富田林寺内町の探訪

I'm glad to intorduce an old town, Jinaimachi, Tondabayashi, Osaka, Japan as a national historic district and heritage site.

It takes 30 minutes from Osaka city to Tondabayashi station by Kintetsu railways. A 10-minutes walk will take you to the historic town.

ギャラリー

Former Sugiyama family residence, designated as an important national cultural heritage of Japan. The Kirie picture is produced by Mr. Yoshiyuki Kondo. All rights reserved.

welcome to jinaimachi town, tondabayashi, a historic district, japan

【Tourist guide to Jinaimachi town, Tondabayashi, a historic district and heritage site of Japan,Tourists attractions part 2/2】

Let's take a walk around the historic district of Tondabayashi Jinaimachi. Would you enjoy walking from Jinaimachi Visitor Center to the former Sugiyama residence along Jyounomonsuji street?（in about 90 minutes）

This is a quick guide of toursits' attractions.

Jinaimachi Visitor Center (Tomiyama-cho)

12. In front of the main gate of Kōushō-ji Betsuin Buddhist temple

The temple is a special branch of the headquarters of Koushouji Temple located downtown in Kyoto adjacent to Nishi Honganji Temple. The temple belongs to Jodo Shinshu sect which was called Ikkoushu at the time of its foundation. Shoshuu Shonin, a holy priest, who was engaged in missionary work of Ikkoushu, came to Tondabayashi and built the temple in 1560.

The status of the temple can be distinguished by the number of white colored horizontal lines on the wall fence of the temple. The number of headquarters temple is five, that of a special branch is four and then that of an ordinary branch is three. Koushouji Betsuin temple is a special branch and it has four lines. The main hall of the temple was built in the Edo period in 1638. The origin of name of Jyounomon-suji street

The main gate was said to have been a part of ex. Fushimi Castle built by a famous samurai warrior, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Although the castle had been shortly demolished, the gate was moved from Fushimi Castle to the headquarters of Koushouji Temple in Kyoto at the time. Thereafter, the gate was further relocated to Koushouji Betsuin Temple in Tondabayashi towards the end of the Edo period. The gate is so tall that a samurai warrior could dash through it on horseback.

Onarimon gate or Chokushimon gate (the gate for the Imperial Envoys)

The crest of door panels and the crest of round tiles is the chrysanthemum crest, that is crest of the Imperial Family. The gate was built in a rush when The Crown Prince (later the Emperor Showa) had an imperial visit to Minami-Kawachi region. Even though the large gate exists next-door, the royal family could not pass through it as built by a samurai warrior Hideyoshi Toyotomi. However, the itinerary plan was changed and the Crown Prince could not come. Therefore this gate has become unopened since then.

Kōushō-ji Betsuin Buddhist temple

The main gate was said to have been a part of ex. Fushimi Castle

Onarimon gate or Chokushimon gate (the gate for the Imperial Envoys)

13. In the main hall of Koushouji Betsuin Temple

After the former original building was founded in 1561, the present building was rebuilt in 1638 (early Edo period). Since then, this building remains as used to be and is the oldest building among the existing main halls and dojo style of Jodo Shinshu temples in Osaka prefecture. So, those buildings such as the main hall, the meeting room for royal guests , Onarimon, Bell tower (shorou)and Drum tower (Korou) have been collectively designated as an important cultural property of the country since September, 2015. In Tondabayashi Jinaimachi, it became the second designation of the important cultural property of the county after the former Sugiyama family residence.

Where you are sitting is called Gejin or outer chamber. Everyone sits facing west, and there is a raised stage in the west Buddha have been deified, referred to as Naijin or the chancel. In Buddhism, paradise has been to be in the west.

In the center of the raised stage, Buddha Amitabha statue is deified, which is said to be of the Kamakura period. (1185 – 1333) Since this temple is a temple of the Jodo Shinshu, the image of the Shinran saint of the founder of the Jodo Shinshu have been placed to the right of the Buddha Amitabha statue seen from everyone on the Shumidan, or dais for a Buhhdist image.

