Little Kyoto “Nishio”

It is said that Nishio matcha, a specialty of this area, was brought to the area by a monk from the Zen Jissoji Temple in Bun’ei 8 (1271). Tea cultivation as an industry began in the Meiji Era when Jundo Adachi introduced tea seeds from Uji.

With a rich green color, elegant aroma, and mellow flavor, Nishio matcha owes much to the fertile soil and the mist brought by the Yahagi River. Nishio’s tencha, the raw material for making matcha, is some of the best in Japan.

This area has long been known as a production center of mica. In around Wado 6 (712), mica from Mt. Yatsuomote was presented to the imperial court as “cho” (a kind of imperial tax). Mica was heavily mined during the Edo period (1603-1868). The mine was later abandoned during the Meiji period (1868 -1912).

Although most of the remains of the mine from that period were buried, they can now be seen peeking out on the north face of the mountain.

The tombstones of the various heads of the family stand side by side around the Shoei-do Hall which enshrines Itakura Katsushige, who served as the first Kyoto Deputy. Many of the temple artifacts are related to Kyoto culture.

As part of the Obon festival, 108 “Suzumi” torches are lined up in a hook shape on the west side of Mt.Mantou and they are all lit at once on the night of August 14th.

It is said that this tradition began in ancient times when the Azaisenbo and Sumisenbo warrior monks fought on this mountain, leading to the deaths of many victims, who were buried in the “senninzuka” burial mound (mound of a thousand people), and kagi mantou were burned to mourn the spirits of the dead.

It can be seen from the distant Chita coast and Nishi-mikawa area. Many people watch as the evening cools, and it is said that one can judge the spread of the fire and predict the harvest.

The first and second floors of the building are 6 meters square and the third floor is 4 meters square.

The roof is made with traditional roof tiles (hongawarabuki), the top part of the outer walls on each floor are solid plastered fire-resistant (shikkui-nurigome), and the lower parts are clapboarded.

In the old maps, it is written as ‘Entrance Gate’ or ‘Chujakumon’ (inner gate.) It is thought to mean the ‘inside fence gate’ since it is passed through after going through the Otemon and Shinmon Gates.
Also, because of the Chinese characters for Chujakumon 鍮(brass)石(stone), it is also thought that there might have been brass decorations on the gate.

The study has two rooms, a 10-tatami mat ichinoma and an 8-tatami mat ninoma.
The pillars are thinner compared to those of regular buildings, and nageshi (beams running between columns in traditional Japanese architecture) are not utilized, it is a simple and calm sukiya-style structure.
The tea room consists of a 6-tatami mat tea ceremony room, a tsuginoma (next room) and a tatami mat corridor.
It has a unique structure called “teishu-doko,” in which a tokonoma (an alcove) is positioned beside the temaeza (host’s mat). A thick “tokogamachi” (a decorative crosspiece used at the front end of an alcove to cover the edge of tatami mats) is used, making it suitable for a nobleman’s tea ceremony.

The museum provides exhibits where you can learn about the Nishio Castle and the history of Nishio City.

According to the castle plans, the castle tower had three tiers with Tamon Watchtowers on the south and east sides.

The reconstructed castle tower is 6 meters high and uses Hazu stone as building stones; some of the stones which were found in the excavation of the castle tower’s stone wall were reused.

The earthen wall leading to the castle tower has two byobuore, like “a folding screen” which is a rare feature in Japan.

Earthen wall was designed to have a highly defensive structure so enemies hiding up against the earthen wall could be shot with guns.

There is also a tearoom and a gazebo (azumaya) that were built as a secondary residence for Tsuji Rihachi, the 8th generation proprietor of the hardware store “Nabeya.”

In Tensho 9 (1581), during the time Sakai Shigetada was lord of Nishio Castle, when Tokugawa Ieyasu stayed at this temple during a village tour, it is said that one of the characters was taken from Ieyasu’s name and used to rename the temple, “Nishiosan Kozenji Temple”.

It is said to have been moved to its current location and became Nishio Castle’s Zen temple in Tensho 13.

It is said that when you lift the stone Daishi statue beside the Shozenji Temple main hall, your fortune is judged as lucky or unlucky depending on the weight of the statue.If you can lift it easily, your wish will come true.

Many man and women visit during Setsubun. While the homa fire ritual is performed, it is a tradition in this area to scatter beans inside and outside the main hall to remove evil spirits.

At the Nishio village shrine, successive lords of the Nishio Castle and townspeople were deeply religious. During the Edo period the town was given an area of 18 koku and 5 to (ancient units of measurement based on rice production) by the shogunate as temple lands.

The eastern and northern cliffs on the temple grounds mark where the outer moat of the Nishio Castle was. Although it is now a parking lot, in the past it was a lotus pond until around Showa 30 (1955).

Later, in Manji 2 (1659), Masatoshi Mashiyama, lord of the Nishio Castle designated this temple as an ancestral temple and moved it again to its current location due to the temple’s small grounds. There are many Nishio clansmen graves on the spacious temple grounds.

Founded by Yasuke Iwase in Meiji 41 (1908). It was renovated as an old book museum in Heisei 15 (2003) and became a registered museum in December of Heisei 19 (2007).

It is believed that praying to the stone jizo in the main hall will grant safe delivery to people who are pregnant. There is also the tomb of Wakabayashi Kisobei, a Nishio clansman. It is said that if you offer him sake, your child’s crying at night will be cured.