Kori Town: home to peaches for Imperial Family, August 3, 2017 （献上桃の郷 桑折町を訪ねて ２０１７年８月３日）
Today I visited Kori Town which was a home to peaches offered to Imperial Family. I walked around the vast peach farmland area which stretched along Kori Peach-line Road in the eastern part of the town. A popular variety called “Akatsuki” was in its high season of harvesting as shown above and it continues through the end of early August. Every recent year in this time of the season, peaches are harvested at these farms, and then screened, selected carefully and offered to the Imperial Family.
本日は、「献上桃の郷」桑折町を訪ねました。町の東側に、桑折ピーチラインに沿って広がる広大な桃農園を歩きました。人気の品種あかつきの収穫が最盛期を迎え（写真）、８月上旬の間続きます。近年、この時期になると、この農園でとれた桃から丁寧に選別され、皇室に献上されます。
Once I stepped out of JR Kori Station which was located near the center of the town, I found a stone pillar standing in front, which was inscribed as “home to peaches for Imperial Family” as shown above.
ＪＲ桑折駅から出ると、前に写真の「献上桃の郷」の柱が立っています。
The town prospered during Edo Period as a post town on old Oshu Highway and after Meiji Restoration in 1867, a local administrative office for Date County was placed here. The old office building, which was built in 1883 are being preserved in the town center as shown above.
桑折町は、江戸時代は奥州街道の宿場町として栄え、明治維新後は旧伊達郡の役所が置かれました。１８８３年建築のその建物は、町の中心部に保存されています（写真）。
Moving to the east I crossed a major National Route 4, where I found another sign of “home to peaches for Imperial Family” on the roadside in front of JA market as shown above.
東へ進み、国道４号を渡ると、また「献上桃の郷」の看板があります。ＪＡの市場の前でした。
Shortly after, I was walking along the Kori Peach-line Road, where peach farms such as shown above continue during a long walk.
少しすると、桑折ピーチライン沿いに歩いていました。写真のような、桃農園が果てしなく続きます。
Then I came to a monument as shown above, which commemorated 1st and 2nd visits by Emperor and Empress in 2013 and 2015, when the two encouraged local farmers toward the recovery from the Great East Japan earthquake and nuclear accident disasters.
そのうち、記念碑が見えてきました。２０１３年と２０１５年の２回、天皇皇后両陛下が訪れて、震災からの復興に向けて農家を励まされたときのものです。
Next I came to another monument in a corner of the farmland as shown above, which commemorated a visit by crown prince and princess in 1996.
また少し行くと、別の記念碑がありました。１９９６年に、皇太子ご夫妻が訪れたときのものです。
I finally visited one of farmers in the area, tasted a peach harvested, which was excellent and juicy. I ordered some boxes for family members and relatives who live outside Fukushima. The samples are shown above.
最後に、農家の１軒を訪ねて、とれた桃を試食させてもらいました。水分が多く、とてもおいしいです。県外の家族や親戚などに箱をいくつか頼みました。上は、桃の写真です。
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。
