Wonderful bike & train tour in Fukushima 福島大好きおじさんの自転車・鉄道旅日記

（#Koide Station, JR Tadami Line, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #小出駅 JR只見線11/7/2022）
Today I started my journey from Koide Station in Uonuma City, Niigata Pref. aboard JR Tadami Line train which resumed its entire line operation toward Aizuwakamatsu. Photo above shows the station, and you can see the train ready to start at the platform over there. My plan is to stop and stay overnight at Tadami and Yanaizu before reaching Aizuwakamatsu.
本日は、新潟県魚沼市の小出駅から全線運転再開したJR只見線に乗り会津若松に向けて出発しました。写真は小出駅で、既に只見線の列車がホームに待機しているのが見えます。途中、只見と柳津に寄り会津若松まで行く予定です。


（#Saifukuji Temple, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #西福寺 魚沼市11/7/2022）
Near Koide Station there are some important cultural assets carved by renowned carving artist Ishikawa Uncho. So, I visited two temples: Saifukuji and Eirinji where many of those precious artworks can be seen. Those artworks inside the temple buildings are banned photography, but a photo above shows his carved works placed on both sides of the old temple gate.
小出駅の近くに、名彫刻師石川雲蝶の作品が多くみられる場所があり、西福寺と永林寺を訪ねました。お寺内は撮影禁止ですが、上の写真は外の山門にある雲蝶作品です。


Japanese description above says the statue on the right is a guardian that protects the community from fire. Kanji characters in the left show Zen Buddhism practice.
説明板によると、右の像は村を火事から守る火除地蔵で、左の禁葷酒の字は禅宗の戒めとのことです。


（#Saifukuji Temple, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #西福寺 魚沼市11/7/2022）
A photo above shows autumn view of Saifukuji main temple building.
写真は、秋色に染まる西福寺本堂です。


（#Saifukuji Kaizando, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #西福寺 開山堂 魚沼市11/7/2022）
A photo above shows front view of Kaizando building where most of the interior were carved by Uncho. Kaizando stands within the precinct of Saifukuji Temple.
写真は西福寺境内にある開山堂で、中の彫刻のほとんどは雲蝶のものです。


A photo above is a replica of carved sealing of Kaizando by Uncho. (The replica is displayed at Urasa Station.) You might feel a slight image of Uncho’s interior carving.
写真は、開山堂天井の雲蝶の彫刻のレプリカで浦佐駅にあったものです。レプリカですが、雲蝶の内装彫刻の雰囲気を感じられれば幸いです。


（#Saifukuji Uncho statue, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #西福寺 雲蝶像 魚沼市11/7/2022）
A photo above shows statue of Uncho carving Nio statue inside Kaizando.
写真は、運蝶が開山堂内の仁王像を彫っている像です。


Japanese description above shows brief history of Uncho. He was born in Edo or Tokyo in 1814 and died at Sanjo, Niigata in 1883. In his 30th he started carving various things mainly interior of temples and shrines. Saifukuji Kaizando and Eirinji Temple are major ones.
写真は、像の傍にある運蝶の略歴を示したものです。1814年に江戸に生まれ、新潟の三条で1883年に没しています。30代から新潟で本格的に彫刻に携わり、お寺や神社の内装を中心に制作しています。西福寺開山堂と永林寺は代表的なものです。


（#Eirinji Temple, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #永林寺 魚沼市11/7/2022）
Now let’s go on to Eirinji Temple. Photo above shows front view of Eirinji main temple building.
次に、永林寺です。写真は、本堂の中心部です。


（#Eirinji Temple, Uonuma, Nov. 7, 2022. #永林寺 魚沼市11/7/2022）
Photo above shows a stone monument of Uncho. Eirinji has more than 100 pieces of Uncho’s artworks which is the most in Japan.
写真は、永林寺にある運蝶の石碑です。永林寺は、運蝶制作の100以上の作品を保持しており、最大と言われています。


The first stop in this journey was at Tadami Town. We (I was actually travelling with my family) stayed overnight at Tokinosato-Yurari Inn in the mountainous area. The inn had an excellent hot spring called Murayu or Fukasawa Onsen in a separate bath house. It was a chloride sulfate hot spring. Photo above shows a large ginkgo tree in full autumn color near JR Tadami Station.
今回の只見線の旅で最初に寄ったのが、只見町です。我々家族は、山手の季の郷湯ら里に泊まりました。宿の離れにある深沢温泉むら湯は、塩化物・硫酸塩泉のすばらしい湯です。写真は、只見駅の近くにあった大きな銀杏の木で黄葉がきれいでした。




