The hall turns colors with your wish! Feel the original landscape of Japan at "Densetsuen" in Tono, Iwate.

  • Iwate
  • Experience Gifu
Oshira-do hall covered with colorful cloths
A slightly mysterious space with countless colorful cloths hanging. This is the Oshira Hall in the "Lore Garden" in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. It is believed that if you hang a cloth on which you have written a wish to a god called Oshira-sama, your written wish will come true. Here are some of the attractions of this area, which was the setting of one of the most famous works of Japanese folklore, "Tales of Tono.

The home of folk tales where "Tales of Tono" was born

Tono City, the hometown of folk tales where Tono Monogatari was born, is an inland city located in southeastern Iwate. Tono City is known as the setting of "Tales of Tono" written by Kunio Yanagida, the founder of Japanese folklore, and the Tales of Tono contain anecdotes and folklore that have long been handed down in this area. There are descriptions of kappa, zashiki-do (children who sit on the floor of a house), and kamikaze, and there are many spots in the city that are associated with kappa and zashiki-do. Kappa Fuchi is a representative sightseeing spot in Tono City, and as its name suggests, it is a place where legend has it that the kappas living here startled people and played tricks on them. At the Lore Park, located about a 7-minute walk from Kappa Fuchi, you can purchase a "Kappa Catching Permit" that allows you to fish for kappas, so get your permit and try to catch a kappa before anyone else does!
Densetsuen in Tono City

Oshira-do", which is colored with wishes.

The Lore Park in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, celebrates its 40th anniversary in June 2024. It is an important facility that passes on the lives of the people of Tono to future generations. The "Oshira-do" is located within the park. In this small hall (about 6 tatami mats in size), there are enshrined 1,000 "Oshira-sama," the god of silkworms, the god of agriculture, the god of horses, and the god who is said to give us good "news. At the Lore Garden, visitors can hang colorful cloths with their wishes written on them to Oshirasama, who has long been worshipped as a god related to daily life.
Oshira-sama enshrined in the hall

Feel the original landscape of Japan at the Lore Garden

The Lore Garden, with its rows of thatched-roof houses, is a place where visitors can feel close to the original landscape of Japan. Visitors can enjoy the colorful autumn leaves from mid-October every year. In addition, if you visit the garden in autumn, you should definitely see the persimmons hanging from the eaves of the houses. Dried persimmons are made by tying persimmons to strings and drying them on the eaves of the houses, and are produced from fall to winter when the air begins to dry out. About a 20-minute drive from the Lore Garden is Choutankei, a ravine where huge granite steps have been eroded into a staircase-like formation that resembles a tatami mat.
Dried persimmons in front of the eaves

How about a storytelling experience?

The Lore Garden holds various events throughout the year, and from April 27 (Sat) through October 27 (Sun), 2024, on weekends and holidays only, visitors can listen to Tono storytellers tell old tales about Oshirasama, Zashiki Warashi, Kappa, and other creatures. Please enjoy the stories that may have once existed in this area while sitting around the hearth in the Kikuchi Family Curved House, which is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. This event will be held for 30 minutes from 11:00 and 13:30, and no reservation is required.
Storytelling

Step back in time to the world of Tales of Tono at the Lore Garden.

At the Tono Folklore Garden, where the lives of the people of Tono are handed down to future generations, visitors can get a close look at the history and culture that have been nurtured in this area. The Kikuchi family's house and other historical buildings in the park are the original landscape of Japan's hometown, and you will experience a relaxing time that you cannot feel anywhere else. We invite you to come to the Tono Monogatari Lore Garden, the birthplace of Tono Monogatari, and see for yourself what used to be commonplace.
Lore En's official website

Let's combine your favorite train and lodging to save money!

You can make your own original trip!

The " JR East View Dynamic Rail Package " is a variable-price individual travel product sold exclusively through the Internet that allows you to freely select a train and accommodations and make a reservation at once. Depending on the timing and conditions of your reservation, you may be able to save even on the day of departure at the earliest! We also offer one-day trip plans! Please enjoy your own trip according to your schedule and purpose.

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For train + accommodation reservations in Iwate area, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
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