the foundation of a palace whose construction was interrupted by local gods rebelling against builders Sukunabikona (god of hot springs, agriculture, healing, magic, brewing sake and knowledge) and Okuninushi (god of nation-building, farming, medicine, and protective magic).
I guided once a big group of French travellers interested in spirituality and ancient civilizations, and Ishi-no-hoden was the spot that excited and energized them most during our whole trip around Japan.