Weekly Topics/Archive
Feb. 2025 |
The other day, I read an article with the headline “Bar-hopping at great
price in Fushimi,
the town of sake breweries” in the local edition of the newspaper.
It seemed like an interisting event, so I decided to attend for the first
time.
I visited the Fushimi Tourist Association website right away and booked
my ticket online.
To my surprise, there was only one ticket before they sold out, but I managed
to make a
reservation just in time.
The event will be held on both February 22nd(Sat.) and 23rd(Sun.), but
the only day left
I can attend is the 23rd.
[Note] headline ; 見出し, bar-hopping ; 飲み歩き、 at a great price ; お得な価格で
sake brewery ; 酒蔵、Fushimi Tourist Association ; 伏見観光協会
There is only one 〜 left ; 〜は一つしか残つていない、 manage to 〜 ; 何とか〜する
just in time ; ギリギリ間に合って
The Fushimi Taiko Bar event was canceled a few years ago due to the effects
of
COVID-19, but it seemed to be a popular event that has been held since
2012.
52 restaurants from Fushimi Otesuji Shopping Street and Keihan Chusyojima
area
(Fushimi Momoyama area) will participate and offer special value food and
drink
set menues exclusive to the bar event.
[Note] Fushimi Otesuji Shopping Street ; 伏見大手筋商店街, special value ; 特別価格、お得な
Keihan Chusyojima ; 京阪中書島、 exclusive to 〜 ; 〜だけに限定されている
The Fushimi area is blessed with abundant water and has been a thriving sake brewing
area since long ago.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, it flourished as a castle town of Fushimi
Castle, and
during the Edo period, it flourished as a port town where 10-koku ships
traveled between
the town and Osaka.
Iit was also the historical stage toward the end of Tokugawa Shogunate,
and many historical
sites remain, including Teradaya, which is associated with Ryoma Sakamoto.
[Note] be blessed with 〜 ;〜 に恵まれている、 thriving ; (産業などが)繁栄している、盛んな
since long ago ; 昔(ずっと以前)から、 flourish ; 繁栄する、 10-koku ship ; 十石船
toward the end of Tokugawa Shogunate ; 幕末期に、 be associated with 〜 ; 〜と関係がある
I took advantage of this opportunity to enjoy a bar-hopping while taking
a historical stroll.
Below is the leaflet for this event.
[Note] take advantage of A to 〜 ; Aを利用して〜する
This is a bar map of Fushimi, Kyoto.
When I woke up this morning, I was very surprised to see a thin layer
of snow, as you
can see in the photo below.
The weather forecast said it would be cloudy with occational sunny spells,
so I decided
to attend the event.
I took the Kintetsu Line from Kyoto Station, changed to the Keihan Line
at Tambabashi
Station, and arrived at Chushojima Station just after 11 o'clock.
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This morning's weather (View of Mt. Hiei
from my house) (2025/02/23_08:16) |
Keihan Line Chushojima Station North Exit
(2025/02/23_11:12) |
Using Bar Map as a reference, I started my historical walk around Fushimi
from
Chushojima Station.
The walking route is as shown in the Google Map below.
[Note] a thin layer of snow ; 薄っすらと積もった雪
cloudy with occational sunny spells ; 曇り時々晴れ (occasional ; 時々、 sunny spells
; 晴れ間)
use 〜 as a reference : 〜 を参考にする
Route map for Fushimi Historical Walk and Bar Hopping Festival (Fushimi
Taiko Bar) |
The first place I visited was Chokenji Temple, which belongs to the Daigo school of
Shingon Buddhism and was founded in the early Edo period.
The vermilion mountain gate facing the Horikawa River, which was the outer
moat of
Fushimi Castle is eye-catching.
If you walk straight through the gate, you will see the main hall in front
of you.
The principal image is the only Benzaiten (Sarasvati) in Kyoto.
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The mountain gate(Ryugumon Gate) of
Chokenji Temple (2025/2/23_11:17) |
The view of the main hall |
Thereis a temizuya (purification fountain) on the left side in front of
the main hall.
This is Aka-sui, one of the famous springs of Fushimi,Kyoto.
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| Aka-sui in the grounds of Chokenji Temple |
[Note] Daigo scool of Shingon Buddhism ; 真言宗醍醐派、 vermilion ; 朱色の
outer moat ; 外堀、 eye-catching ; 人目を引く、目立つ、 principal image ; 本尊
Benzaiten (Sarasvati) ; 弁財天、 fountain ; 泉、噴水
By chance, I met a monk who seemed to be the head priest in the temple
grounds, who
gave me a detailed explanation about Aka-sui.
Originally, this water was offered to Buddha.
There are several underflow water sources from Lake Biwa in Kyoto,and.one
of them is
said to be located underground in Fushimi.
The place name Fushimi seems to come from the word “fusimizu” which means
underflow
water.
[Note] by chance ; たまたま、偶然、 head priest ; 住職、 Aka-sui ; 閼伽水
underflow water ; 伏流水、 fusimizu ; 伏水(ふしみず)
I walked along Horikawa River, crossed Fushimi Minato Park, and came out
onto Takeda
Kaido.