In addition, where recessed on the left side of the Amitabha image, the image of Shoshu Shonin, the 16^th holy saint of the sect., dressed in red robes can be seen, who founded the branch temple in 1560. To the left back, the image of Honjyaku Shonin, a holy saint, has been enshrined. He belonged to the Hanazono family that leads to the Imperial Family and became the chief priest of the temple. The successors of Hanazono family have still continued to undertake chief priest of the temple.

main hall

indoors of main hall

Buddha Amitabha statue is deified

the image of the Shinran saint of the founder of the Jodo Shinshu

the image of Shoshu Shonin, the 16^th holy saint of the sect

On left and right sides of the fusuma or sliding wooden doors in Gejin, the outer chamber, fine gold paintings are drawn.

Mr. Kano Jyuseki Hidenobu, one of the Kano school painters in the Edo period drew sliding door paintings (Fusumae). The right is titled as pine tree and the left is titled as bamboo and plum tree.

The painter also drew the pine trees on the fusumae along the “pine tree corridor” in ex. Edo Castle of Tokugawa Shogunate, where a familiar bloodshed incident happened in 1701 known as Chushin-gura that Asano Takuminokami slashed Kira Kouzukenosuke by a sword. As the Edo Castle has no longer existed now, the valuable sliding door paintings can only remember a picture of a pine of the corridor at the time.

pine tree

plum tree and bamboo

It is assumed that during the Edo period, the main hall was also used as a place of children education such as writings, mathematics and discipline.

Above the front, you can see the seven pieces of structures which look like frog outstretched arms and legs and support the gable beam, called Kaeru-mata. Colorful sculpture is carved and engraved at each piece of Kaerumata. These sculptures named after the story of "Nijushiko” or twenty four filial exemplars of China.The sculptures of Kaerumata on "Nijushiko" of China Kakukyokei in the time of Yuan Dynasty compiled it by taking the 24 excellent ancient filial pieties. Confucianism or teachings of Confucius in China has been prized by successive Chinese Dynasties. Children were also disciplined by Confucianism at school in the Buddhist temples in the Edo period in Japan. The sculptures represent seven episodes out of the twenty four episodes. The three episodes are introduced as follows.

indoors of main hall - outer chamber

Kaeru-mata

①　The sculpture in the middle

The couple dressed in Kimono is looking at the wooden statue of a woman, the late mother of the husband laid in the building of the temple. The couple is to pray for this wooden statue every morning and evening, but in fact this practice is disgusting for the wife. One day, when the wife lit the fire in the wooden statue during the absence of her husband, the wooden statue was burnt and even hair of the wife became burnt. The wife deeply regretted the fault and then honestly confessed to her husband, the wooden statue and hair of the wife also became restored all of sudden by the sound of wind and rain in one night.

② The second sculpture from the left end

A young woman gives suck o the elderly. This old man is the mother-in-law of the young woman. She is nourishing the mother-in-law as she is no longer able to eat after all her teeth had been completely fell out.

③ The left end sculpture

A son of filial piety is depicted how the bamboo shoots was found in the snow. Since his mother suffering from a disease said, “ I want to eat bamboo shoots”, the son was walking around the bamboo forest in the snow, the earth suddenly opened, and bamboo shoots appeared. He gave her the bamboo soup and his mother recovered for longevity. The name of the son is known as Moso.

During the war, as many as 65 elementary school children coming from Hirano, downtown Osaka spent in the main hall of the temple for evacuation for years. Although the children must have wanted to throw pillows each other for fun, the fine wall paintings remain undamaged, presumed that they were well disciplined by teachings of Nijyushiko.

14. At the intersection of Jyounomon-suji street and Gobo-cho street

Looking at the north from here, the landscape is clear for some reason. No telephone poles are seen as utility poles were relocated off the street. The electricity meter device put in the wooden box also contributes to fit the townscape.