（#Kawai Tsugunosuke, Tadami, Nov. 8, 2022. #河合継之助 只見11/8/2022）
The next day was a rainy day. Tadami Town provided free bus service circulate around the town and we decided to visit Kawai Tsugunosuke Memorial Hall using the bus. Photos above are of his statue and his Gatling cannon he used at Boshin Civil war. Kawai Tsugunosuke (1827-1868) was a samurai from Niigata Pref. and fought against the new government forces during Boshin Civil war. He had severe injury in the war and died in Tadami.
次の日は雨模様で、只見町が始めた無料巡回バスに乗り町内の河合継之助記念館を訪ねました。写真は、館内の彼の像と彼が戊辰戦争で使用したガトリング砲です。河合継之助（1827-1868）は新潟の士族ですが、戊辰戦争で手痛い傷を負い只見町で没しました。


（#Akabeko, Yanaizu, Nov. 9, 2022. #赤べこ 柳津11/9/2022）
The second stop was at Yanaizu Town. It was a town of Akabeko, Saito Kiyoshi art, Fukumankokuzoson-Enzoji Temple, and Awamanju confectionary. Photo shows a gigantic Akabeko monument near the town hall.
只見町の次に寄ったのが、柳津町です。柳津は、赤べこ、斎藤清、福満虚空藏尊、そして粟饅頭の町です。写真は、町役場の近くの赤べこモニュメントです。


A description board beside the monument tells us the history of Akabeko as shown above.
モニュメント脇の説明板（写真）には、赤べこの歴史などが書かれています。


（#Akabeko, Yanaizu, Nov. 9, 2022. #赤べこ 柳津11/9/2022）
A mailbox at Yanaizu Post Office had akabeko on top as shown above.
写真の柳津郵便局のポストにも、赤べこが乗っています。


（#Saito Kiyoshi, Yanaizu, Nov. 9, 2022. #斎藤清 柳津11/9/2022）
We walked around the town center starting from Saito Kiyoshi Art Museum. It was a great experience to see so many of his artworks mainly depicting winter in Aizu. Even on the town street there was his picture right on the spot he viewed the snow scenery.
我々は、斎藤清美術館に寄ってから町内を歩きました。館内には、斎藤清の特に会津の冬を描いた作品が多く展示されており感激でした。町中を歩いていると、彼が描いた場所に絵も表示されています（写真）。








（#Awamanju, Yanaizu, Nov. 9, 2022. #粟饅頭 柳津11/9/2022）
Awamanju confectionary is another attraction of the town. There are four confectionary shops that make the sweet ban daily and sell to customers. They are Iwaiya, Inabaya, Hasegawa, and Koikeya. We tried tasting all of them comparing the slight differences. Iwaiya was the very first shop or ganso in Japanese that began making and selling Awamanju. Why don’t you try tasting all the shops once you are at Yanaizu? All the shops are lining in short walking distance. Photos above show all the four shops.
粟饅頭は、柳津のもう一つの魅力です。現在、4軒の店があり、岩井屋、いなばや菓子店、はせ川屋、小池菓子舗です（写真）。このうち、岩井屋が元祖てす。歩ける距離内に点在しており、はしごして味見しました。柳津に降り立ったら、皆さんもはしご味見をしてみてはいかがでしょうか。微妙な違いがわかります。




（# Fukumankokuzoson-Enzoji, Yanaizu, Nov. 9, 2022. #福満虚空藏尊圓藏寺 柳津11/9/2022）
Then we visited Fukumankokuzoson-Enzoji Temple in autumn colors as shown above.
次に福満虚空藏尊圓藏寺に登り、紅葉を見ました（写真）。


