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North Tama Course

Shimozato Honmura Site is a complex site from the Paleolithic period to the Nara and Heian period, located at the tip of tongueshaped plateau (Honmura Plateau) in the most upriver area of Kurome-gawa River. The rescue excavation was conducted in 1978 by the construction of the apartment house. The fact that these remains from the Paleolithic to the Early Jomon period were found in the gravel layer below the plateau exploded the former archaeological theory that the base of living basically formed on the plateau, and became the important discovery.

Shimozato Honmura Site Exhibition Hall

After the excavation, the area of the tip of tongue-shaped plateau and the area of fl uvial lowland made to be preserved (about 8,000 square meters). The area of the tip of tongue-shaped plateau was developed as Shimozato Honmura Site Park and the gravel clusters are replicated here. Simozato Honmura Site Exhibition Hall was built in the preservation area of fl uvial lowland close to the Kurome-gawa River, and the replicated remains of living in the gravel layer of the Early Jomon period and the fi nds are exhibited here.

Honmura Shogako-mae Footbridge constructed in 1992 crosses Shinkoganei-kaido Road running between Shimozato Honmura Site Park and Honmura Primary School. The woodcuts and tiles are decorated on the bridge and the pavement, which the schoolchildren of Honmura Primary School drew imaging the living of the Paleolithic and the Jomon period.

Shin’yama Site is a representative settlement in the latter half of the Middle Jomon period, extending over the upriver of Kurome-gawa River, at the fl at area on the tongue-shaped plateau at an altitude of 61 meter. The rescue excavations were conducted four times from 1976 to 1978 by the constructions of Higashikurume City Elementary School and Junior High School, and 30 pit dwellings, 52 holeshaped graves, 2 remains of stone arrangement were uncovered. The pit dwellings and hole-shaped graves were also found in the excavation in 1982.

The pit dwellings are spread around the central open space with a diameter of 100 meter. The plans of the most pit dwellings show irregular circular shape, but 5 dwellings were found, which have an aporon and a shape like handled mirror. Another distinctive dwellings are also discovered in the site; many buried potteries in the aprons and crushed phallic stones in a part of the dwellings.

About 250 citizens took part in the surface survey before the excavations. The representatives of the citizen, Higashikukrume City and scholars discussed how to preserve the site based on the result of the excavations, and decided that 7 pit dwellings and 7 hole-shaped graves were preserved in situ. The extent designated as Historical Site covers the ground of the junior high school of 3034.67 square meters.

Shinʼyama Site（Schoolyard of Shimosato junior high school）

The finds, like potteries and stone tools, are exhibited in Shin’yama Iseki Exhibition Room in Shimosato Elementary School neighbored to Shimosato Junior High School, and also utilized for the comprehensive learning for schoolchildren.

The Residence of the MURANO Family is located in Yanagikubo, which became a shogun’s demesne after cultivating new fi elds in the Kanbun era (1661-1673). The Bureau of Environment, Tokyo Metropolitan Government appointed the basin of Kurome-gawa River which runs through Yanagikubo as “Trail of Copses” which still has landscapes of Musashino, such as homestead woodlands, temples, shrines, stone Buddha statues, and stone monuments.

The MURANO Family is a branch family of a former village headman. The headman’s residence was relocated to Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture in 1930, and later its ownership shifted to Tokyo National Museum. It was designated as Important Cultural Property in 1978.

The Residence of the MURANO Family in Yanagikubo which was registered as Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings), retains an extensive set of structures with a main building and six other buildings.

The huge Yakui-mon Gate, all made of timber of zelkova, was built in 1881. It is also called “Hinode-mon Gate” (Sunrise Gate), because the sunrise was seen from the gate.

The main building that stands in the center of the lot is the only thatched house surviving in the Higashikurume city and the setting has changed little from the late Edo and early Meiji periods. It was originally built as a farmhouse of 4-room plan in 1838, and two reception rooms, one with a tokonoma alcove and a study, were added in 1857.

The front desk installed at the expansive earthen floor represents the characteristics of mercantile house. Numerous slashes and cuts on the alcove post in the reception rooms survive as an evidence of the vicious attack of the “Musashi peasants’ riot for social reform” in 1866.

The finds, like potteries and stone tools, are exhibited in Shin’yama Iseki Exhibition Room in Shimosato Elementary School neighbored to Shimosato Junior High School, and also utilized for the comprehensive learning for schoolchildren.

Residence of MURANO Family (Main Building)

Residence of MURANO Family (Annex)

A shikidai entrance was added in 1926 for the marriage of the fourth head of the family.