15. The waterway of the boundary split between Gobo-cho and Hayashi-cho.

There exist drainages on both sides of the street. The drainage is called "sewari-suiro”, which literally means "back split waterway".

Tondabayashi Jinaimachi is a planned city founded in the Warring States Period and such sewage waterway was originally provided. Rain water, waste water in the home had flown here. This waterway had also become a border of the north side of the house and the south side of the house. Since the premises of two houses had been separated back-to-back by it, it is referred to as a "back split waterway". Fresh water were pumped from well. The water were used for brewing Japanese sake liquor.

16. At the corner of the Hashimoto's residence

A stone with a small hole can be found. It was used to connect a horse or cow in the past.

17. In front of the Nakamura family residence

The buildings have been designated as a cultural asset of Osaka prefecture. The family flourished in sake brewery and did business as Sadoya.

At the time, business license in brewing sake liquor was required. The sake liquor products were carried all the way to Edo. The family undertook the president of local industrial association for sake shipment for Edo. At the time, products of good quality were taken to Edo by Ohmi merchants, however products of lower quality were not carried from Kyoto downwards (kudaranai) to Edo. The phrase “kudaranai” which means “of no value” was originated from the fact. Mr. Shoin Yoshida of a famous Choshu samurai stayed up at the residence twice for three weeks.

18. In front of the former Sugiyama's Residence

The building has been designated as an important cultural asset of the country. The family used to be a premier wealthy merchant in Tondabayashi since the foundation of town. The building built in the early Edo period in 1644 has remained until now. When Shoshu Shonin, a holy priest, asked influential people around to develop the town in 1560, the high prestige family had been involved from the time of its development.

The last head of the family is seen in the photo of signboard. She was a female poet named Tsuyuko Isonokami in the Meiji Era. Her autonym is Ms. Taka(ko) Sugiyama. She was born and grown-up in this house and lived until 1959. She contributed her verses and novels to the Myojo group presided by Ms. Akiko Yosano in Sakai. She was very talented and yet a woman of good looks. She lived a very eventful life and Ms. Toyoko Yamasaki wrote a novel of her life as a model titled as "kamon" (published in Shincho paperback).

After the building lost the head of the family, it was offered for sale to a real estate agent in 1975. When the news appeared, Tondabayashi Municipality purchased at 166 million yen in 1983. It was dismantled, repaired and reconstructed at 230million yen in two-and-a-half years. The city has currently owned and managed the property and it has been open to the public since 1987. It is worthwhile to take a look at it for the admission fee of 400 yen. It has been designated as an important cultural property of the country since 1983.

the former Sugiyama's Residence

a female poet named Tsuyuko Isonokami in the Meiji Era

【Tourist guide to Jinaimachi town, Tondabayashi, a historic district and heritage site of Japan,Tourists attractions part 1/2】

Jinaimachi Town Sightseeing Map（English)

Jinaimachi Town Sightseeing Map（Chinese）

Jinaimachi Town Sightseeing Map（Korean）

Mail & inquiry to Author

Information

Jinaimachi in Tondabayashi（Jyounomon-suji street）

Photo: provided by Tondabayashi Municipality, unauthorized copying and replication are strictly prohibited.

National conservation district of valuable traditional buildings

Jinaimachi town, a part of Tondabayashi-cho located in Tonadabayashi city has been chosen as a national conservation district of valuable traditional buildings since 1997, which is only selected in Osaka Prefecture. Among approximately 500 buildings in the town, 181 buildings built during the period from the Edo era to the early Showa era have been identified as traditional buildings.

An application for prior approval to the section of cultural properties in board of education of Tondabayashi city is required when any change of current exterior appearances viewed from a street in the conservation district such as enlargement, renovation, repair, redecoration, change of the color, new construction and demolition of any buildings is to be made. After repairing works for the conservation of the exterior appearances, the reconstruction and face-lifting in consideration of landscaping, a white wall, a board fence, and a lattice door of traditional house remain as used to be, and rustic and calm atmosphere has been kept as people still live in those houses.

