History of Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
This region is blessed with abundant water and nature, and has produced many distinguished people. Many ruins from the Jomon and Kofun periods have been excavated here, indicating the early evolution of culture in this region. The Hamura area, which was a small village until early modern times, was also where the Tamagawa Aqueduct began, when it was excavated in the Edo period to deliver drinking water to Edo (the old name for Tokyo). After that, exchanges with the shogunate became more frequent as the village included the intake of the Tamagawa Aqueduct. Hamura Weir is the water intake weir for the Tamagawa Aqueduct. The site of a well and the site of Paleolithic dwellings are located at the bottom of the hill. Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park was designated a metropolitan natural park in 1953.
Dondo-yaki in January
Dondo-yaki is a traditional New Year’s bonfire festival where people pray for sound health in the new year. Festivalgoers build a small tent (or hut) out of straw or bamboo, strew New Year’s pine decorations and rope used to ward off evil onto the tent, and then light the tent and decorations on fire. Later, mochi (sticky rice cakes) and dango (dumplings) are roasted over the fire and eaten. Every year in Hamura City, starting from 8 a.m. on Coming of Age Day (the second Monday of January), dondo-yaki is held in two locations: on the banks of the Tama River under the Hamura-Sekishita Bridge and on the Children’s Field in Miyanoshita Sports Park. The word dondo is a Japanese onomatopoeia that elicits the image and sounds of burning flames. The word also derives from the Japanese word dondobi, which means a fire to bid farewell to the god of the new year.
Two Vitality Markets: The Daruma Market in January and the Asagao-Hozuki Market in July
Every January and July in Hamura City, farmers and shop owners jointly hold “vitality markets,” which aim to revitalize the city. The first, held in January at the start of the new year, is called the Daruma Market, where rows of lucky daruma dolls in vivid colors of red, white, green, and yellow and of all different sizes pray for health, thriving business, and great achievements. At the market, you can also find various food stands and stalls selling fresh vegetables. At the Asagao-Hozuki Market (morning glory and ground cherry market) held in July, vendors sell morning glories and ground cherries. You can also find stalls selling fresh vegetables and traditional Japanese sweets, food stands, and a flea market.
Hamura’s Flower and Water Festivals in March and April
These festivals are some of the largest events held in Hamura City, making use of the sakura mikoshi (cherry blossoms), tulips, and the Tamagawa Aqueduct that are popular tourist attractions. At the Sakura Festival, you can enjoy the approximately 200 magnificent cherry trees that bloom mostly along the Tamagawa Aqueduct and near the Hamura Dam. At night, the trees are lit up, so you can enjoy a view of the blossoms at night. You can also watch lively processions of parade floats and portable shrines (mikoshi) from various shrines around the city. At the Tulip Festival, about 400,000 tulips of 60 variations bloom in all different colors. Tulips are the secondary crop grown in Negarami-mae Paddy Field, the only paddy within city limits. When tulips are in bloom, Negarami-mae Paddy Field becomes the largest tulip field in the Kanto region.
お問い合わせ
このページの担当は自然環境部 緑環境課 自然公園計画担当です。
Related links
Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
- Features of Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
- History of Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
- Wildlife of Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
- Sightseeing in Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park
- Accessing Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park