There was a stone monument marking the site of the Fushimi Choshu Clan
Residence on
the west side of this Kaido, just after crossing the intersection with
the trafic lights.
This place has now been transformed into the Fushimi Civil Engineering
Office.
[Note] Takeda Kaido ; 竹田街道、site of the Fushimi Choshu Clan Residence ; 伏見長州藩邸跡
be transformed into 〜 ; 〜に変わる(変身する)、 Civil Engineeering Office ; 土木事務所、
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Stone monument at the site of the
Choshu Clan Residence in Fushimi
(2025/2/23_11:36) |
Explanation of the stone monument |
The information board next to the monument reads:
In the early hours of July 19,1864, during the late Edo period, Choshu
clan Karo Fukuhara
Echigo led about 500 armed soldiers from the Choshu clan residence in Fushimi
and
marched to Kyoto.
Along th way, they clashed with soldiers from the Ogaki, Aizu, Kuwana,
and Sabae
domains who were guarding the Takeda Kaido near Inari on the Fushimi Kaido,
and
the Kinmon Rebellion broke out.
The Choshu clan soldiers led by Fukuhara retreated and returned to his
Fushimi clan
residence.
They fought back after reorganizing, but the allied forces including the
Hikone clan
bombarded the clan residence from Kyobashi, causing it to burn down.
In other words, the Fushimi Choshu clan residence was one of the sites
of the Kinmon
Rebellion at the end of Edo period.
[Note] fukuhara Echigo ; 福原越後、 karo (chief retainer) ; 家老、 retainer ; 家臣、家来
in early hours ; 未明に、 choshu clan residence ; 長州藩邸
the late Edo period /the end of Edo period / the last days of the Tokugawa
Shogunate ; 幕末
along the way ; その道中(途中)で、 clash with 〜 ; 〜と衝突(会戦)する
Kinmon Rebellion ; 禁門の変 【Rebellion ; (政府に対する暴力を使った)反乱、謀反 】
break out ; 急に起こる、勃発する、 retreat ; 退却する、撤退する、 allied forces ; 連合軍
fight back ; 応戦(反撃)する、 reorganize ; 再編成する、 bombard ; 砲撃する、爆撃する
burn down ; 燃え落ちる、全焼する、
Walking about 80 meters north along Takeda Kaido, You canl find the remains
of the
“30-koku boat pier” at the foot of Kyobashi Bridge over Horikawa River.
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The remains of the “30-koku boat pier” at the foot of Kyobashi Bridge
over Horikawa River (2025/02/23_11:48) |
The Horikawa River (tributary of Uji River) was built in 1594 to transport
construction
materials for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's construction of Fushimi Castle.
During the Edo period, wholesalers, inns, sake breweries were built along
the Horikawa
River, and the area became a loading wharf known as Fushimihama, where
small boats
transporting rice, firewood, charcoal, brewed sake, and other goods passed
through.
In particular, the area around Kyobashi was bustling with over a thousand
boats
transporting goods, including the 30-koku boata heading down the Yodo River
to Osaka,
the Yodo 20-koku boats heading to Yamashiro, and Shiba boats heading to
Uji.
It seems to have been the center of Fushihama.
Currently, it seems that tourist boats such as 10-koku boats and 30-koku
boats are in
operation.
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The view of the east side of Horikawa River
from Kyobashi Bridge (2025/02/23 11:46) |
The view of the west side of Horikawa River
from the foot of Kyobashi Bridge
(2025/02/23 11:49) |
[Note] 30-koku boat pie ; 三十石船の桟橋、 remain ; 跡、遺構、 tributary ; 支川、派流
Fushimihama ; 伏見浜、 firewood ; まき、charcoal ; 木炭、 pass through ; 通行(通過)する
bustle with 〜 ; 〜で賑わう、 Yodo 20-koku boat ; 淀二十石船、 shiba boat ; 芝舟
On the north side of Kyobashi Bridge there is a stone monument marking
the site of
the fierce battle at Fushimiguchi.
On the evening of January 2, 1868, the day before the Battle of Toba-Fushimi
began, about
200 vanguard troops traveled by boats from Osaka and landed at Kyobashi
in Fushimi.
They fought here, using Fushimi-Mido as their camp.
The Shogunate forces and Shinsengumi, who had set camp at the Fushimi
Magistrate's
Office, retreated towards Yodo, setting fire to private homes, and so many houses in the area
were burned down and suffered extensive damage.
[Note] fierce battle ; 激戦、 the Battle of Toba-Fushimi ; 鳥羽伏見の戦い
vanguard troops ; 先鋒隊 (vanguard ; 先陣、先駆けtroops ;部隊、軍勢)、 camp ; 野営地
Shogunate forces ; 幕府軍、 Shinsengumi ; 新撰組、 Fushimi Magistrate's Office
; 伏見奉行所
retreat ; (軍隊などが)退却する、撤退する、 set fire to 〜 ; 〜に火を放つ、〜に放火する
suffer damage ; 被害(損害)を受ける
The Battle of Toba-Fushimi was the first armed conflict between the new
Meiji
government and the former Shogunate forces.
