The city of Fukuroi, 20th station of the Tokaido 袋井市
Feet in the Pacific Ocean and in the shade of the mountains
In the prefecture of Shizuoka and at the gates of the city of Hamamatsu, is Fukuroi. The city prospered for decades as the twentieth station of the 53 stopover towns of the ancient Tokaido route. Its inns welcomed during the Edo period (1603-1868) the Japanese traveling from east to west, between Tokyo and Kyoto. In particular, you will find the three Enshu sanzan temples there.
Places to visit in Fukuroi - the three Enshu sanzan temples
Hattasan, the temple of luck
The temple is dedicated to Shokannon Bosatsu, a deity who is given the power to ward off bad luck. Built in 725 by order of Emperor Shomu, many pilgrims still visit it today to pray for good luck in their lives.
For this purpose, it is also advisable to try their "Yakuyoke Dango" in one of the teahouses located within the temple grounds. This dango, sweet rice balls, is a tradition dating back to the days of the shoguns and is said to ward off bad luck. You can enjoy them in their tea room.
Not to be missed, the temple is home to several important cultural assets of Japan: its five bells and its main gate.
Note: with its 700 Someiyoshino cherry trees, the place is particularly popular in the spring to admire the cherry blossoms and have a Hanami.
Address: 2777, Toyosawa, 437-0032 Fukuroi
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.
Access: From Fukuroi Station, take the Entetsu Bus to Hattasan Bus Stop (15 min ride)
The Kasuisai Temple
The Kasuisai temple was founded around 600 years ago by the monk Senrin Tozen, who entered Japanese folklore for having saved the war hero Tokugawa Ieyasu in his youth during a battle. According to legend, it was the latter who then gave the temple its name, "the temple where it is permitted to sleep".
- Read also: Visit Tokyo in the footsteps of the Tokugawa
Among the more than 70 buildings that comprise the temple, the highlights are the Zuiryukaku , famous for its paintings of flowers representing the different seasons, and the Gokokuto, with white walls in the Gandara style.
Very close to the temple, you will find a beautiful lily garden. At the Kasui lily park, 2 million flowers of around 150 different varieties bloom from the end of May. You can also admire beds of 5,000 peonies.
Address: 2915-1, Kuno, 437-0061 Fukuroi
Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Access: From Fukuroi Station, take the Shizutetsu Justline Bus to Kasui Bus Stop
Yusanji Temple
Yusan-ji Temple was founded in 701 by the Buddhist monk Gyoki.
The place gained its reputation in 749 with the imperial family and the Japanese population after Gyoki succeeded in curing Empress Koken's eyes by rinsing them with water from the Ruri Falls, which flows within the grounds of the temple.
Since that day, people come from all over Japan in the hope of a cure.
The temple is located in the mountains within a dense forest where there are streams and waterfalls, giving it a unique, almost mystical atmosphere.
Note: the surroundings of Yusan-ji Temple are ablaze with shimmering colors in autumn, making it a popular spot during Koyo. Nearly 1,000 maple trees turn red there simultaneously from the end of November to the beginning of December.
Address: 1, Muramatsu, 437-0011 Fukuroi
Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Access: 15 min by car from Fukuroi station.
The three-storied pagoda of Yusanji Temple
Yusanji
Festivals not to miss in Fukuroi
Fukuroi Enshu fireworks
Summer in Japan is synonymous with Hanabi, or "fire flowers", the Japanese fireworks display. The Fukuroi Enshu Fireworks is held during the O-bon Buddhist festival in mid-August and kicks off between 7-9 pm.
The Fukuroi Enshu fireworks show is one of the largest and most impressive in Japan. Every year in August, the city welcomes tens of thousands of visitors. From Haranoyagawa Shinsui Park, nearly 25,000 fireworks can be seen illuminating the city in a thousand colors.
The Lantern Festival
Held within the grounds of Hattasan Temple, the Ten Thousand Lights Festival, or Mantousai, is held every year in July.
In Hattasan, July 10 is considered the most blessed day of the year and many people have to make a pilgrimage there. It is on this occasion that the lantern festival takes place every year from July 9 to 10. Thousands of lanterns are then installed in the enclosure of the temple and front of its main building, creating a fantastic, almost magical spectacle.
- Read also: The Nagasaki Lantern Festival
Address, timetable & access
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Address
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Timetable
From JR Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kakegawa Station then change to the Tokaido Main Line bound for Hamamatsu and stop at Fukuroi Station. From JR Osaka Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Hamamatsu Station then change to the Tokaido Main Line towards Shizuoka and stop at Fukuroi Station. -
Website
http://www.fukuroi-kankou.jp/english/index.html
