English Yamagata Tagajo IC The Birthplacebirthplace of JCT Yamagata Kita IC Date City and 112 Sendaiko Kita IC 11 History Stroll 12 48 thethe DateDate Clanclan Hobara Yanagawa 45 Yamagata Yamagata Zao IC Sendai Miyagi IC Sendai G-9 J-5 Surrounding Chuo IC Sendai Higashi IC Sekizawa IC Station Yamagata 457 4 Sasaya IC Sendai Tobu Road Area Station Yamagata Expressway Sendai Minami IC Yamada IC Nagamachi IC Sendai 348 Yamagata 286 Sendai Nambu Road Wakabayashi JCT 287 Kamiyama IC Imaizumi IC 458

Natori IC Flower Nagai Line Nagai Flower Kaminoyama Miyagi Kawasaki IC Yamagata Natori Chuo Smart IC Onsen Station Murata JCT Roadside The Birthplace of the Date Clan 287 Station Sendai Airport IC Mt. Ryōzen Kaminoyama Murata Murata IC 4 Onsen IC 457 Iwanuma IC

Akita Shinkansen Tōhoku Shinkansen Watari IC 4 Tōhoku Main Line Joban Line Mt. Ryōzen is an iconic peak in the Tōhoku region Shiroishi Zao that has been designated as a national scenic Shiroishi IC Tōhoku ExpresswayStation 113 Akayu 6 spot and a prefectural natural park. It was settled Miyagi Torinōumi Smart IC by Jikaku Daishi during the early Heian period (in Yanagawa Shrine Station Nanyo Takahata IC Tōhoku Main Line Roadside Station the year 859) and flourished as the center of the

113 349 Pacific Ocean This shrine has been a place of worship in 113 DATE Takahata Yamamoto IC Nan'ō culture for more than 480 years. Yonesaka Line Takahata It is well known that during the Northern and Kameoka Hachiman Shrine Yanagawa since ancient times. When the Date Yonezawa Station Clan came to this land, they installed the clan's Kita IC Roadside Station Southern Courts period, Kitabatake Akiie, an official (Takako-oka Castle Ruins) Roadside Station Shichikashuku of the Southern Court, assisted Prince Norinaga Yonezawa Countryside Roadside 113 City tutelary shrine, "Kameoka Hachiman," as a sōja 339 Station Yashimaya (later Emperor Go-Murakami) in establishing the When Abukuma Express train approaches Yonezawa Chuo IC (shrine enshrining several gods) encompassing Yamamoto province of Mutsu. Takako Station, passengers can hear an 121 Yonezawa Minami Smart IC However, the castle fell after an intense battle Station the sixty-six townships then under the clan's juris- Kunimi IC announcement that says, "Takako, the birth- Line Iizaka Kotsu Fukushima with the Northern Court in 1347. Today, well over Sightseeing Guide Roadside station Abukuma Express 113 Tōhoku Chuo Expressway diction. A young Date Masamune also prayed for Yonezawa Kunimi Atsukashi no Sato Shinchi IC six hundred years later, the ruins of both Ryōzen place of Date." Here are the roots of Dokugan- Hachimanpara IC Castle and Ryōzen Temple remain buried. victory in battle at this shrine. Along the long path- Fukushima 349 ryū Masamune, whose name became known Yamagata Shinkansen Ozaso IC way to reach this shrine, visitors can still find the 13 Tōhoku Chuo Expressway during the Warring States period. 13 Ryōzen Shrine corner-stone of a three-storied pagoda, which is Fukushima Fukushima Date City Sōma 19 In 1189, when Ōshū was defeated by Mina- JCT Iizaka IC Roadside Station yamagami IC Sōma IC The shrine was Ryōzen said to have been built by Fujiwara no Hidehira. Date no Sato Ryōzen Roadside moto no Yoritomo, the Nakamura clan of Hita- 115 K-9 115 Station founded in 1881 to Ou Main Line Joban Line Sōma Tamano IC Sōma chi Province, which triumphantly served in the Fukushima Ryōzen IC enshrine the souls of Yanagawa Castle Ruins Ryōzen Iitate IC battle, was given Date County for their 13 Station Kitabatake Akiie and Hobara Iitate-mura Village Minamisoma This was used as the base 115 Fukushima Kashima SA others. The "ranjō services and started the Date Clan. Nishi IC Roadside Station Roadside Station J-6 Kawamata bugaku" sword dance Nearby Takako-oka Castle, built by Date of the Date Clan from the Oasis in Silk Road 339 Roadside Station Fukushima is performed during a 349 Joban Expressway time of the 11th hereditary Urabandai Roadside Station Tsuchiyu Matsukawa 4 Tomomune, the first head of the Date Clan, Smart IC Minamisoma IC festival held in April.

