Hiraizumi (extension)

Visit date(s): October 5 & 6, 2024

Nearby sites on trip: Hiraizumi 

Overnight location: Onsen near Ichinoseki 

Location(s):  

• Takkoku-no-Iwaya (photo)
• Cultural Heritage Center (There are other sites listed, but the staff at the cultural centre suggested that they weren’t worth the trips because they were archaeological sites without access for visitors. Some artefacts from them were in the centre. There were photos of some others that are in the Tokyo national museum.)

Travel method(s): car

Travel duration: 15 minutes 

Visit duration: About 1 hour

OUV: I haven’t found a stated reason why this site was not included in the original submission. There are however some obvious differences. The gardens surrounding Mount Kinkeisan are each within 2 km of it. This one is about 7 km away and, because it is a mixed Buddhist-Shinto site, has a very distinct look. The garden here is much smaller than the others, but the whole site is smaller too. It had started as a Shinto site, but Buddhist elements were added contemporary to the development of the closer gardens. The same Fujiwara family endowed buildings here as well as building the gardens in town.

Best of: The water feature, bridges and buildings complement each other, as can be seen in the photo.

In my opinion Hiraizumi is rather boring. Even for someone like me who loves nature, the gardens and temples are very average and a big plain with a lake in the middle doesn't make me thing "oh wow, a world heritage site, it must be good!" or anything on that line. 

I arrived with a very early train before any of the WH sites are open and thus I took a taxi to the popular Takkoku-no-Iwaya Buddhist temple just outside of town. I remember it opens at 6:30am or something. Getting here without a taxi seemed not possible at this hour. Later on when I saw the rest of Hiraizumi I was shocked that Takkoku-no-Iwaya was the best of all and it's not inscribed. In the end I think it all comes down to some administration work and this extention will take care of it and make the overall Hiraizumi site better. I later found out that the temple was rebuilt in the 60s and nobody knew the original design so that is usually a problem as the sites should be authentic but it didn't take any pleasure away from my visit.