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about Setouchi City |
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On November 1st 2004, three towns, 'Ushimado, Oku, and Osafune' unite to
form a brand new city, Setouchi. Setouchi is a city of exchange and creation
which harnessed natural and historical property.
 Ushimado AreaOku AreaOsafune Area |
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Ushimado Area |
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The Aegean Sea in Japan---Ushimado, literary means "Beautiful window". Since the 8th century, when the Manyo anthologies were written, Ushimado prospered as a port town where boats waited for good waves and winds. Especially during Edo period, feudal lords and also delegation from the Korea stopped there, as they made trips periodically to the capital, Edo. Consequently Ushimado has many historical and cultural properties dating to that era. |
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With the building specified by a country, they are Honrenji Hondo, Banjindo,
and Chumon. In a material important cultural property, there are Sabukaze
ruins group of Old kiln and the ruins of members of the Korean Mission
related at the wooden statue of Henmyoin, the wooden statue of Tojuin,
and historic relics.
Moreover, Maejima has ruins of stone-cutting-spots. The stones were used
for the construction of Osaka castle in Edo period. And still various sizes
of stone are left there. It reminds us of old days.
If you go up to the olive garden which is the best scale in the East Asia, you can see over 10,000 olive trees. The yacht harbor is the biggest scale in western-Japan. You can have the fine view of Shikoku-mountains and many islands such as Shodosima Island. |
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Oku Area |
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Oku is blessed with great environment. Those are rich ground 'Sencho',
the clear stream of the Yoshii River, and the natural beauty of Setouchi
etc. |
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The natural and pleasant scenery on the sea or the bay of floated oyster-rafts,
gives grace to townsmen's lives, and it must be fascinating for the tourists. |
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There are many historical inheritances here. For example "Yokeiji-temple"
and "Ruins of Toishi-castle". Oku also produced a lot of man
of culture. 'Takehisa Yumeji' and 'Takeda Kinosuke'are the most famous
persons, Yumeji was one of the most influential painter of his day by lyrical
'Taisho romance style'. Kinosuke was the greatest puppet craftsman who
played an active part in the world. |
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Oku has some cultural equipment related with Yumeji and Kinosuke. You can
see the puppets in Kinosuke commemoration room. Yumeji's sketches and prints
are exhibited in the museums. In fact, one of them is his parents' house
where he was born and spent his boyhood.
West of parents' home, the atelier "a boy mountain villa" which
"Takehisa Yumeji" was building to Tokyo is restored, and articles
left by the departed, such as a paintbrush, are also exhibited.
Every summer we hold a festival of puppet plays in honor of his achievements,
'Kinosuke festival'. |
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Vagrancy and painter poet Takehisa Yumeji of lyricism representing the
Taisho romance.
He was born and was passed to 16 years old in this house surrounded by
beautiful mountains and rivers.
A thatched house is saved in the state while in life, and works, such as
a sketch and a print, are exhibited.
In Oku, visitors can also see Yumeji-no-Seika, the place where Takehisa
was born and lived until he was 16, and Shonen Sanso, a reproduction of
the studio Takehisa used in Tokyo.
Takehisa was born on Sept. 16, 1884 in the Okayama Prefecture village of
Honjo. From a young age he held an interest in painting, with many of his
works depicting women with sad expressions. During the Taisho era and the
early years of the Showa era, Takehisa's works gained great popularity
that has continued today, as can be seen from postage stamps featuring
his art and a variety of souvenir products bearing his name. |
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Osafune Area |
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Osafune has the original scenery of Japanese heart. It is blessed with
the rich nature, which are the abundant water of Yoshii River, the beautiful
rice fields, the rich green hill etc. And it is located in best geographical
features near Okayama city.
Thinking of historical backgrounds, it was the production place of unglazed ceramic ware as a root of Bizen ware at Asuka period. |
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 Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum HP
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Using the water transport of Yoshii River, it prospered by the production
of swords from the middle of Heian period to Muromachi period, and was
widely known as a specialty ground of swords in the name of notable swords
"Bizen Osafune". Moreover, "1,000 blacksmiths" was
entitled and many noted swords were produced those days.
Fukuoka located on the riverside in the important place in the one of main
roads 'Sanyodo'. Taking advantage of the public transport of land and water,
Fukuoka prospered as the biggest city in the Chugoku district called Fukuoka-No-Ichi.
It means Fukuoka Market.
Many precious cultural heritages also remain in Osafune, such as historic
relics about swords, an ancient tomb, shrines and temples. |
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