Tsuchiyu Road Park Expressway Tōhoku head to that of the 14th It is Roadside Station Adachi the Kameoka Hachiman Shrine was founded Chieko Village Down Line Fukushima 459 Joban Expressway Climbing said that the castle garden Roadside Station Adachi 459 Roadside as a branch of Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine. 115 Chieko Village Up Line Station Mt. Ryōzen was designe based on a 114 20 A white tori gate still stands there today. Minamisoma Ryōzen strong impression of Kyoto's Nihonmatsu IC From the fresh As such, Hobara's neighborhood of Takako Roadside Station L-12 Higashiyama culture. Roadside Fukushima greenery in spring to is the birthplace of the Date Clan. Station Towa Abukumakan 114 dark-green trees in Inawashiro Inawashiro 49 Bandai 459 summer, and the autumn Kogen IC Roadside Station Adatara SA Sakura no Sato 399 leaves in fall, this area Ban-etsu Expressway Bandai Atami IC 349 exhibits the beauty of all Traditional Namie IC DATE MEGANE Tsutsuko-biki Festival Ban-etsu West LineKoriyama JCT four seasons. Experience Lake 6 This festival is held 294 Inawashiro Inquiries: Ryōzen-do every year on the 288 Guide Association first Sunday of March 024-587-1255 Fukushima Prefecture at Itsukushima Shrine in Hobara in honor of Hobara Total Park (History and Culture Museum) Matsudaira Izumo 18 Gourmet Food Ryōzen The roadside station Mochiharuko, the This park is flush with greenery and How to get to Date City, Fukushima and Relaxation I-11 that appears to be 21 equipped with not only a baseball feudal lord who helped 14 Hobara stadium, but also tennis courts, a Date floating in the moun- save the peasants H-8 playground, and more. The Former Sapporo (New Chitose Airport) Shinjo 15 F-8 tains is at once a "post About 1 hour and 20 minutes Yamagata from the famine Hobara Kameoka Residence, also on the Shinkansen Roadside Station Yamagata town," frequented by premises, has a Western-style exterior Sendai during the Kyōhō era. G-8 Niigata Ban-etsu West YonezawaLine Nagaoka Tennō Festival Ban-etsu Expressway both locals and tour- and a traditional Japanese interior. It Fukushima Osaka (Itami Airport) has been designated an important Koriyama Date no Sato Ryōzen ists, and a "bistro" serv- About 1 hour 10 minutes The Nagaoka Tenno Festival is held cultural property of Japan, and has Date City ing delicious Date spe- every year on July 24th and 25th in Date been attracting attention due to its Iwaki

