Ninja experience in Iga and peaceful garden in Koka

 As the truth of the Ninja is shrouded in mystery, the mountains that surrounding Iga city were wrapped in mist. It was rainy day when we got to the birth place of Ninja but this made really Ninja like atmosphere.

He showed us various trick devices of ninja house. Those were for the measurements to protect the know how to produce gun powder from the enemy.

View of the city from the top floor of Ueno Castle

  My guests were staying in the hotel nearby Kusatsu station where is convenient location to access to Iga and Koka, the birth place of Ninja. Although it took about 2 hours to get to Iga, we could enjoy talking and country views such as rice field and bamboo forest. Even we were able to see the factory of the world's largest toilet manufacturer "TOTO"  from train window on the way to the destination.

 Since my guests had JR Pass, their transportation fee was free except for taxi from JR Iga Ueno St. to Ueno Park. First place we enjoyed in Iga was Iga Ueno Castle located in the park. Even though t is one of the sightseeing highlights of the city, nobody there except for the castle staff so we could occupy whole castle!

Comparing to other castles, Iga ueno castle has high stone basement for its scale. It had might been hard work to sneak into the castle even for matured ninja.

Todo Takatora, a famous lord who made the castle stronger and governed it under the regime of Tokugawa shogunate

My guest liked Takatora's black lacquered helmet.

 After the castle, we headed to Ninja museum. On the way to there, we stopped by memorial building of Basho, historical Haiku master.

It was built to commemorate the 300th birth year of Haiku master. 

Inside the building, there is Basho made of local ceramic in kilt.

 Basho was born in Iga so it is the image of him before leaving for Edo capital city. Since he traveled all around Japan to compose Haiku, it is said that Basho was a Ninja to gather the information. The truth is shrouded in mystery though, still now many people love his works.

 We headed to ninja museum and checked the time schedule of the show. While waiting for the show, we enjoyed the ninja house and the exhibitions of the museum.

You can see the schedule from the official webpage

My guests tried ninja star shuriken throwing. His girlfriend tried blowgun with long shaft and hit the target very well. She has potential. Photography and video recording were prohibited during the show.

After the show, we went for lunch to the castle town.  My guests like beef so "Iga beef" was a must to eat.

We enjoyed Iga beef with reasonable price. Marble beef is melt in your mouse! This was also only in Iga experience because most of this local beef is consumed in the city. 

After the lunch, we strolled around the town and stopped by traditional sweet store. My guest loves doubling on the skewer. Kind shop staff also served us good green tea.

"Oshimon" literally means press thing. Tile fish is a typical gift for auspicious occasion such as graduation ceremony of school but Iga is inland country and it was hard to get it. So people makes auspicious fish with sweet by using mold. 

  We really enjoyed Iga city that is not only for ninja but also other traditional Japanese culture and townscape.  On the way back to Kusatsu, we also visited the other ninja associated city, Koka.

The garden of Daichi-ji temple depicting treasure boat by the hedge of azalea. It was so tranquil and what we could hear was only bird sound. What a peaceful place!

Amazing pine tree that has so long branch welcomed us. 

When I was around the age of 2 years old, I was living nearby here and brought here by grandma and mother. So the temple gave me some nostalgic feeling. Kindly priest of the temple explained about the temple and I translated it for the guests.

 As the last destination of this tour, we went back to Kyoto and enjoyed the illumination event of Nishihonganji temple. It was so fantastic and worth to visit there.