The signpost is provided with main traditional residences to explain each origin and history, and those guiding signposts cum street lights have been placed along the streets of stone-pavement.

In addition, the appearances of newly built buildings are also harmonized with the neighboring historic district in consideration for the traditional townscape in Jinaimachi town.

Location
Jinaimachi town, Tondabayashi city, a national historic preservation district and heritage site of Japan, which is located in the south-eastern part of Osaka prefecture, the western part of Japan

Directions to Jinaimachi town, Tondabayashi
It is a 10-minute walk from Tondabayashi Staion or the Tondabayashi Nishiguchi Station of Kintetsu Nagano line.

From Kansai International Airport
Airport Limousine Bus service available bound for Kawachi Nagano Station. (60 minutes) Please take Kintetsu railways from Kawachi Nagano to Tondabayashi.(15 minutes)

From Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport)
Airport Limousine Bus service available bound for Abenobashi Station. (30 minutes) Please take Kintetsu railways from Abenobashi terminal to Tondabayashi.(30 munites)

From JR Shinkasen Shin-Osaka station or
Osaka (Umeda) station
Please take Subway Midousuji line from Shin-Osaka station or Osaka (Umeda) station to Tennoji Station. (20~30 minutes) Please change trains at Tennoji and take Kintetsu railways from Abenobashi terminal to Tondabayashi. (30 minutes)

Koushouji Betsuin Temple (Tondabayashi Gobo)

Koushouji Betsuin Temple is a temple of Jodo Shinshu School (Ikkoushuu School), which became the center of the development and establishment of Jinaimachi town in Tondabayashi . It has been popular as Mr. Gobo (Tondabayashi Gobo) among the local residents.

During the Ouei period (1394-1412years) , the incipient temple was opened in Ebitani village. In 1560, Shoushuu Shonin, the 16th head priest of Koushouji Sect. in Kyoto dismantled the building and reconstructed it to the present location, adjacent to Ebitani village.

The temple gate looks toward the east and the Jyounomon-suji street. Those buildings such as the bell tower, the drum tower, the main hall, the reception hall and priest's quarters are set up and arranged.

The main gate has refined style and it became clear in a recent investigation that the gate was further relocated from Koushouji temple in Kyoto, which was originally said to be dismantled and reconstructed from one of the gates at Fushimi castle in Kyoto.

Koushouji Betsuin Temple was designated as an important cultural property of the country in 2014.

The site-seeing map available in English
Please stop by to the Tourist Information Cetnter or Jinaimachi Visitor Center. You can get the visitor map.

Restrooms
Available at Jinaimachi Visitor Center (Jinaimachi Kouryuukan), Jinaimachi Center and Jinaimachi Tenbou Hiroba (Viewing Terrace)

Visitor Center
(Jinaimachi Kouryuukan,
Town Community Center)

Address
9-29, Tondabayashi-cho, Tondabayashi city, Osaka, 584-0033, Japan
TEL.+81-(0)721-26-0110
FAX.+81-(0)721-26-0110
open 10a.m. until 5 p.m.
closed on Monday

Visitor Parking
Road width is very narrow in Jinaimachi town. If traveling by car, please use Tondabayashi Municipal east parking newly opened in February 2014 (Toll parking).

You can park the minibus for groups and passenger cars for general use. Only one parking lot available for minibus, you must book it in advance with Tondabayashi City Hall. A 15-minute walk to the Jinaimachi Visitor Center and 5 minute walk up to the former Sugiyama family house, an important national cultural property.

You will note that you will contact Tondabayashi Municipality Office for a parking lot of large tourist bus for groups. Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.

Shops & restaurants

Town Planning

Jyounomonsuji street "the 100 selections of roads in Japan"

Koushouji Betsuin Buddhist Temple

Former Sugiyama residence

Nakamura residence

Former Tanaka residence

Architecture Vol. 1/2

Architecture Vol. 2/2

Roof ・Roof tiles

Mushikomado

Koushimado