Visited 13.05.2016 (Fri)
Scenic. Started Day 2 early to cover several places of interest (Genbikei 厳美渓, Motsuji 毛越寺 and Chusonji 中尊寺) located within Iwate Prefecture. First, bought the Ichinoseki x Hiraizumi One Day Bus Passport 一関 X 平泉 ワンデーバスパスポート from Iwate Ken Kotsu Bus Center 岩手県交通バスセンター to cover today’s bus travelling fare. Boarded the bus heading for Genbikei from the bus terminal in front of Ichinoseki Station 一ノ関駅 and arrived at my first destination - Genbikei 厳美渓, after a 20 minutes bus journey. In fact, there are two well known gorges in Ichinoseki and their names are pretty close in pronunciation. Taking the city center as the reference point, Genbikei is located in the west while Geibikei 猊鼻渓, a limestone gorge along Satetsugawa (Satetsu River 砂鉄川) is much bigger in scale than the former where boat riding can be experienced, is situated in the east.
Nature's work of art. Designated as a national natural monument, Genbikei gorge is a masterpiece created by nature and is such a beauty to behold. The corrosion of huge rocks caused by running water originating from Kurikoma mountain 栗駒山 along Iwaigawa 磐井川 created potholes, waterfalls, rapids and other river landforms over a 2 km stretch of gorge. Found out that there are two routes of varying distances to explore this natural landscape from the map on the display board. Chose the longer route which takes approximately 70 minutes to complete as I had set aside adequate time here. From Tengubashi 天工橋, the bridge closest to Genbikei bus stop, I covered the recommended route in a clockwise fashion.
Loud vs quiet. First, I dropped by the park where visitors can experience walking on the weathered rock terrain, come up close to the rugged cliffs and unusually turquoise coloured waters flowing along Genbikei. Accompanied by the strong raging sounds of the river, I walked leisurely along the side of the road and arrived at the next landmark, Chojatakibashi 長者滝橋, where a quieter and less furious looking side of Iwaigawa can be observed. From here, I walked alongside the river once again, in the same direction as the river flow this time round and returned to my starting point.
Flying dango! Apart from being known for its magnificent natural landscape, there is one other unique experience / activity which Genbikei is famous for. Dango 団子 is a Japanese dumpling made from glutinous rice (quite similar to our tang yuan) and Kakko-ya 郭公屋 is a shop offering this traditional Japanese sweet around Genbikei. Instead of having dango in the main shop itself, some patrons prefer to have their dango at the park located on the other side of the river, such that they can admire the gorge and enjoy their food at the same time. Kakko-ya provides a special delivery service to save the patron the hassle to come to the shop personally to purchase the food. At the park, there is a gazebo and a basket hanging on a zip-wire that spanned across the river. Patrons who want to purchase the dango can place the money into the basket and knock a board with a hammer. The staff sitting on the other side of the river, will start pulling the basket towards his/her direction upon hearing the sound. A few minutes later, the basket containing the dango and a cup of tea, will be sent flying along the zip-wire to their customers.
Delivery man. Decided to have my dango in the shop itself. There are a total of three skewers, each made up of five glutinous rice balls and dressed in different condiments - azuki bean paste, black sesame paste and mitarashi (sweet soy sauce glaze). While half way through my dango, I noticed some patrons walked down from the second storey of the shop and I was curious to find out why. Climbed the stairs to the second floor and I was warmly welcomed by one of the staff stationed there. Found out that this was the place where the flying dango leaves the shop to the park on the other side of the river via the zip-wire. Sat down here to finish the other half of the dango while observing how he managed the system and I was even given a chance to pull the basket back to the shop when an order came in!
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How to get there?
Scenic. Started Day 2 early to cover several places of interest (Genbikei 厳美渓, Motsuji 毛越寺 and Chusonji 中尊寺) located within Iwate Prefecture. First, bought the Ichinoseki x Hiraizumi One Day Bus Passport 一関 X 平泉 ワンデーバスパスポート from Iwate Ken Kotsu Bus Center 岩手県交通バスセンター to cover today’s bus travelling fare. Boarded the bus heading for Genbikei from the bus terminal in front of Ichinoseki Station 一ノ関駅 and arrived at my first destination - Genbikei 厳美渓, after a 20 minutes bus journey. In fact, there are two well known gorges in Ichinoseki and their names are pretty close in pronunciation. Taking the city center as the reference point, Genbikei is located in the west while Geibikei 猊鼻渓, a limestone gorge along Satetsugawa (Satetsu River 砂鉄川) is much bigger in scale than the former where boat riding can be experienced, is situated in the east.
