Hiraizumi

On Sunday we accompanied the SICE group to Hiraizumi to get a glimpse of Heian Japan during the Autumn Fujiwara Festival. Hiraizumi was the home of the northern branch of the powerful Fujiwara clan for about 100 years in the late Heian era- beginning around 1100 AD. During that time, it served as a northern capital that rivaled Kyoto in size and splendor, at least until Yoritomo took out the Fujiwaras in 1189.
 
After taking the train down from Morioka, we walked to the temple garden of Mōtsū-ji. Like its neighbor Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji is said to have been established in 850. At its peak in the  twelfth century, Mōtsū-ji was reportedly home to more than 40 halls and pagodas, with more than 500 monks. Today, some of the buildings have been reconstructed, but the main focus of the site is the Heian era garden centered on a large pond. 

 

 

 

 

 

Catie helped us by "reading" all the signs. "This one has an 'a', 'n',..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took the Hiraizumi loop bus over to Chūson-ji and ate a quick lunch before heading up the large hill on which the temple complex is built. The path to the top is steep, but lined with lovely old japanese cedars (sugi- not really a cedar) with and understory of bamboo. As in Nikko, Chūson-ji has that wonderful Japanese feel of beautiful architecture hidden in a primeval forest. I'm sure the trees are not 1,000 years old like some of the buildings, but they give the place a very ancient atmosphere.

 

 

 There was also a chrysanthemum festival being celebrated on the temple grounds. They grow utterly huge chrysanthemums here! There were several sheds of flowers set up for judging. They also had some interesting chrysanthemum bonsai and a flower pagoda.

 

 

 

 On top, we visited an outdoor Noh theater performance. 

 

 Then went to the treasure hall to see many Heian relics and view the ornate Konjikidō (golden hall). The Konjikidō was completed in 1124 as a mausoleum for 3 rulers of the Fujiwara clan.

lightening fast Catie was trying to steal the Jizō's flowers

Hiraizumi's golden age lasted for nearly 100 years, but after the fall of the Fujiwaras the town sank back into relative obscurity and most of the buildings that gave the town its cultural prominence were destroyed. When the famous poet Basho saw the state of the town in 1689 he penned his famous haiku about the impermanence of human glory:

Natsu kusa ya                        

Tsuwamono-domo ga          

yume no ato                             

The summer’s grass

‘Tis all that’s left 

Of ancient warrior’s dreams.

 (this is a statue of Basho)

 

 

 

On the way back down we stopped at Chūson-ji itself. However, being a beautiful fall day in the middle of a 3-day weekend during the Fujiwara Festival, it was extremely crowded, so we did not stay very long.

 

 

Heading back down the hill and then home!