Chichibu is a small valley west of Saitama Prefecture known for its rich and varied historical and cultural heritage, its historic sites from the Stone Age to the period of the Warring Kingdoms (1467-1568), former funeral tumulus, the Chichibu Pilgrimage Circuit and the Chichibu Night Festival. Chichibu is a popular idyllic destination among city dwellers, especially for the beauty of its landscapes every season.
Hitsujiyama
Hitsujiyama Park offers panoramic views of the city of Chichibu and houses Moss Pink Hill a spectacular landscape.
The pink foam plantations are among the largest in the Kanto region and are designed to create a spectacular color show. Nine varieties of foam cover 17,600 square meters. The pink moss blooms from mid-April to early May.
Chichibu Specialty Fair stands next to Moss Pink Hill during the flowering season and many events are held throughout the city.
Historical district
The inhabited area of the city of Chichibu has been called Omiyago or Omiyamachi since ancient times, and being a city bounded by mountains, it has developed as a city combining the functions of a temple city, a shopping town and a postal city. It was the site of a camp at the time of the Oshi fief. The streetscapes of Omiyago developed as the silk trade flourished, Chichibu’s fabrics, notably Chichibu Meisen, gaining popularity throughout Japan from the mid-Meiji era to the beginning of the Showa era. The buildings built at that time can still be seen today as they once were, surviving in the form of cafes, restaurants, shops and museums.
Former Taisho warehouse, the two-storey gable storey was built in the east, while the old office is located in the one-storey building on the south side of the gable. It has received the national designation of material cultural property.
There are three Chichibu Meisen branches on Kuromon-dori. All are spacious two-storey wooden buildings.
They are currently used as coffee and buckwheat noodle shop (soba). They received the national designation of material cultural property.
Chichibu has been an important silk producer for many years. The centre exhibits and sells Chichibu Meisen dyed and woven products, has a historical guide and offers dyeing and weaving workshops.
Chichibu Shrine
The Shrine of Chichibu houses several gods in the Chichibu region and is located in the forest of Hahaso no Mori, in downtown Chichibu. The main sanctuary, the offering room and the hall of worship were rebuilt by Ieyasu Tokugawa and house famous sculptures such as Kodakara Kosodate no Tora (Tigre raising children to treasure) and Tsunagi no Ryu (Dragon of the bridge), by the famous sculptor Jingoro Hidari.
Regular festivals of the sanctuary include the Chichibu Kawase Festival and the famous Chichibu Night Festival.
Night Festival
The Chichibu Night Festival is one of the three best tank festivals in Japan, the others being the Kyoto Gion Festival and the Hida Takayama Festival. It is the main festival of the Shrine of Chichibu, the main sanctuary of the Chichibu region in Saitama.
Six tanks (including two flowered parasols) decorated with beautifully coloured sculptures bring brightly coloured touches to Chichibu in winter. In the evening, the paper lanterns decorating the tanks are lit, projecting a golden tint on the twilight sky.
The Chichibu Yatai Hayashi (musical accompaniment) gives life to the tanks while they are drawn in procession on Dango Hill before the fireworks bring the festival to its peak.
Kawase matsuri
The Chichibu Kawase festival takes place in the Hinomisaki shrines and auxiliary to the Chichibu shrine. Descendant of the Gion Festival, a famous festival during the Heian period, it is also known as Chichibu Gion.
The July 19 vigil is rich in appearance with 8 flowered umbrellas and zigzag tanks at the rhythm of the accompaniment of Chichibu Yatai Hayashi.
The next day, a portable 400 kg unpainted wooden sanctuary was carried in procession before ritual purification in the clear waters of the Arakawa River.
Si cet article vous a apporté des informations utiles et peut aider d’autres voyageurs à préparer leur séjour, un avis Google en cliquant sur l’image suivante sera toujours apprécié.
Discover more from Evasions Rebelles - Travel Planner Japon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