An annex connected to the main building with a corridor is a building of the late Meiji era, which was relocated from the residence of the SHIMODA family, a marital relative in Tanashi City (current Nishi Tokyo City), in the late Taisho era. The original formal entrance was converted into a Western Style room in 1950.

A plastered storehouse and a granary built at the end of the Edo period, and a new storehouse with a tea room also remain.

The Chujaku-mon Gate with wooden fences is placed between the main building and the new storehouse, as a boundary for the front yard and the inner garden. Its delicate and refi ned design represents the characteristics of the architecture in the late Taisho era.

It is privately owned and not usually opened to the public, yet special guided tours are held during the Tokyo Heritage Week.

Residence of the MURANO Family ( Yakui-mon Gate)

People in the early Edo period used water from Kanda-josui Water Supply and reservoirs at the beginning. As the growth of population, Tamagawa-josui Water Supply was built irrigating water from Tama-gawa River mainly for drinking in Edo City. The shogunate gave Tamagawa Brothers a contract for building the channel in 1653, and it was completed in the next year. Tamagawa-josui Water Supply was built by open-cutting for 43 kilos from Hamura Sluice to Yotsuya-okido Gate, and wooden pipes supplied water from the gate into Edo City. Water was widely supplied to Edo Castle, the residences of Daimyo to the downtown, and finally reached at Edo Bay. By the credit of building Water Supply, the brothers were given 200 koku and the name of ‘Tamagawa’ as a reward.

Its construction work faced actually hard going in practice. It is said that MATSUDAIRA Sadanobu, a Rojyu(member of shogun’s council of elders), devoted himself to complete the channel. Because MATSUDAIRA Sadanobu was the lord of Kawagoe Domain, the construction of the diversions of Tamagawa-josui Water Supply into Kawagoe Domain was allowed by his credit. In 1655, YASUMATSU Kinemon, a Bugyo (magistrate of town), built the diversion of about 25 kilos from Kodaira Village to Shingashi-gawa River for Nobidome-shinden Rice Field. This is Nobidome-yosui Channel. Many another diversions of Tamagawa-josui Water Supply were built, but Nobidome-yosui Channel was oldest and largest in those diversions and distributed 30% of water of Tamagawa-josui Water Supply.

Because Nobidome-yosui Channel was only allowed to Kawagoe Domain, the channel was not utilized for the development of new field in present Tokyo except the territory of the domain (in Kawagoe Domain, more diversions were built from Nobidome-yosui Channel for utilities).So, Kodaira City and Higashimurayama City where the channel flows have not benefited from the water supply.

The water mill of Onta Nobidome Water Mill Garden is said to be built for polishing rice for sake by Toma Family of old Onta Village in 1782, allowed by Kawagoe Domain. The big wheel has a diameter of 7.5 meters. After the sake-brewing industry was closed, they seem to run a water mill business for threshing. Water Mill Garden was built restoring the water mill which had been used from 1782 to postwar times. Here is one of the preservation sites of Nobidome-yosui Channel in Tokyo for recreation and relaxation.

Water Mill Garden of Nobidome

Baigan-ji Temple is an ancient temple of Sotoshu sect, said to be refounded by ASAN Donseki in 1651. There are two Japanese Zelkova trees on both sides of Sanmon entrance gate. The tree on the left side of the gate is “Zelkova Tree of Baigan-ji Temple” designated as Natural Monument of Tokyo. According to the topography “Shinpen Musashi Hudoki-ko” edited in Bunka and Bunsei era (1804-1830), the mention about this temple is found in the article of ‘Kumegawa Village’. Also, there is the mention about this Zelkova tree in the article; ‘There are two trees on the both side of the gate. One is an old Zelkova tree of 2 jyo in circumference. Another is Kajyu of 1 syaku 2jyo’.

Zelkova Tree of Baigan-ji Temple

This tree has about 27 meters in height and about 7.3 meters in circumference. Its main trunk branches off into several thick limbs at a height of about 3 meters and the branches widely spread out. It grows thick and has a strong vitality.

Furthermore, the tree mentioned as ‘another is Kajyu of 1 syaku 2 jyo’ in the topography indicates the Kaya tree on the right side of the gate. This tree is “Kaya Tree of Baigan-ji Temple” designated as Natural Monument of Higashimurayama City.

