Excursion
Edo (present Tokyo) has been the capital of Japan since Tokugawa era (1603 – 1867). Scenery of Tokyo changed drastically during the last century except in some small areas, like Asakusa downtown, where houses and streets still remain as they were originally. The town Sawara is, though very small, a very charming spot where you can see the scenery of the old Tokyo. Sawara is located 60 km from Tsukuba (90 min by bus) and not very far from Tokyo/Narita International airport (15km). We are planning the excursion in the last day of the symposium, thus participants can access to flights either to home or to other places in Japan after the meeting.
A brief history of the town:
In the middle of Edo era when the population of Edo exceeded one million, many commodities were gathered to capital from Osaka, Hokkaido, Hokuriku or other places to Tokyo bay by ships through Uraga channel, which was dangerous as it was very narrow. Another safer route was through the Tone-river (2nd longest river in Japan). Sawara was the main stop-over town along the river. Several old storage houses remain there. By the way, there is a nice restaurant “Chiyo-huku” which was established in a traditional storage house, as shown in photo below. They serve original creative meals with Japanese taste, that even foreigners can appreciate. We are planning to take meal after walking through the old town during the excursion.
See below for more information about Sawara.
http://www.sawara-cci.or.jp/aruki/english/index.html (in English)
Kashima Jingu Shrine is said to have been founded in Kouki Gannen (660 B.C.) and it is one of the three shrines which are the most famous in the Kanto region. The shrine is dedicated to the god, "Takemikazuchino Ohkami". The "Rohmon" gate of this shrine is colored beautifully in red, and is also one of the biggest gateways in Japan. This main sanctuary (honden), in which a sacred symbol called "shintai"(God's soul) is enshrined, has been registered as a national important cultural asset.
See below for more information about Kashima Jingu Shrine.
http://www.ibarakiguide.jp/en/history/index02.html (in English)
http://www.bokuden.or.jp/~kashimaj/ (only in Japanese)
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