（#Tadami Line, Yanaizu, Nov. 10, 2022. #只見線 柳津11/10/2022）
After staying overnight at Yanaizu, the next day we got on Tadami Line again heading toward Aizuwakamatsu. We took Tadami line train three times: Koide to Tadami, Tadami to Yanaizu, and Yanaizu to Aizuwakamatsu. The train was packed with passengers for the first two sections and many people were standing including the elderly. We also stood all the way. From Yanaizu to Aizuwakamatsu most of the passengers finally got the seats. There must be a lot of work to do to address this issue on the part of JR East Railway Company as well as tourism agency.
柳津に泊まり、次の朝、会津若松に向かいました。今回只見線は、小出・只見間、只見・柳津間、柳津・会津若松間に分けて乗りましたが、前2区間は、ぎゅうぎゅう詰めで立ちっぱなしでした。年配者も皆そうでした。柳津から乗ったときに（写真）、初めて乗客はなんとか座れる状態でした。団体客を率いる旅行業者のマナーの悪さ（割込み）も目立ちました。というわけで、JR東日本や旅行業者の宿題は多いと感じました。

The exact route and locations are shown in three separate maps below. The map can be scaled up and down with click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図（魚沼、只見、柳津）を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。

Today I participated in one-day group tour through Kawamata and Iitate area organized by Environment Restoration Plaza in Fukushima. The tour included climbing Mount Megami (599m) in the morning, having Kawamata Shamo lunch, which was a popular local specialty food, tea break at Chieko teahouse, and stopping at Yamada Cattle Farm. About 20 people participated in the tour from across eastern part of Japan and we had a good exercise climbing the local mountain. Photo above was a view at the top of Mt. Megami in Kawamata.
本日は、環境再生プラザ（環境省/福島県）主催の、川俣町と飯舘村を巡るツアーに参加しました。内容は、川俣地元の女神山（599m）登山、特産の川俣シャモランチ、飯舘のちえこのきまぐれ茶屋と山田牧場、と多彩でした。首都圏含み20人ほどが参加し、最初は登山で汗を流しました。写真は、女神山山頂です。


The mountain trail started from Akiyama community center as shown above. This was located not far from the famous Akiyama Komazakura cherry tree.
登山道は、写真の秋山集会所からスタートです。有名な、秋山の駒ザクラに近いです。




Although it was not a very high mountain, a first order triangulation point was placed at the summit, as shown above, due to its fine surrounding view.
女神山は低山ですが、周囲が見渡せるので一等三角点が置かれています。


We enjoyed autumn leaves along the trail as shown above. I measured radiation exposure during the mountain trekking. Although mountain trails have not been decontaminated since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident, the resulting accumulated radiation was 3.26μSv, which was just normal and negligible compared to natural background radiation.
写真のように、一部紅葉も鮮やかでした。道中、放射線量を測りましたが、山は特別な除染をしていませんが、積算線量として3.26μSvと自然放射線の中で誤差の範囲でした。


There were a couple of shrines at the top: Otehime Shrine and Hebi (or Snake) Shrine, as shown above in the back and in the forefront. Both were based on a legend which dates back to 6th century. A couple of elderly local volunteer guides led us climbing the mountain and they also told us importance of mountain, water, and woods. Many of us were impressed by the powerful talk.
山頂には、小手姫神社（写真後ろ）とヘビ神社（写真手前）の2つが置かれ、6世紀頃の伝説に因みます。地元の年配の山のガイドさんの導きで登り、ガイドさんは山、水、森の大切さを良く話してくださり、その迫力に感動しました。


We found a rare wild edible plant called Gonboppa as shown above. The leaves are used to make Shimimochi, a local specialty rice cake made from glutinous rice and leaves of wild plants.
また、「ごんぼっぱ」と呼ぶ写真の珍しい野草も沿道にありました。この葉っぱを餅米に入れて凍らし、特産の凍もち（しみもち）を作ります。

At lunch time, we stopped at a restaurant “Shinkawa” in the city center of Kawamata. We had a local specialty menu of Kawamata Shamo chicken and egg bowl which was juicy and excellent.
ランチは、川俣町中心部の割烹新川で、特産の川俣シャモの親子丼をいただきました。柔らかく極上でした。