This area extended from the eastern foot of Sayama Hill to Yanase-gawa River has been an important point for traffic. In the ancient times, Tosan-do Musashi-michi Road ran which linked, the provincial capitals of Musashi Province to Kozuke Province, and in Kamakura period Kamakura-kaido Road ran north to south, with linked Kozuke Province to Kamakura. In Sengoku period(period of Warring State), the Kumegawa area was recognized to be an important military base located between Iruma-gawa River and Tama-gawa River and a lot of battles were fought here; “Battle of Kumegawa” in 1333 that NITTA Yoshisda fought for overthrowing Kamakura Shogunate, “Battle of Nakasendai” in 1335 that HOJO Tokiyuki fought for reviving Kamakura Shogunate, “Battle of Musashino” in 1352 that the army of ASHIKAGA Takauji (North Court) fought against the army of NITTA Yoshioki and “Rebellion of UESUGI Jozen” in 1417. The battle in 1333 attacking against Kamakura by NITTA Yoshisada is the most famous battles of them. Against raising the army of Yoshisada, the army of shogunate advanced to the north along Kamakura-kaido Road. They fought a battle at Kotesashi-gahara and their battlefield moved to Kumagawa. In a few days after Yoshisada won the Battle of Kumegawa, he overthrew Kamakura Shogunate. In Hachikokuyama Green Zone, there is ‘Shogun Mound’ built on the site where Yoshisadacommanded his army at the battle.

Historic Battlefield of Kumegawa

Itabi are stone tablet stupa which were raised in memory of deceased from the end of the 12th century to the 16th centuries. This Itabi is specially known as an important piece of evidence related to NITTA Yoshisada’s battle that concluded Kamakura Shogunate in 1333.

In obedience to the Imperial command by Emperor Godaigo, NITTA Yoshisada raised an army to overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate at Ikushina-myojin Shrine in Nitta domain (current Gunma prefecture) on May 8. His army advanced southward on the Kamakura Highway and fought a series of battles at Kotesashihara, Kumegawa, Bubaigawara and Sekido, before marching to Kamakura and defeating the Kamakura Shogunate on May 22.

This Itabi was originally placed at Mt. Hachikokuyama. It was erected by two monks of the Jishu sect named Kyu Amidabutsu who raise contributions, and Hen Amidabutsu, who wrote the inscriptions in order to mourn for the three young warriors of the Akima SAITO Clan. Its inscriptions tell that Akima SAITO Saburo FUJIWARA Morisada age 26 and Magoshichi Ieyuki age 23 were killed at the battle of Fuchu on May 15, and Magosaburo Munenaga age 35 was killed at the battle of Muraoka on May 18, 1333.

Although there are many Itabi and pagoda to mourn the war dead on the roadside of Kamakura-kaido Road, it is rare to find one with inscriptions indication specific day an place of death of individuals.

Since only a few historic documents remained about this incident, the information on the Itabi referencing NITTA Yoshisada’s attack on the Kamakura Shogunate which was described on Japanese historical epic “Taiheiki”, is particularly important.

Stone Monument (Monument for SAITO Morisada and others in the battle of 1333)

Higashimurayama City has a characteristic history concerned with ‘Tosan-do Musashi-michi Road’ in ancient times and ‘Kamakura-kaido Road’ in the medieval period. Folk Museum of Higashimurayama was opened in 1996 as a exhibition facility on the theme of ‘Roads’. At the main exhibition “Rediscovery-History of Higashimurayama passed through Roads-”, potteries, stone tools, board monuments, which were excavated in the City, old documents and folkcrafts are exhibited on the theme of the roads in each period; from the primitive age, the ancient times, the medieval period, the modern times to today. At the center of the exhibition room, ‘Tower Model of Tile’ uncovered in Tamako-cho Town, the replica of ‘Stone Monument (Monument for SAITO Morisada and others in the battle of 1333)’ (Important Cultural Property) built for the souls of samurais died in the attack on Kamakura Shogunate by NITTA Yoshisada and the miniature of ‘Jizo-do Hall, Shofuku-ji Temple’ (National Treasure) are exhibited. Not only the main exhibition about ‘Roads’, but also an unfinished dugout canoe excavated in Shimoyakebe Historic Site and a weaving machine are exhibited. In the special exhibition room, many special and planned exhibitions go on the various themes. The museum also provides some active learning progurams, such as a reading the old documents and a weaving. You can feel close to the local history and culture here.

