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Point of interest: Tsumago - the Wife Basket!

POI
Tsumago - the Wife Basket!
441 words
This article is part of a series about locations in your Mastery Map, a visual representation of your Japanese Mastery Level.
Tsumago (
つまご
妻籠
, which genuinely does translate to wife basket in English), is one of the best-preserved post towns in Japan today. During the Edo period of Japanese history, Tsumago served as the forty-second post town out of a total of sixty-nine. The series of post towns connected Edo (present-day Tokyo), to Kyoto.
However, after the Chuo Main Line railway was constructed, bypassing the town of Tsumago altogether, the once prosperous city suffered greatly. While the town of Tsumago fell into obscurity during the late nineteenth century, your language learning goals don't have to suffer the same fate. Through Kanshudo, you will be able to learn the Japanese grammar you need to navigate the twists and turns of your own adventure in Japanese!

The Highlights of Tsumago

By using Kanshudo, you will also grow your knowledge of Japanese history and culture, learning about the interesting history of Japanese towns like Tsumago. In 1968, the locals of Tsumago decided to start efforts to restore the historic sites and structures of the town. By the late 1970s, the Japanese government deemed Tsumago a Nationally Designated Architectural Preservation Site. Today, Tsumago serves as a popular tourist destination, with several points of interest in the town.

The Honjin

One restored attraction in Tsumago is the town's former honjin. Honjin (
ほんじん
本陣
) is the Japanese word for an inn designed for government officials. The original honjin of Tsumago was destroyed. However, it was rebuilt in 1995 and serves as a focal point of the town today.

The Nagiso Museum of History

The Nagiso Museum of History houses all of the information and artifacts preserved from Tsumago's past. There is also a series of preserved row houses located on the property.

The Kabuto Kannon Shrine

Dedicated to Minamoto no Yoshinaka, known as the "General of the Rising Sun," the Kabuto Kannon Shrine harbors a rich history. The shrine was built around 1180 and serves as a popular attraction in Tsumago today.

The Tsumago Castle

Today, the Tsumago Castle is not much to look at - nothing but a few ruins are left of it in Tsumago. However, it still is an exciting site to visit. The Tsumago Castle site harbors a charged energy, as it served as the site of a massive battle in 1954.

The Rurisan Kotoku-ji Temple

One of the last main focal points of Tsumago is the Rurisan Kotoku-ji Temple. The temple was founded in 1500 and stood proudly above the other buildings in the area. With its pristine white walls, stone base, and 500-year-old weeping cherry tree at the front, the temple is a lovely sight to see.

Kanji used in this point of interest

サイ   つま wife   
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ロウ   こもる to seclude oneself   かご basket   
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ホン   book   もと origin   
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ジン    a camp, (military) position   
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