Kan-etsu Expressway Joetsu Shinkansen Fukushima Tōhoku Main Line Ban-etsu East Line Town, and is sometimes called the cialties. A selection of unique building materials and carvings. Takasaki Tōhoku Expressway Airport Tōhoku ShinkansenMito Ban-etsu Expressway "Yomeiri" or marriage festival because it Date City's agricultural Yanagawa Kibō no Mori Park Northern Kanto Joban Line products and souve- Expressway ties unites Atsuta Shrine and Yakumo Tokyo Joban Expressway Shrine under the name of "Tenno-sama" nirs are also available With a mini steam here. locomotive running at the 22 Tōhoku Shinkansen Yanagawa (about 1 hour 30 minutes) (about 25 minutes) S Enjoy entrance, this park is a Tōhoku Main Line e J-6 (about 1 hour 20 minutes) n Grapes famous cherry blossom T Tōhoku Expressway (about 3 hours and 20 minutes) (about 1 hours) d the Bounty from early September to late October viewing spot with 2,000 o National Route 4 a cherry blossom trees. k (about 25 minutes) (about 2 hours) i Strawberries Popular varieties The park also has a log y of Date include "Kyoho," and C Late December to mid-June house for families to o i "Takao," which are Abukuma Express Tōhoku Main Line Strawberries are cultivated for enjoy camping and other t prized for their size, (about 1 hours) (about 30 minutes) y about half a year from the Christ- sweet taste, and 17 outdoor activities. mas season in December to fragrant aroma, as well Tsukidate Hana Kōbō Ryōzen mid-June. The main varieties L-12 From Fukushima Station Tōhoku Expressway as "Shine Muscat," From their windows, visitors can fully enjoy the Tsukimidate Forest Park Abukuma Express Hobara Station Kunimi IC include "Tochi-otome" and "Fuku with its rich flavor and (about 20 minutes) Fukushima Iizaka IC Yanagawa Station (about 25 minutes) ayaka", which are very sweet, mellow aroma that can view of an impressive mountain range and bright Tsukimidate Forest (about 30 minutes) fresh, and juicy. be enjoyed without blue sky. In addition to accommodations, Tsuki- 23 Park is great for those peeling its skin. date Hana Kōbo also offers lunch and a bath. Tsukidate who want to enjoy J-13 For information about this sightseeing guide, please contact : Apples On the premises, visitors can enjoy many differ- nature at its finest. Visitors can enjoy Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Department of mid-November to mid-December ent types of flowers in different seasons as well Dried Persimmons camping in summer and Date City, Fukushima Prefecture "San Fuji" is a variety popular for from early December to late February as hands-on classes. imoni parties in autumn. (Japanese Peaches) 180 Funabashi, Hobaramachi, Date, Fukushima 960-0692 its sweetness, acidity, and excel : : Momo lent texture. The apples grow TEL 024-573-5632, FAX 024-573-5865 mid-July to early October sweeter as they ripen and have 16 Homepage http://www.city.date.fukushima.jp/ The Japanese peaches plenty of juice. Grown with ample Tsukidate from Date are known all over sunlight, they strike a balance I-14 Ryōzen Children's Village Sightseeing Information Center the country for their excel- between sweetness and acidity. Ryōzen Kōsaikan Inside Roadside Station Date no Sato Ryōzen lent color, shape, and taste. From the restaurant, guest rooms, and panora- There are many different Persimmon In this facility, parents Date City Sightseeing Information Center varieties, and one of the Dried persimmons, ma bath, guests can enjoy the beautiful view of the and children can try out 24 Ryōzen TEL : 080-4409-4978 most popular ones is "Akat- the typical winter fruit Abukuma mountain range and Mt. Ryōzen, with its various workshops, play suki", a Fukushima-born in Date City, is grown with cycling and athletic L-12 variety with a dense, sweet, mainly in Yanagawa's unique rock formations. We also recommend the equipment, and children and very juicy pulp. neighborhood of Isaza- special dinner set, a specialty of the chef's that can play and learn Varieties: Hikawa Hakuho, Gyose, wa. The fruit's surface includes Ryōzen carrots in its ingredients. in a lush and green Akatsuki, Kawanakajima Hakuto, has a beautiful orange environment. Yuzora, and others color, and its flesh is Ryōzen Kōsaikan is also used as a base for soft and thick. mountain climbing.