In the afternoon, we stopped at Chieko’s teahouse, as shown above, which opened on the 1st of this May, which was the first day of Reiwa Era. Gramma Chieko in her 70’s was born and lived in Iitate Village. She had hard times before and after the Great East Japan earthquake with her cancer treatment, evacuation, her husband’s death and difficulties starting up her new business. But she started producing local specialty shimimochi and finally reopened her antique style cafeteria for serving shimimochi dessert dish. She told us her story of hardship as well as success of reopening the teahouse, while we tasted the excellent shimimochi dessert with home-grown vegetables. Many of us were moved by her resilience.
午後は、飯舘村の写真の「ちえこのきまぐれ茶屋」に寄りました。今年5月1日（令和初日）に再オープンしました。70代のちえこさんは、飯舘生まれ飯舘育ちですが、震災前後から色々な困難（ガン治療、避難、死別、起業の苦労など）に出会いましたが、凍もち作りなどを始め茶屋の再オープンにもこぎつけました。写真のように、アンティーク風の茶屋では、ちえこさんの話を聞きながら凍もちと自家野菜を大変おいしくいただきました。ちえこさんのパワフルな生き方に皆さん感動しました。


The final stop was Yamada Cattle Farm in Iitate Village, as shown above, which raises quality beef cattle. Due to the entire village evacuation caused by the nuclear plant accident in 2011, the farm was once forced to close, but it restarted this July with new cowsheds. Iitate beef was quality brand beef before the accident and we felt the family’s powerful momentum toward the revitalization of the region.
最後は、飯舘村の山田牧場です（写真）。高品質の黒毛和牛を飼育しています。2011年の原発事故に伴う全村避難で一時中断しましたが、今年7月に再開しました。事故前は、飯舘牛はブランド牛でしたが、地域の復興に向けてその勢いを感じさせるお話でした。


Finally, we came to Kikori Hall, as shown above, which was Iitate Village community center as well as accommodation facility. We had 1.5hr discussion on how we felt meeting and hearing from three local residents, all of them were tough, powerful and resilient toward the future of their life and regional revitalization. On the other hand, it might be difficult to tell the actual reality to other people. Maybe the best way to understand the right situation in the region is to go and see firsthand the reality and communicate with local people.
最後は、村のコミュニティホール兼宿泊施設の写真の「きこり」に集まり、1時間半ほど本日のまとめをしました。本日は、女神山ガイドさん、ちえこさん、山田さんの3名から多くの話を聞き、将来の復興に向けての力強い思いとその粘り強い姿に感動しました。一方で、これを他人に伝えるには限界があり、やはり直接来て見て話してみる大切さを認識しました。

I visited Iitate and Kawamata in 2012, 1.5-year after the disaster, when Iitate was still restricted access area as shown in the 2012visit. This time I could see more and more people actually returned to the town and could feel much vitalization than before.
飯舘と川俣は、震災の翌年の2012年にも訪問しており（参照）、飯舘はまだ居住制限区域でした。今回は、住民帰還も進み復興の息遣いを実感できました。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。

Today I participated in a group study tour of Omotenashi Guide Fukushima, which was a voluntary group of interpreter guides for Fukushima, and visited Iwaki City. It was a clear day with spectacular blue sky in Iwaki today, while other regions of Fukushima (Aizu and central area) were still chilly with snow and clouds. Photo above shows a sunny ocean view of Aquamarine Aquarium and Marine Bridge at Onahama Port.
本日は、「おもてなし福島通訳ガイドの会」の定例の学習ツアーで、いわき市を訪ねました。会津や中通り地方は、雪や曇で寒かったですが，いわきまでくるとすごい晴天でした。写真は、小名浜港のアクアマリン水族館とマリンブリッジです。


The ocean view was taken from Iwaki Lala mew as shown above, which was Iwaki City tourism and products center. On the 2nd floor of the center, a large exhibition of traces Iwaki had experienced toward recovery and reconstruction of the region was being displayed. Anybody can visit and see the exhibits to learn the facts of the triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant accident and the recovery.
先ほどの写真は、上の、いわき・らら・ミュウ（いわき市観光物産館）、から撮ったものです。ここの２階では、震災後のいわき市の復興の足取りが常設展示されており、誰でもフリーに学ぶことができます。


Then we visited a new Halal restaurant opened this year in Yumoto district of the city. It was located 5-minute walk from Yumoto Station of JR Joban Line. The restaurant was certified by Halal Certification Committee that all items in the menu were qualified as Halal. We had curry dishes for lunch, which was extremely healthy and excellent in taste with reasonable price (\700-800).
その後、湯本地区に今年できた、ハラル食堂に行きました。ＪＲ湯本駅から徒歩５分の便利な場所にあります。メニューの食事は全て、ハラル認証機関の認証を受けています。カレーのハラル定食を頂き、ヘルシー感溢れる大変おいしいものでした。値段も７００から８００円と安く、お勧めです。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。