Walking around the home of Waka,
Kokindenju-no-sato Field Museum
Waka Literature Hall
Surrounded by nature with large windows and an open atmosphere, Waka Literature Hall is a corridor-type exhibition hall. Even people who are not familiar with Waka can also enjoy seeing it. In the exhibition room on the 1st floor, the history of over 1300 years from Manyoshu (The oldest collection of Waka) to the present day are divided into 10 display boards. You can understand the history of literature through several famous poets representing each era. When you go up to the 2nd floor, the exhibition room where the light coming through from the glass window is impressive. A mural “Kokin Wakashu Emaki”, which is 2.4m high and 36m long, introduces the representative songs of Kokin Wakashu. If you follow this painting, you can learn the history of Kokin Wakashu in the simplest way. Special exhibitions and forums of short poems are held at any time, and you can experience the world of Japanese poetry from classical to contemporary Japanese short poems.
Seminar House Villa Sinowaki
It is a steel-framed copper plate-roofed building with thatched roofs partly left. The original roof was thatched, but due to the damage of aging, it was replaced with a copper plate roof in 2014. By skilled craftsmanship, the gentle curve of the thatched roof is reproduced with a copper plate roof, and you can get a glimpse of the old thatched roof from the open verandah. This hall is a dramatic space created by the shade of light, which you can only find in Japanese houses. The autumn leaves and plum blossoms through the glass make you feel different seasons. When you sit at the open verandah, Mt Shinowaki reflected in the pond in front of you is impressive. It is used for multiple purposes such as poetry, tea ceremony, an exhibition of books and paintings, and small meetings. If it is not reserved for private use, it is open to the public for free.
Toshi Memorial Hall
A huge amount of excavated items excavated from the site of the House of To family, historical materials related to Kokindenju, and Waka poems were written by the emperor are all displayed. Lord To the family, who enjoyed Waka for generations, and the history of Kokindenju are introduced through video and audio for visitors to understand more easily.
In addition, there are imaginary drawings and three-dimensional models of Shinowaki Castle, which was the residence of Lord To, and you can imagine what the mountain castle looked like in the past. If you are going for a walk around the Remains of Shinowaki Castle, it is a good idea to stop by here to deepen your understanding.
Kokindenju-no-sato Field Museum
Who is To Tsuneyori,
the founder of Kokindenju?
Who is To Tsuneyori, the founder of Kokindenju? To Tsuneyori was the 9th military commander of the To Family who ruled Gujo from Kamakura era to Muromachi period. He was also an excellent poet called “The forefather of Kokindenju”. One of the famous episodes about To Tsuneyori is reported that he regained the stolen castle and territory by exchanging Waka poems with Mino’s guardian, Myochin.
Yamato Cultural Property Collection / Exhibition Hall
Next to the Toshi Memorial Hall, at Yamato Cultural Heritage Collection and Exhibition Hall, there are artifacts excavated from the stone age to the Middle Ages in this area, ancient documents such as Horeki turmoil (Gujo Ikki), and modern documents. The cultural properties of the former Yamato-cho (Currently Gujo-shi designated cultural properties, including some Gifu-ken designated cultural properties) are stored and exhibited. It is a valuable exhibition hall where you can trace the history and culture of this area while looking at the exhibits.
Tanka Library Yamato Bunko
Adjacent to Toshi Memorial Hall, Tanka (Japanese poem of thirty‐one syllables) specialty library “Yamato Bunko” is rare in Japan. It is a collection of poems donated by poets from all over the country, association magazines, and research books related to the Japanese poetry literature of Kokin Wakashu. You can enter the library for free during the opening hours.
Tanka-no-sato Koryukan Yobukodori
(Café, museum shop)
Yobukodori is a complex facility with a cafe, museum shop, and Tadao Shimazu library. Yobukodori is one of the “Three birds” which are secret birds in Kokindenju, along with Momochidori and Inohosedori. As the meaning of “Calling friends” is included in its name, it is a facility where many people stop by and gather. The museum shop sells postcards, stationery, local souvenirs, and handmade craftworks. At the cafe with an open high ceiling, you can enjoy morning meals made by local mothers using local vegetables, light meals with plenty of handmade side dishes, and a set of matcha tea and sweets. There are also terrace seats where you can see the surrounding mountains, so if you are tired, you should definitely stop by and take a break.
Yobukodori
Tadao Shimazu Bunko
The library, Tadao Shimazu Bunko, was created by donating the collection of books by Mr Tadao Shimazu (Professor Emeritus, Osaka University), who was a national scholar and a literary adviser of Kokondenjunosato Field Museum. It is located inside Tanka-no-sato Koryukan Yobukodori. You can visit the books and materials on the shelves freely. Mr Tadao Shimazu is a national literary scholar who specializes in classical literature such as Waka and Renga (Linked poems), and literary history. He is also known as a Tanka poet and modern Tanka critic. From the donated books, you can see his breadth of research and interest.
Restaurant Momochidori
Restaurant Momochidori is a French restaurant located beside the bank of a large pond in Kokondenjunosato Field Museum. Inside the glassed-in restaurant, you can enjoy French cuisine prepared by a local chef who knows the local ingredients so well while enjoying the seasonal scenery. Restaurant name Momochidori comes from the name of a bird, which is one of the secrets of Kokindenju, meaning that various birds gather and sing. You can enjoy French cuisine while enjoying the fresh greenery in early summer and the colorful autumn leaves in autumn, and the beautiful scenery reflected on the surface of the pond. The wine list is very full and cakes can be booked on anniversaries. How about spending a special time here with your friends and family?
Restaurant Momochidori
Toshi-yakataato-teien (Remains of To Family Mansion Garden)
National scenic spot Toshi-yakataato-teien at the foot of Mt Shinowaki is the remain of the mansion where Lord To used Shinowaki Castle as his residence for more than 230 years. It was discovered by chance during field maintenance in 1979. After four-year research, many pieces of ceramics that were said to have been used by Lord To, the cornerstone of the building, and even stone under the pond were excavated in almost perfect form. In addition, flowers and trees described in Kokin Wakashu and New Kokin Wakashu are planted in the park, making it a place of relaxation for you to enjoy the scenery of the four seasons. Among them, about 1,500 peony plants are planted in Peony Garden, which is in full bloom in early May.
Toshi-yakataato-teien (Remains of To Family Mansion Garden)
Enjoy Toshi-yakataato-teien by
AR Tour guide app!
At Toshi-yakataato-teien, we have introduced an AR tour guide using a smartphone app since May 2020. By reading the signboards installed in 20 places in the garden (Read with the app below) or QR code, you can enjoy the scenery spreading in front of you and the story related to video and audio. The garden is fully equipped with Wi-fi and anyone with a smartphone can use it.
| Address | 912-1 Yamatocho Maki, Gujo Shi, Gifu Ken, 501-4608 |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 0575-88-3244 |
| Parking area |
Parking area at Kokindenju-no-sato Field Museum (200 for ordinary cars, buses also welcomed) |
| Access | 7 minutes from Gifu Yamato IC |
Toshi-yakataato-teien (Remains of To Family Mansion Garden)
Kokindenju-no-sato Field Museum
| Address | 912-1 Yamatocho Maki, Gujo Shi, Gifu Ken, 501-4608 |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 0575-88-3244 |
| Holiday | Tuesday (Next weekday if it is a public holiday), 29th Dec to 3rd Jan. |
| Opening hours | 09:00 – 17:00 (10:00 – 16:00 from December to March, * Varies from different facilities) |
| Official website | http://www.kokindenju.com/ |
Kokindenju-no-sato
Field Museum