Banshu Hirafuku Shakunage-no-Sato
During the blooming season between early April and mid-May, visitors are met by more than 15,000 blooming rhododendron flowers of about 150 species, painting the mountainside in shades of bright red, white, purple and pink.
DetailDetailed information
- Address
- 1203-5 Nobuyoshi,Sayo Town
- Telephone Number
- 0790－83－2833
- Related web sites
- http://syakunagenosato.jp/
MAPNeighborhood Information
RecommendRelated Recommended Spots
Restaurant Kumotsuki
This restaurant provides specially prepared meals featuring Kobe beef and hand-picked vegetables from local farmers.
Wada Shoten
Located along Route 179, this shop offers warm, savory takoyaki and Japanese sweets such as taiyaki.
Niku no Hyogoya
Find locally-raised Himawari chicken at this small meat shop that also offers advice on the best way to enjoy it.
Harima Ippondo’s Weeping Cherry Tree
It is said that Harima Ippondo was built from a single large Zelkova tree. Many people visit the temple in spring to see the beautiful 300-year-old weeping cherry tree in full bloom.
Kozoji Temple
"In 725 (Jinki 2) ,Emperor Shomu was informed that there was a mountain in Sayo County, Banshu, that shone with rainbow light and had a pleasant fragrance, and he order the Shonin Gyoki to investigate. The guru prayed earnestly around the mountain, and on the seventh day, a white-haired old man appeared and told him, ""I have been waiting for you to come. If you carve my image and enshrine it, it will benefit people,"" and the being transformed himself into a thousand-armed Kannon. It is said that the main image of the statue, the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara, was carved over the next 1,000 days. Emperor Godaigo stopped by the temple when he was exiled to Oki during the Motohiro Rebellion, and prayed for victory in the battle to revive his country. During the Edo period (1603-1867), it became a family temple of the Mori family, lords of the Mikazuki domain, and prospered as a mausoleum and three-story pagoda were built. It is the 10th temple of the 33 temples in the western part of Harima. It is one of the seven gods of good fortune in western Japan."
Shinsayo Yakiniku
Established in 1975, the restaurant still maintains its quaint Showa Period Japanese atmosphere. All the grilled teppan-yaki and yakiniku BBQ meat dishes are made only using the finest Japanese black wagyu. You can also enjoy offal yakiudon, stir-fried noodles, with a delicious miso-based sauce.
GourmetNearby Gourmet Spots
Restaurant Kumotsuki
This restaurant provides specially prepared meals featuring Kobe beef and hand-picked vegetables from local farmers.
Roadside Shop Shukuba-machi Hirafuku
Hirafuku was a bustling post town along the historical Inaba Kaidō Highway during Japan's Edo Period (1603-1867). This roadside shop is the gateway for sightseeing in the Hirafuku area, where the old castle town remains. The shop offers a sales corner selling fresh local vegetables and local specialities, a restaurant serving dishes made from local ingredients, an observatory overlooking the "Ruins of Toshigami Castle", a tourist information space, and a cycle station for passing cyclists.
"A nostalgic old folk house café in the historic Hirafuku townscape. A modern ""Tea Ceremony Space"" with a sense of hybridity that transcends the boundary between Japanese and Western styles. Enjoy handmade lunches and sweets while seasonal flowers bloom. In addition, when you order coffee, we will deliver the aroma of freshly roasted beans to your seat."
Oyasumi-dokoro Uryubara
This community center was renovated from the original residence of the Uryubara family. The Uryubara's ran a foundry business in the region from the Edo Period (1603-1867) until the beginning of the Showa Period (1926-1989). The current building, erected in 1810, has a large smoke vent built into the roof, a unique architectural aspect of buildings in the former inn town of Hirafuku. The facility offers homemade soba, allowing visitors to sit-back, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal while they tour the building.
Juju
Authentic Chinese restaurant offering homemade chili shrimp, egg rolls, and more. The popular hors d'oeuvres and vinegar miso dressing made with local glutinous soybean miso are not to be missed.
Sayo Shokudo
Enjoy a bowl of ramen or a Japanese set meal using only the finest local Sayo vegetables, rice, and seasonings. This restaurant strictly uses no additives or preservatives, ensuring the freshest and most natural local dining experience.
HOTELNearby Accommodations
Nipponia Hirafuku Post Town
This private accommodation is set in the renovated former Kimura Residence, said to have been built in the Taisho Period (1912-1926). While preserving the thick beams and traditional exterior, the house is furnished in a way that combines the atmosphere of ages past and modern comforts, with locally produced Minada washi paper used for the shoji screens and sake barrels used as tables. Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the veranda surrounding the spacious courtyard or taking a soak in the spacious bath made of Hyogo cypress.
Outdoor vacation rental Ahirunomori
"The owner, who used to run an outdoor shop in Osaka, started this hands-on home-stay experience when he moved to the area. The appealing menu includes bushcraft workshops based on the experience of former Self-Defense Forces personnel, and cycling tours using electric cross bikes. Guests are also free to use the self-built huts on the premises, so they can use the Ahiro Forest for BBQ's, ent stays and other fun activities."
Guest House Asagiri
You can rent out a traditional Japanese private house in the mountains surrounded by nature. Please spend a relaxing time as if it's your "home away from home". We have amenities prepared so that you can come empty-handed. You can enjoy barbecues, playing in the river, a bonfire, etc. with your friends and family. It is also ideal for a training camp for a group of colleagues.
University of Hyogo Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory
Located at the summit of Mount Onade, the Nishi-Harima Observatory is equipped with a two-meter aperture Nayuta telescope, one of the world's largest available for public use. Centered around the observatory, there are nature trails, lodging facilities for groups and families, restaurants, and other facilities that allow visitors to stay overnight and enjoy stargazing to the fullest. Viewing parties are held every evening for overnight guests, while a general viewing party is held on Sundays for day-trippers. Please note that reservations are required on Saturdays and holidays. Many astronomical events are held throughout the year, allowing visitors to feel closer to the stars and the universe.
Sayo Star Resort Golf Club
Spread out over nearly 123 acres of land, the resort features a golf course and tennis courts, accommodations designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, a natural hot spring, a covered, all-weather barbecue terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, and other facilities, making it ideal for golfers as well as for families and friends. The convenient location, just 10 minutes from the Sayo IC, is also a plus.
Cobaco Work&Camp
Located in front of Sayo Station, Cobaco is a coworking space open for anyone to use. The space offers an enriching lifestyle experience where people with various skills, backgrounds, and knowledge can collaborate.