The Folk Museum of Higashimurayama

Exhibition Hall

Jizo-do Hall of Shofuku-ji Temple is located alongside the Kamakura-kaido Road on the Musashino Plateau. A custom spread here in the Edo period, it was that a person borrows one small Jizo statue from the hall, and when one’s wish accomplished, the statue is returned and another small Jizo stature is offered to the temple. As this custom spread, votive Jizo statues have increased to over a thousand. Nowadays the Jizo-do Hall, Shofuku-ji Temple Jizo Festival holds on the 3rd of November.
According to “the Summary of Legend of a Thousand Jizo Bosatu”(c.1802), this temple was founded by HOJO Tokimune, the ruling regent of Kamakura Shogunate. One day, Tokimune came to this site for falconry but fell suddenly ill. On his death bed, he met a monk in a yellow robe and received a pill in a dream. He recovered and thought that the dream was a revelation of the Jizo Bosatsu and decided to dedicate a temple here.

In fact, it is considered that the temple was founded as a branch temple of Kencho-ji Temple of Rinzai sect by Mujo Josho (1234-1306) who studied in Song China, but he invited his master Shikkei Shingetsu (?-1255) of the Kinzan Temple in Southern Song as a temple founder.

Jizo-do Hall is a main hall to place the principal statue in the Zen sect temple. The ink inscriptions found during the conservation in 1933 revealed that this temple was originally named Kongo-san Temple and the Jizo-do Hall has been enshrined to Jizo Bosatsu since its establishment.

It also tells that the Jizo-do Hall was built in 1407. These findings make this Jizo-do Hall as an important example of early 15th century architecture.

Its inner structure and decorations bear a close resemblance to the Pagoda of Enkaku-ji Temple (National Treasure) in Kamakura City.

Both temples are regarded as a representative of the highly standardized but refined form of mid-scale Zen temples of the early Muromachi period.

The strongly curved hip-and-gable, shingled roof is formed out of supporting eaves with ogidaruki (radially opening fan rafters) and mitesaki (three stepped bracket complex). The plan of the Jizo-do Hall is sangen-shiho (about 5.5meters square) and surrounded by mokoshi (skirting penthouse), incorporating Zen style designs such as earthen floor, kato-mado (ogival windows), yumi-ranma (transoms with bow shaped decorations), and sankarado (ledged panel doors).

Jizo-do Hall, Shofuku-ji Temple

The upper part of the dais for a Buddhist alter, placed in the middle of the innermost of the hall, has the dynamic structure of the roof truss with daikoryo (large rainbow-shaped beam), and taiheizuka (a large bottle-shaped post-and-bracket complex). The rafters which were arranged as if flowing down from the top are also splendid.

The principal statue of Standing Jizo Bosatsu and a thousand small votive Jizo statues are designated as an Important Cultural Property of Higashimurayama City.

Shimoyakebe Site is a complex site from the Paleolithic to the modern period, located in the alluvial wetland. Because of its position on the former river, the soil was so moist that the wooden artifacts were well preserved and a lot of them were found in the site.

Among the archeological finds, the wooden crafts with elaborate processing related to lacquer work from the late to the last Jomon periods are especially outstanding; combs, ornamental hairpins, bows, vessels, ladles, lacquered potteries and lacquered earthen earrings black or red. Moreover, the tools and equipments with lacquer work also uncovered were as follows; wooden piles of Japanese lacquer tree with cuts for tapping, the pieces of earthenware used as a container for keeping, processing, repairing and applying, and potteries with the trace for repairing joined by lacquer as a bonding agent and putty.

They are not only excellent crafts, but also indicate the technique and how to use of Japanese lacquer in the Jomon period.

Because of the extremely preciousness, they are designated as Tangible Cultural Properties of Tokyo (Archaeological Materials).

In ‘Hachikokuyama Experience Village’ (museum), a lot of excavated fi nds in the City are housed and the fi nds related to lacquer work from Shimoyakebe Site are also exhibited.

Excavated Lacquer bow

Shimoyakebe Site where the fi nds related to lacquer work were excavated is located 300 meters to the west of Hachikokuyama Experience Village. This site was discovered in rebuilding the housing complex and excavated in 1996.

The excavated area extends around the former course of Kita-gawa River and the junction of its tributaries. The following remains relatd to lives in the Jomon period were found; wooden piles and dam-like facilities of logs for blocking a stream, workplaces for cutting wild boars and deers, remains related to hunting courtesy. In addition to potteries and stone tools, the above-mentioned ‘Finds Related to Lacquer Work’ are also uncovered.

Because this site is important in the respct that many fi nds and remains indicating the lives and the technique of lacquer work in the Jomon period were excavated, a part of the site is preserved under the ground in situ. Today, this place becomes ‘Shimoyakebe Discovery Park’ and people use here for recreation and relaxation.