The Kakegawa-Omaezaki-Sunmatakyo area offers tourist attractions such as Kakegawa Kachoen, Sunmatakyo, and Hachiman Shrine; sightseeing events such as the first sunrise of the year, cherry blossom festival, and Mikumano Shrine Grand Festival; and local delicacies such as eel pie, cold ramen, and Shizuoka tea.
Kakegawa is a regional city in western Shizuoka Prefecture that developed from the castle town of "Kakegawa Castle." The Tokaido Highway also passes nearby, and the city flourished as an inn town. Kakegawa was also the domain of Kazutoyo Yamauchi during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1600), and as a result of this relationship, there is a lot of exchange with Kochi Prefecture.
The town is famous for its green tea, and boasts the nation's largest production of green tea. Sunmatakyo is a valley area along the Sunmata River in central Shizuoka. The "Dream Suspension Bridge" is famous, and the view of the reservoir of the Ohma Dam below is very powerful.
Kakegawa is famous for Kakegawa Castle, and the very modest yet magnificent Honmaru (main citadel) is a popular spot, as is the Ninomaru Goten (palace). The Ote-mon Gate has also been restored to its original appearance.
The ruins of Takatenjin Castle, located in a mountain castle overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is well known as the site of a fierce battle between the Takeda and Tokugawa clans. Looking at the Pacific Ocean from here, one can understand why the scenery is so beautiful.
Hisaka-juku, the 25th stop on the 53 Stages of the Tokaido Highway, retains the atmosphere of that time, and Kakegawa-juku is a recreation of the old inn town.
The area is also famous for "Houta-san Son'ei-ji Temple," one of the three mountains of Enshu and famous for its Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, and "Kakegawa Kachoen" (Kakegawa Flower and Bird Park). Nearby is "Ecopa," the largest stadium in the prefecture.
The Sunmatakyo Hot Spring Resort is the cleanest hot spring resort in Japan, and is known for its "beauty-making hot springs. Kawane Onsen Fureai no Izumi" is also an open-air hot spring where you can take a bath while watching a steam locomotive (SL), and it is a truly relaxing hot spring with a very beautiful mountain view.
Abeno Great Falls, one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan, is a very powerful sightseeing spot with water violently falling from a precipitous cliff.
Kakegawa's famous gourmet food is "Kakegawa Imojiru" (Kakegawa potato soup). Tororo gohan" (rice with grated yam) is also famous, and sashimi and nigiri of tuna caught in the distant seas are very famous.
The area is also famous for shirasu (young sardines), and the ekiben (boxed lunchboxes) are called "shirasu bento. The "Hama-no-Kamameshi" is also famous as an ekiben, and it might be a good idea to try different kinds of ekiben.
Oigawa Railway has two railroad lines: the Oigawa Main Line, where steam locomotives (SL) run, and the Igawa Line "Southern Alps Aputo Line," known as the only apt-lack railroad in Japan. In addition to regular trains, the SL trains, the apt-lack trains, and Thomas trains are in operation. The SL trains, in particular, were the first in Japan to start operating again in 1976, and still run more t...»
This is an all-weather theme park where you can play with birds in a vast 9,000 square meter greenhouse where beautiful flowers bloom. Visitors can not only see birds in cages as in a regular zoo, but also interact directly with parakeets, owls, penguins, and other birds flying around freely in the greenhouse. In addition, the greenhouse is surrounded by tropical plants such as water lilies, gia...»
Makinohara is a theme park built in the middle of a large tea plantation with the theme of tea and health. The tea factory is an important center that produces approximately 20% of Japan's tea. Visitors can enjoy a variety of experiences, from picking tea to touring the factory. Tea picking experience From late April to early October, visitors can enjoy the tea picking experience for a fee. Vis...»
This hands-on museum allows visitors to learn not only about Shizuoka tea, but also about the history of tea and teas from around the world. Visitors can learn about 60 varieties of tea collected from all over the world, and the tea house and garden associated with Enshu Ogaki, a tea master, have been reconstructed. There is also a restaurant where visitors can enjoy tea-based meals and sweets, ...»
This beautiful gorge was carved by the Sunmata River, a tributary of the Oigawa River, which flows out of the southern tip of the Southern Alps. It is 16 kilometers long and reaches a height of 100 meters. Waterfalls large and small flow through the deep valley, which is surrounded by forests of fir, tsuga, and cedar. The pristine watershed is home to an abundance of fish such as landlocked salm...»
The hot spring resort is located at the southern end of the Southern Alps, with eight inns and guest houses in the Sumatakyo Gorge and a town-operated open-air bath. The locals call this hot spring "Bijo Zukuri no Yu," and the town of Sunmatakyo Onsen is the center of exploration. The spring is a sulfur spring, with a source temperature of 43.7°C and a gush rate of 540 liters per minute. The spr...»
The Yume Suspension Bridge is a symbol of the Sunmata Gorge and spans the Oma Dam Lake, spanning approximately 90 meters long and 8 meters high. Visitors can walk on the beautiful emerald green surface of the lake. The walking part is made of simple planks, so it can sway a bit, which is a thrilling experience. The bridge is famous for its fantastic beauty and was listed in the "Top 10 Walking S...»
This 220.4-meter-long, 10.4-meter-high, wooden humanitarian bridge was completed in 1932. It is the longest suspension bridge over the Oigawa River, and is built directly above private homes, prefectural roads, and the Oigawa Railway, with an SL train running underneath. From the top of the swaying suspension bridge, you can enjoy the magnificent view surrounded by mountains from directly above t...»
While the name is peculiar, it is in fact a true egg dish originating in the Edo Period, making it the oldest egg dish in Japan and the starting point of the wide range of egg dishes currently made. In 1813 wealthy Osaka merchant Masuya Heiemon wrote that it was served for breakfast at Fukuroijuku Ota Honjin in his Sendai Geko Diary, and it was also on the Shugunate’s party menu. It also made an a...»