Home Ichinomoto Course
Walking through a town of legendary poets, an ancient powerful clan, and the world’s first mechanical pencil!
Northern Tenri City is an area where we can visit places of some of the most powerful or well-known people in Japanese history. One of the most powerful clans in ancient times, the Wani Clan lived in this area, and many of the kofun tombs and remains are thought to be connected to them. There are also places connected with two of the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (around 660-724 CE) and Ariwara no Narihira (825-880 CE), who was famous for both his pen and his handsome looks. In more modern times, the Sharp Technology Innovation Museum introduces us to the history of the electronics company, including the “Ever Ready Sharp” mechanical pencil, invented by company founder Tokuji Hayakawa. Passing through Ichinomoto Town, Iwaya Town, and Wani Town, the Ichinomoto Course is a walk to feel the long, rich history of this area.
Course Overview
Starting east from JR Ichinomoto Station, we turn south onto the Kamikaido road, once one of the main highways of this region and known for its traditional townscape. Our first stop is Ariwara Jinja shrine, which was once a temple connected with poet Ariwara no Narihira, and still has a well that is said to have appeared in a story modeled after him, the Tale of Ise. From the shrine, we head back north on the Kamikaido road, and turn east onto a street with a traditional building that still has an “umadashi”, a long wooden pole people used to tie horses.
Next is Utazuka, or “poem mound”, where there is a statue of poet Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, and other statues related to him. It is said that he was from Ichinomoto, and after he passed away in a distant place, some of his hair was brought back and buried here. Utazuka is just below our next stop, Wanishita Jinja shrine. It is a shrine with deep connections to the Wani Clan and located on top of a kofun tomb!
Up the hill and through a residential area is Akatsuchiyama Kofun tomb. This tomb has recreated terracotta items displayed where they were excavated, and a great view of the Nara Basin from the mound.
Jumping from the ancient times to the modern day and future, next is the Sharp Technology Innovation Museum, where we can walk through the history of the electronics of company, and see some of their latest technology (reservation and admission required, tour is about 1 hour).
We continue up to Shirakawa Dam, a dam that stores water for agriculture and prevents floods downstream. There are benches near the dam, and if the weather is nice, this might be a nice play to rest.
Heading down the hill from the dam, the next stop is Ichinomoto Takatsuka Ruins. An archaeological dig discovered a flat ground and special buildings from the 6th century here, and it is thought to be a place where the Wani Clan performed special ceremonies. The western side of the park is on a hill, and has a beautiful view of the Nara Basin.
From there, we head back down to the Kamikaido road, and visit Nara Jinja shrine. Mentioned in the 8th century Nihonshoki records, the deity Kishimojin is worshipped at this shrine as the guardian deity of children and the deity of conception. We continue south down Kamikaido road, and finally turn west to go back to JR Ichinomoto Station.
