The Iga region has a strong image of "ninja. While visitors can enjoy the remnants of the castle town in the city center, they can also enjoy the rural landscape with the atmosphere of a ninja village when they go a little further away from the city center. We visited an old private home accommodation in an area with the atmosphere of a hidden village, and enjoyed the experience of working and making the local cuisine unique to this area.
Full of historical spots! Take a stroll in Ueno Park
After finishing my work at my destination in the morning, I traveled to Iga. I have the impression that the Iga area gets cold in winter because of its location in the basin. I drove the car, worrying that it might snow.
Our first stop was the central city area of Iga. I took a walk around Ueno Park, where the castle is located. Iga Ueno Castle, located in the park, was built by Takatora Todo, a master castle builder, and is famous for its high stone walls, one of the best or second best in Japan.
There is an elementary school, a junior high school, and a high school all located under the castle. The castle is located right next to the moat, with the junior high school grounds right next to the moat and the castle towering directly behind the school.
Since we were there, we paid the admission fee and toured the castle.
The building itself was reconstructed in the early Showa period, but inside the castle, tools and historical materials that were once used are on display.
The helmet that Lord Takatora actually wore was also on display. It is about 2 meters wide and very powerful.
After visiting the castle, we strolled further in the park.
The Iga Ninja Museum, a facility where visitors can learn about the ninja, is located within the park. The museum has a variety of ninja-related materials, and offers programs unique to Iga, such as a ninja house tour and a shuriken experience. Unfortunately, the museum was closed on this day.
Although it has not been held in recent years due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there is usually an event called NINJA Festa, which attracts many people from all over the country to the Iga area. There are also many foreign nationals.
Ueno Park is huge. There is also the Matsuo Basho Memorial Museum and many other places to stroll around the park, but it was getting late, so it was time to move on.
Head to your accommodation.
Relaxing stay in an old house in a rural area!
Today we will stay at "Kominka Guest House Bon".
The owner, Kiyoko Kurihara, runs this hands-on, one-person operation.
A quaint old house. Surrounded by fields and satoyama, it has a very quiet atmosphere.
We planned to check in a little early and then go to "Iga no Sato Moku Moku Tezukuri Farm" for dinner and a bath! I had planned to go to "Iga no Sato Moku Moku Handmade Farm" for dinner and a bath afterwards, but... it was closed temporarily.
Iga no Sato Moku Moku Tezukuri Farm is a hands-on agricultural park with a farm, ranch, restaurant, hot springs, and lodging facilities. It is very well known in Mie Prefecture, with its own restaurants and stores inside and outside the prefecture. The restaurant serves special ham, sausage, vegetables, and local beer.
I got myself together and decided to work until dinner time.
Work while spreading out a computer in the living space with Wi-Fi access.
The view of fields and satoyama seen from the window is a refreshing change of pace.
The meal and bath were prepared on short notice. We really appreciate it.
While working, I chatted with Mr. Kurihara, who was preparing a meal, about the origins of BON and the surrounding area. I was stimulated by what she had to say about the area and Mr. Kurihara's efforts, which I usually don't hear about in the office.
This is the atmosphere of the room where you will stay. Wi-Fi is available here as well, so if you want to concentrate, it would be good to stay in a private room and work.
In fact, I had a Zoom meeting in my room after dinner and a bath.
It's getting late, so I'll call it a day. Good night.
Experience the deep local culture "Dengakuko"!
The second day started with an BON breakfast.
The homemade bacon was too good. The vegetables were also homemade.
The view outside the window in the morning. The field in front is their own field. They are growing vegetables, planting persimmons and grapes, and trying many other things. After breakfast, I took a walk around the area.
It was so cold that the waterways were covered with ice. The old men in the neighborhood are also helping out in various ways, such as chopping firewood. This story of a community of neighbors unique to the countryside must sound new to city dwellers.
There are dried potatoes in the yard. There is also a children's playground on the premises. Elementary school children sometimes come here to camp during the summer vacation. The house is well-equipped with facilities such as a kamado, and is certainly suitable for camping.
On this day, the "Bon" program was scheduled to include a practice of dengaku making with local people, and I was able to participate in this program on short notice.
In this area, there has long been a culture of "dengaku-ko," where people eat dengaku together with local people, and Mr. Kurihara and his colleagues are working to revive this culture.
這一天，我們要在“Bon”節目中與當地人一起練習製作電樂，所以我們決定匆忙參加。
在這個地區，有一種被稱為“田樂講”的文化，您可以和當地人一起吃味噌田樂，栗原先生和他的同事們正在努力復興它。
Mr. Kurihara, owner of "Kominka Guest House Bon. Here he is with his cat, Bibi.
This time we stayed for one day, but if you would like to stay for two or three nights, you may enjoy helping out in the fields or exploring the surrounding area's ninja-related sites. There are also places in the neighborhood where you can experience ninja training and fully enjoy the deep Iga. If you have a chance, I would like to experience it.
Iga is all about sake! Purchase souvenirs on the way home
The Iga region is famous for its rice, water, and climate, making it one of Mie's most famous sake-producing regions.
I asked the locals who had come to make "Bon" dengaku what sake they recommended, and they recommended a sake called "Basho," so I visited its brewery, Hashimoto Sake Brewery.
It seemed to be right around the time of preparing new sake, and freshly brewed sake was on display in the store.
Since I was in the mood for sake, I bought a bottle of shiboritate sake along with the regular sake. I decided to give it as a gift to a person to whom I am indebted.
There are a total of seven sake breweries in Iga City. Some of them offer brewery tours. I would like to drop by when I have time.
We then went to the drive-in to purchase other souvenirs and headed home.
In closing...
We used a private accommodation type this time and felt that the best feature of this program is that you can get closer to the owner. I recommend it for those who have overlapping themes of interest or are seeking encounters, experiences, and stimulation that are not normally possible. Another interesting aspect of private accommodations is the possibility of making new connections through the owners and connecting with unexpected people.
Daily Schedule
Day 1
14:30 Arrive at "Ueno Park". Walk in the park and visit "Iga-Ueno Castle
16:30 Arrive at Kominka Guest House Bon. Check e-mails, prepare documents, etc.
18:30 Dinner
20:30 Take a bath
21:30 Check e-mail, work on online meetings, etc.
24:30 Bedtime
Day 2
08:30 Wake up and have breakfast
09:30 Check e-mail and other work
10:00 Walk around the area
11:00 Experience making dengaku (rice cake) and chat with local people
14:30 Check out
15:00 Purchase souvenirs at Hashimoto Sake Brewery and return home
Facilities
Kominka Guest House Bon
1567-1 Ishikawa, Iga-shi, Mie 518-1323
Ueno Park
122-1, Ueno-Marunouchi, Iga-shi, Mie 518-0873
Iga-Ueno Castle
106, Ueno-Marunouchi, Iga-shi, Mie 518-0873
Iga no Sato Moku Moku Handmade Farm
3609 Nishiyubune, Iga-shi, Mie 518-1392
Iga no Sato Moku Moku Handmade Farm
Hashimoto Sake Brewery
1116 Mishiro, Iga-shi, Mie 519-1414