Nature's work of art. Designated as a national natural monument, Genbikei gorge is a masterpiece created by nature and is such a beauty to behold. The corrosion of huge rocks caused by running water originating from Kurikoma mountain 栗駒山 along Iwaigawa 磐井川 created potholes, waterfalls, rapids and other river landforms over a 2 km stretch of gorge. Found out that there are two routes of varying distances to explore this natural landscape from the map on the display board. Chose the longer route which takes approximately 70 minutes to complete as I had set aside adequate time here. From Tengubashi 天工橋, the bridge closest to Genbikei bus stop, I covered the recommended route in a clockwise fashion.
Loud vs quiet. First, I dropped by the park where visitors can experience walking on the weathered rock terrain, come up close to the rugged cliffs and unusually turquoise coloured waters flowing along Genbikei. Accompanied by the strong raging sounds of the river, I walked leisurely along the side of the road and arrived at the next landmark, Chojatakibashi 長者滝橋, where a quieter and less furious looking side of Iwaigawa can be observed. From here, I walked alongside the river once again, in the same direction as the river flow this time round and returned to my starting point.
Flying dango! Apart from being known for its magnificent natural landscape, there is one other unique experience / activity which Genbikei is famous for. Dango 団子 is a Japanese dumpling made from glutinous rice (quite similar to our tang yuan) and Kakko-ya 郭公屋 is a shop offering this traditional Japanese sweet around Genbikei. Instead of having dango in the main shop itself, some patrons prefer to have their dango at the park located on the other side of the river, such that they can admire the gorge and enjoy their food at the same time. Kakko-ya provides a special delivery service to save the patron the hassle to come to the shop personally to purchase the food. At the park, there is a gazebo and a basket hanging on a zip-wire that spanned across the river. Patrons who want to purchase the dango can place the money into the basket and knock a board with a hammer. The staff sitting on the other side of the river, will start pulling the basket towards his/her direction upon hearing the sound. A few minutes later, the basket containing the dango and a cup of tea, will be sent flying along the zip-wire to their customers.
Delivery man. Decided to have my dango in the shop itself. There are a total of three skewers, each made up of five glutinous rice balls and dressed in different condiments - azuki bean paste, black sesame paste and mitarashi (sweet soy sauce glaze). While half way through my dango, I noticed some patrons walked down from the second storey of the shop and I was curious to find out why. Climbed the stairs to the second floor and I was warmly welcomed by one of the staff stationed there. Found out that this was the place where the flying dango leaves the shop to the park on the other side of the river via the zip-wire. Sat down here to finish the other half of the dango while observing how he managed the system and I was even given a chance to pull the basket back to the shop when an order came in!
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Genbikei 厳美渓
岩手県一関市厳美町字滝の上地内
Free admission
https://www.ichitabi.jp/spot/data.php?no=8
Kakko Dango 郭公だんご
岩手県一関市厳美町滝ノ上211
Operating hours: 0900 - 1600 hrs (Mar - Nov)
https://iwatetabi.jp/spot/detail.spn.php?spot_id=1434
Free admission
https://www.ichitabi.jp/spot/data.php?no=8
Kakko Dango 郭公だんご
岩手県一関市厳美町滝ノ上211
Operating hours: 0900 - 1600 hrs (Mar - Nov)
https://iwatetabi.jp/spot/detail.spn.php?spot_id=1434
How to get there?
(1) By bus. From Ichinoseki Ekimae bus terminal Platform 9, take buses (10, 11 and 12) departing for Genbikei 厳美渓.
* Look under Genbikei / Zuisen / Sukawa Onsen line 厳美渓線・瑞山線・須川温泉線 for bus schedule.
Bus schedule: http://www.iwatekenkotsu.co.jp/ichinoseki_hiraizumi.html
* Look under Genbikei / Zuisen / Sukawa Onsen line 厳美渓線・瑞山線・須川温泉線 for bus schedule.
Bus schedule: http://www.iwatekenkotsu.co.jp/ichinoseki_hiraizumi.html
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Video: Feel the power unleashed by the flowing water along Genbikei Gorge!
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