Places to visit in Tatsuno/龍野のみどころ

Major sightseeing spots and historic sites

(1)Tatsuno Usukuchi Soy Sauce Museum

This is a warehouse that was used by brewers until the early Showa era. The museum displays a collection of manufacturing tools such as vats and barrels, as well as documents and materials.
(Building: National Registered Tangible Cultural Property,
Soy Sauce Warehouse: Prefectural Designated Cultural Property)

(2)Around Nyoraiji Temple

The area around Nyoraiji Temple truly represents the atmosphere of Tatsuno with the Ura River and soy sauce warehouse. In the precincts of Nyoraiji Temple, there are stone monuments for Rofu's poem and his beloved brush.

These buildings, national registered tangible cultural properties, were renovated from the former office of the Tatsuno Soy Sauce Cooperative Association and the former brewing factory. The place is opened as the TAISHO ROMANKAN SHOYU NO SATO.
On the premises is the "KURA TERRACE TATSUNO"

(4)Tatsuno Museum of History and Culture

This museum preserves and displays cultural materials of Tatsuno City from ancient times to modern times.

(5)Tatsuno Castle

In the history of Tatsuno, two Castles have been built. One on Mt. Keirou. The other at the foot of the mountain. The mountain castle was built by Akamatsu Murahide about 500 years ago, and the flat mountain castle at the foot of the mountain was built by Wakizaka Yasumasa from the Shinshu Iida clan in the 12th year of Kanbun era.
As they are symbols of Tatsuno, the Honmaru Goten (main palace), chalk-white walls, Tamon Yagura, Buried Gate, and Corner Yagura have been restored.

(6)Kajo Museum of Literature and Yano Kanji Memorial Museum

The Kajo Museum of Literature displays the collections of the belongings and books of Miki Rofu, Yano Kanji, Utsumi Seichou and Miki Kiyoshi.
The Yano Kanji Memorial Museum is Mr. Yano’s house where he spent the last years of his life. It was donated by his bereaved family. He wrote the West Dormitory Song "Haruranman" and the East Dormitory Song "Aha Gyokuhai ni" for the former Daiichi Senior High School.

(7)Around the Old Wakizaka Residential Area

Looking at the old white walls that paint the image of Tatsuno as a quiet and tranquil castle town, it seems as if samurai in kamishimo (ceremonial dress) are about to appear from every corner.

(8)Maple Valley

The beauty of fresh greenery in spring and red and yellow leaves in autumn fascinates visitors. From here, you can go up the slope to Ryomizaka and the Kinki Nature Trail, which is ideal for hiking.

(9)Shuentei Tea Ceremony House

It is said that the name Shuentei comes from the fact that it was called "the gate of Shuen“ in the old days, in praise of the splendid view from here. The tea ceremony house (Ukido) on the Shinji Pond was inspired by the Shoin-zukuri (Japanese residential architectural style) with a touch of Sukiya (a building for tea ceremony). It harmonizes well with the garden, pond, and cedar fence.
It is a City Designated Cultural Property.

(10)Tatsuno-jinjya Shrine

The worshipped deity of this shrine is Jinnai Yasuharu, the founder of the Wakizaka family. Yasuharu is famous for the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. The 10th Yasutada was an outstanding foreign feudal lord who was the only one to become an elder statesman. The 11th Yasuori also became a temple and shrine magistrate, leading to the prosperity of Tatsuno.
In April, the Tatsuno Samurai Parade is held.

(11)Nominosukune-jinja Shrine

Nominosukune, the founder of sumo (sumo wrestling), died of illness when he was passing through Tatsuno on his way back to his hometown in Izumo. To build his grave, people carried stones from the riverbank in a relay ceremony. It is said that the scene was called "people standing in the field" or "Tatsu(=stand) ・ no(=field)," and the name "Tatsuno" came to be. Subsequent yokozuna (grand champions) have contributed tamagaki to the temple.

(12)Monument to the Song "Akatombo”

In 1921, when Rofu was 33 years old, he released the poem Akatombo in the children songs magazine “Kashi no Mi” from Trappist in Hokkaido. It is thought that he wrote about his memories of his hometown, Tatsuno and his mother in his childhood. The staves on the stone monument are in composer Yamada Kosaku's handwriting.

(13)The Path of Children's songs

In July 1987, the city took a nationwide pole, "What is your favorite children's song". The monument was set up to play the melodies of the top eight selected songs.

(14)Mountain Shirasagi

This is a famous place for azaleas. Near the top of the mountain, there is a monument to Miki Kiyoshi's philosophy, and a monument to Utsumi Seichou's poetry. Every day at 7AM, 5PM and 10PM, the melody of the song "Akatombo (Red Dragonfly)" is played from here which reminds us our heart is home. You can also see the limpid waters of the Ibo River and the Harima Plain below, with Awaji Island and the islands of the Setonaikai Sea in the distance.

(15)Katashibo Bamboo

A katashibo bamboo is a type of bamboo that is a variant of madake. Their internodes are unique, one side is smooth but the other side is wrinkled. This is why it is called katashibo(one side wrinkled) bamboo. At the end of the Edo period, the feudal lord Wakizaka received a gift of this rare bamboo and transplanted it in front of his retainer's garden (now the Katashibo Bamboo Umetama Inn), keeping it hidden from the public. This is the only place in Japan where the bamboo exists, and it was designated as a natural monument by the Ministry of Education Science and Culture in 1958.

(16)Iibonimasuamaterasu-jinjya Shrine

At the foot of Mt. Shirasagi, there is a monument to haiku poet Matsuo Bashou.

(17)Tatsunogobo Enkoji Temple

It is said that Miyamoto Musashi stayed at Tatsunogobo Enkoji Temple for a period of time during the Keicho era and taught swordsmanship in the Enmei style at the dojo on the temple grounds. Tada Hanzaburou, the chief priest of the temple, learned the Enmei style from Musashi and received a certificate of authenticity.

(18)Tatami Tei

It is too narrow to build a causeway between the Ibo river and houses in the Tatsuno district so frames were built into the parapets along the embankment. This was built in early in the Showa era.
In the event of an emergency, residents can simply insert tatami mats into the frames and it will function as a dike.