Okamoto Hachiman Shrine

When you get out through the gate of Okamoto Folk House Park, it's right at the Torii gate of Okamoto Hachiman Shrine.

There's a very steep stairway to the shrine.

Shrine itself is small and seems to be old, but no records are found to show how old it is.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

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Okamoto Folk House Park

Okamoto Folk House Park has old Japanese style country house, a storehouse and an old gate.

Main house with big straw roof has a hearth in the room so that you can sit on tatami floor around the fire. Fire is lit almost every day. House keeps tools and utensils in old time.

Storehouse has thick white fireproof walls.
You can see video in it now.

You can go out through an old gate on the back side of the house.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

<Admission>

Free of charge

9:30-16:30     Closed on Mondays
                   (Open if it's holiday and closed on the following Tuesday)
                   Dec. 28-Jan.4 (Open on Jan. 1)

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Seikado Green Space

Seikado Bunko is located on the hill in the area called Seikado Green Space.
You need to go up on the slope to get to Seikado Bunko Museum.

There're several parks around here to maintain natural environment.
There're many trees and bamboo forest.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

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Seikado Garden

There's a garden on the back side of Seikado Bunko Museum.
You should go under the building to get to the garden.

This small garden is on the steep hill. So there's no ponds nor waters.
There're plum trees and bamboo forest.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

<Admission>

Free of charge

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Seikado Bunko Museum

Seikado Bunko has classic books and arts of Asia and Japan.
These collections were collected by Iwasaki family who owned Mitsubishi financial group.

Actually, the second owner Yanosuke and his son Koyata purchased 200,000 old books and 5,000 arts including 7 national treasures and 82 important cultural properties.

Seikado Bunko has a library which is open for researchers only.
Museum is open to public.

There's a mausoleum which is for Iwasaki family.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

<Admission>

1000 yen

10:00-16:30     Closed on Mondays and during exhibition preparation periods
                     (Open if it's holiday and following Tuesday is closed)

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Tamagawa Daishi Temple

Tamagawa Daishi Temple was opened in 1925, so this temple doesn't have a long history.
But this temple is famous for a long underground path at the bottom of main hall.

This underground path was completed in 1934.
It has more than 300 Buddha statues and pictures including 88 temples pilgrimage in Shikoku and 33 temples pilgrimage in Saigoku (Western countries) so that you can make a shortcut to visit many temples.

This path is about 100 meters long and go around like a maze.
When you go down to the stairs, you cannot see anything since it's so dark.
After walking by putting both hands on the walls in total darkness for a while, you'll see many Buddha statues in the path.

There's another dark spot in the middle.
You may hear sound of bells which other visitors ring.

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<The Nearest Station>

Futako Tamagawa station on Den-en Toshi Line (From Shibuya)

<Admission>

At least 100 yen donation

9:00-16:30

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Flower Hill

There's an area called "Flower Hill" in this Roka Koshunen Park.
It's filled with beautiful flowers in every season.

Now we have yellow carpets of field mustard.

It's a surreal view of beautiful flowers with gas tanks.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roka Koen station on Keio Line (From Shinjuku)

<Admission>

Free of charge

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Roka's Houses

Roka's house is open to public. (Currently it's closed for restoring.)
You can get into the main house. Of course, you have to take off your shoes at the entrance.

Two houses are connected to the main house with hall ways.
One is called "Shusui Shoin" which means Autumn Water Study.
Another one is called "Baika Shooku" which means Plum Flower Library.

There's an independent house which is his wife Aiko's residence.

They had lived here for Roka's last 20 years in his life.
10 years after his death, Aiko donated everything to Tokyo City to maintain these houses, garden and his stuff.

Their grave site is just beside their houses.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roka Koen station on Keio Line (From Shinjuku)

<Admission>      Currently Closed for restoring

Free of charge　　　

9：00-16：30     Closed on Dec. 29-Jan. 3

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Roka Memorial Hall

Around Roka Memorial Hall, there're plum trees and bamboo forest.
This hall exhibits materials related to Roka Tokutomi who's a novelist in Meiji era.

Roka Tokutomi was born in Kumamoto, Kyushu which is in southern part of Japan.
He devoted himself to Tolstoy, Russian novelist in his young days. Actually, he went to Russia to see Tolstoy.

He came to Tokyo for university.
He started as a poet and his novel "Hototogisu (Little Cuckoo)" became a best seller.

He had lived here in his last 20 years.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roka Koen station on Keio Line (From Shinjuku)

<Admission>

Free of charge

9：00-16：30     Closed on Dec. 29-Jan. 3

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Roka Koshunen Park

Roka Koshunen Park is a wide open park with many trees.

It has Roka Memorial Hall and his old house. Roka Tokutomi is a novelist in Meiji era.
His wife and his grave is here, too.

There's a park for kids and dog run and area called Flower Hill.
There're many joggers in here.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roka Koen station on Keio Line (From Shinjuku)

<Admission>

Free of charge

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