Beautiful shrine in the midst of an old-growth forest. We visited on a rainy day and it was perfect for exploring the woods and watching the moss grow. Goushuine is only available as stand-alone cards at the moment. Get there right when it opens for easy (free) parking. The lots filled up quickly in the first half hour.

Visited for the 2023 Higashimurayama Iris Festival. There were apparently many activities throughout the period. It runs everyday and ends at 4pm. There was a free costume rental and the park was pretty big and nice to walk around. There is a raised wooden platform so no need to worry about getting dirty.

(Translated by Google) When my generation hears "Higashimurayama", it is the birthplace of Ken Shimura, and we automatically think of the drift version of "Higashimurayama Ondo" (lol), but even though it is famous, its industry and history are well known. I came here to find out the actual situation in Higashimurayama City. As a side note, Ken Shimura, who became an indispensable figure in the modern and contemporary history of Higashimurayama City, was posthumously awarded honorary citizen status by the city council, and at the same time a bronze statue was erected in front of Higashimurayama Station (see photo). The way he strikes the pose for the signature gag, ``I~n,'' with a smile on his face, is both funny and impressive. Although it is a historical museum, it is small in scale, but the exhibits were carefully selected, the explanations were easy to understand, and the interior was sophisticated. This is a clear departure from the displays that are simply arranged in glass cases, which is common in local museums. Looking at the exhibits, I felt that Higashimurayama was a ``relay point'' for major historical events. When Nichiren Shonin was exiled to Sado Island, he stayed at Kumegawa-juku in the city, and when Yoshisada Nitta raised an army to overthrow the shogunate, a fierce battle ensued at Kumegawa on his way to Kamakura. . This is because Higashimurayama has been a ``transportation hub'' since ancient times, with major roads passing through it. During the Nara and Heian period, the ancient official road ``Tosando Musashiji'' ran from the Nagano/Tochigi area to ``Fuchu'', the capital of Musashi Province. It was something. As the imperial court declined and the age of the samurai began, the Kamakura Kaido Upper Road was constructed parallel to the Tosando Musashiro Road in preparation for ``Kamakura!''. It is ironic that Nitta Yoshisada's army, which overthrew the Shogunate, advanced through that road (lol). Some people may wonder why they went to the trouble of creating the Kamakura Road in parallel with the official road. The ancient official roads built by the Imperial Court have a very distinctive tendency: they are built in straight lines, ignoring the topography and height differences to reach the destination. The imperial court may have thought that it was ``civilized'' to keep roads in a straight line, as this was the case with the official roads of China, which they used as a model (lol). As a result, construction was difficult as it involved carving away mountains and filling in low-lying wetlands, and maintenance was also extremely time-consuming. For this reason, if the imperial court declines, it will eventually become unable to maintain itself and fall into disrepair. The Kamakura Road was developed as a practical road that was more adaptable to the terrain. By the way, in Higashimurayama City, there is no address called ``Higashimurayama-chome'' in the drift version of Higashimurayama Ondo. Sometimes I get in trouble for being asked at the police box, so just in case (lol). (Original) ワタシの世代は「東村山」と聞くと志村けん氏の出身地であり、自動的にドリフ版「東村山音頭」を思い出してしまう訳ですが(笑)、有名な割には産業や歴史が知られていない東村山市の実態を探るべくやってまいりました。 余談ですが、東村山市の近現代史を語るに欠かせない人物となった志村けん氏は、没後に市議会より名誉市民を授与され、同時に東村山駅前に銅像が設置されています(写真参照)。にこやかな顔で代表ギャグの「アイ〜ン」のポーズを決めた姿が面白くて氏らしく印象的です。 歴史館ですが規模は小さいものの、展示品は厳選され説明も分かりやすくて、内装も洗練されていました。 地方博物館にありがちな、漫然とガラスケースに並べただけの展示とは一線を画しています。 展示品を見て感じたのは、東村山は歴史的大事件の「中継ポイント」だったという事ですね。日蓮上人が佐渡島に流される際には市内の久米川宿に宿泊したり、新田義貞が倒幕の兵を挙げた時は鎌倉に向かう途中の同じく久米川で激しい戦闘になったり、といった具合です。 なぜなら古代から東村山は、主要な街道が通る「交通の要衝」だったからです。奈良平安時代には長野・栃木方面から武蔵国国府所在地「府中」までを結ぶ、古代官道「東山道武蔵路」が通り、それは幅が12mもあり両端に排水用の溝も存在する立派なものでした。 朝廷が衰え武士の時代になると、今度は「いざ、鎌倉！」に備え、東山道武蔵路に並行する形で鎌倉街道上ッ道が整備されます。その道を通って倒幕の新田義貞軍が進撃したのは皮肉ですが(笑)。 何でわざわざ官道と並行して鎌倉道を作ったのか不思議に思う人もいるかもしれません。 朝廷の作った古代官道は、どこでも非常に特徴的な傾向がありまして、目的地までの地形や高低差を無視して、ひたすら直線で設営するのです。 お手本にしてきた中国の官道がそうだったので、朝廷は道は直線にするのが「文明的」と思っていたのかもしれません(笑)。 そのため山を削ったり低湿地を埋め立てたりと施工も大変だったうえ、維持管理にもとんでもない手間がかかりました。そんな訳で朝廷が衰えてしまうと結局維持出来ず、寂れていきます。より地形に順応し、実用的な道として開発されたのが鎌倉道という事ですね。 ちなみに東村山市には、ドリフ版東村山音頭にある「東村山〜丁目」という住所は存在しません。時々、交番で聞かれて困るそうなので、一応(笑)。

Peaceful and beautiful cemetery

A little small but cute park. The best place for coming with kids.