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Sightseeing in Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park

Tamagawa Aqueduct (Historic Site) and Statue of the Tamagawa Brothers

The Tamagawa Aqueduct was specified as a national historic site in 2003. It is a waterway that runs approximately 43 kilometers (26.7 miles) from Hamura Weir upstream of the Tamagawa River, through nine cities and four wards, to Yotsuya Okido, Shinjuku in Tokyo. The upstream section to the Kodaira monitoring station is still being used as an active water conduit. The key players in the development of the Tamagawa Aqueduct were the brothers Shoemon and Seiemon Tamagawa, appointed as the construction officers by the Edo shogunate in 1653. The brothers completed the construction on November 15 in the same year after having confronted many difficulties. A statue of the Tamagawa brothers was built in 1958 near Hamura Weir, and is about a 15-minute walk from the west exit of Hamura Station on the JR Ome Line.

Statue of the Tamagawa brothers

Main House and Barn of the Miyagawa Family Home (Registered Tangible Cultural Property)

This is the home of the Miyagawa family, who serve as the Guji (Chief priests) of Aso Shrine. The main house was built facing the south on the lower side of the pavilion area of Aso Shrine, and the barn is located southwest of the main house, close to the approach to the shrine near the bank of the Tamagawa River. From the style, it is estimated that the main house was built in the early nineteenth century. The simple barn was built in the early Meiji period with stone rubble (tamaishi) foundations and vertical wood walling. This building is also valuable as the city's oldest private home, having served as the home of the family of hereditary priests since the early modern period. The interior is not open to the public as this priest and his family still live here. It is about a 12-minute walk from the west exit of Hamura Station on the JR Ome Line.

Main house of the Miyagawa family home

Maimaizu Well

The Maimaizu Well is located within the precincts of Gonokami Shrine in Hamura City. The walking path leading down to the well is shaped like the shell of a snail (maimaizu in the Hamura dialect). It has been said that the well was built sometime between 806 and 810 CE, during the Daido period. On the other hand, some people estimate, based on its shape and its memorial tablet, that it was built in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The well was used until 1960. Its unusual path is because of the gravel layer, which is difficult to dig into vertically, in this area. It is said that digging a well with a spiral shape was a typical method when digging techniques were still undeveloped. It is a one-minute walk from the east exit of Hamura Station on the JR Ome Line.

Maimaizu Well

View of the Tamagawa River from Mt. Sengendake

Mt. Sengendake has a height of 235 meters (770.1 feet). There is a hiking trail that starts beside the Hamura City Folk Museum. It will take approximately between 20 and 30 minutes to slowly climb up. From the top of the bedrock of Hamura Shrine, panoramic views of green forests on the four terraces, the city center, and the course of the Tamagawa River are fantastic. To reach the site, walk for about 30 minutes from the west exit of Hamura Station on the JR Ome Line.

A view of the Tama River from Mt. Sengendake

Vegetable and Flower Market

Hamura City is a very prosperous producer of vegetables, fruit and flowers. The farmers’ market at Hanekami in Hamura City offers direct sales of farmers’ agricultural products, fresh, seasonal vegetables such as cabbages, taros, sweet potatoes, radishes, and flowers. The names of the farmers, and even their photographs, are shown on the labels of all products. In this way, the farmers state that their produce is safe and free of harmful ingredients. Also, many kinds of homemade products using Hamura agricultural products are available for purchase, and events are held throughout the year.

Farmers’ market

Sake Brewing

In Hamura City, the flourishing sake brewery uses spring water and medium hard water (water with a high mineral content) that runs beneath the ground of the Chichibu and Okutama areas. One of the sake breweries was established almost 200 years ago. The sake breweries take advantage of the natural environment in Hamura for brewing. Hamura sake with the label of the official mascot, called Hamurin, is for sale. Everyone in Hamura City supports sake brewing.

Hamurin Japanese sake

Ham and Rice Croquettes, Ham and Rice Burgers

These croquettes and burgers are local gourmet foods of Hamura City. The ham and rice croquettes are filled with butter-fried soft rice, ham, and cheese. A very popular sauce for the croquette is the demi-glace sauce. The ham and rice burger is unusual in that, instead of a bun, it uses rice, cooked with Hamura fresh water and then mixed with eggs. The high-quality fried ham is sandwiched between the rice layers. These familiar local gourmet foods are offered during the Industry Festival, the Hamura Summer Festival, and the Hamura Furusato Festival.

Ham and Rice Croquettes, Ham and Rice Burger

Hamura Mojito

A new specialty of Hamura was invented by the younger generation and Hamura City’s Chamber of Commerce. It features a cherry liqueur and salted cherry blossoms that are added to a rum-based mojito. After an exhilarating taste of mint and lime, a subtle cherry blossom flavor spreads in the mouth. It is served at about 35 shops and restaurants in the city with each of them offering a different mojito from the original.

Hamura Mojito

Hiking

Metropolitan Hamura Kusabana Hills Natural Park is in the hills rising 200 to 300 meters (650 to 985 feet) above the banks of the Tamagawa River, and includes hiking trails over Mt. Daicho, 192 meters (629 feet), and Mt. Sengendake, 235 meters (770 feet). There is a resting place overlooking Fussa City. The well-maintained hiking trails are surrounded by wooded groves, so you can feel you are on a real mountain climb. The views from Hamura Shrine, adjacent to Mt. Sengendake, are fantastic. It is a wonderful walk along the Katarai no Michi Trail, the Hamura Kusabana trail, the trail from Hamura Weir to the Ozaki Intake Weir, Manchi Pass, Mt. Sengendake, and back to Hamura Weir. We also recommend visiting historical architecture such as Tamagawa-josui Weir and the site of stone age dwellings.

The old Manchi Pass

Ayu Fishing

Hamura City is about one hour away from the center of Tokyo and is surrounded by lush mountains and rivers with many places to experience nature. In particular, ayu (sweetfish) fishing is very popular from around summer, with many local people and tourists visiting every year. There are three different methods of fishing for ayu: tomozuri, in which the angler uses a live decoy fish; korogashizuri. in which the angler rolls a sinker along the riverbed to hook active ayu; and dobuzuri, in which the angler uses artificial flies in the quiet pools of the river. Tomozuri and dobuzuri start from around June, and korogashizuri starts from around September.

Ayu fishing

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