This was the first battle of what is now known as the Boshin War.
This occurred shortly after the Edo Shogunate was abolished by “the Restoration
of
Imperial Rule” and “the Great Call for the Restoration of Monarchy” (both
in 1867) and
the new Meiji government was established.
The Satsuma and Choshu clans, which led the movement to overthrow the
shogunate,
fought on the side of the new government.
The former Shogunate forces included the former Shogunate Army, the Aizu
and Kuwana
clans, and the Shinsengumi.
The commander of the former Shogunate forces was Tokugawa Yoshinobu , the
last
Shogun of the Edo Shogunate.
However, Keiki himself remained in Osaka Castle due to poor health and
did not participate
in the battle.
[Note] armed conflict ; 武力衝突、 Boshin War ; 戊辰戦争
the Restoration of Imperial Rule ; 大政奉還(日本の幕末の)王政復古、 abolish ; 廃止する
the Great Call for the Restoration of Monarchy ; 王政復古の大号令
overthrow ; 転覆させる、打倒する、 commander ; 大将、司令官、
Stone monument at the site of ↑
the fierce battle of Fushimiguchi
Explanation of the above monument →
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After passing this fierce battlefield, I turned right and walked about
100m to get to the
historical site,“Teradaya”.
This is the main site on today'shistorical walk.
I've always wanted to visit this place so I was happy to be able to do
so.
Teradaya was a port inn in Fushimi.
It is known as the stage of the “Teradaya Incident” at the end of the
Edo period.
It was damaged during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868, but was later
rebuilt.
The following two incidents, which occured at Teradaya, an inn at the end
of the Edo
period, are kown as the Teradaya Incidents.
1.The incident that occured in 1862, when the Satsuma Domain suppressed
the
pro-imperial patriots.
2.The attack on Sakamoto Ryoma by the Fushimi Magistrate that occured
in 1866
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| The reconstructed Teradaya today (2025/02/23 11:53) |
Teradaya Histric Site (2025/02/23 11:54) |
[Note] port inn ; 船宿、 Teradaya Incident ; 寺田屋事件、 Satsuma Domain ; 薩摩藩
suppress ; 鎮圧する、抑える、 pro-imperial ; 尊皇派の、 patriot ; 愛国者
After this, I stopped by the headquarters of the Fushimi Taiko Bar venue
to pick up
my reserved ticket.
I paid 3,700 yen for the advance ticket.
Upon entering the Kizakura Memorial Hall from the back entrance, there were videos and
panels on display introducing zake brewing.
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| Exibit on sake rice |
Exibit on types of sake |
Kizakura Kappa Country Banner
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[Note] Fushimi Taiko Bar venue ; 伏見太閤バル会場､ advance ticket ; 前売り券
Kizakura Memorial Hall ; 黄桜記念館、 back entrance ; 裏口、 ske brewing ; 酒造り、酒造
on display ; 展示された、 exbit on 〜 ; 〜に関する展示
Within Kizakura Memorial Hall was Fushim's famous spring water, “Fushimizu.”
Unfortunately, the underflow water “Fushimizu” did not spring up.
This area is blessed with an abundance of underflow water containing the
right amount of
minerals, making it ideal for sake brewing, and many sake breweries are
located here.
I'm sure Kizakura Co.,Ltd. is one of them.
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| The famous spring water “Fushimizu” within Kizakura Memorial Hall (2025/02/23
12:30) |
[Note] Fushimizu ; 伏水、 spring up ; 湧き出る、
make 〜 ideal for ・・・・; (主語によって)〜が・・・に最適なものになる、 I'm sure ; 〜でしょうね
I head to the stone monument at the site of the former Tosa clan residence
in Fushimi.
I looked for the monument at the corresponding spot on the MAP, but couldn't
find it.
Next, I head to the final destination of today's historical walk, the former
site of Aizu clan
garrison (Fushimi Mido).
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Explanation of the stone monument
at the former site of the Aizu clan garrison |
The former site of Aizu clan garrison (Fushimi Mido)
(2025/02/23_12:44) |
The stone monument at the former site of
the garrison (2025/02/23 12:43) |
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[Note] corresponding spot ; 該当(対応)する場所
former site of Aizu clan garrison ; 会津藩駐屯地跡
According to the stone monument, Fushimi Mido was founded by Kyonyo, the
12th head
priest of Higashi Honganji Temple, during the Momoyama period.
The grounds for this temple were donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
On the evening of January 2, 1868, the day before the Battle of Toba-Fushimi
began, about
200 vanguard troops from Aizu clan landed at Kyobashi in Fushimi and set
up camp at
Fushimi Mido.
At around 4:00 p.m. on the following day, January 3, during a skirmish
with the Satsuma clan,
the sound of a cannon coming from the Toba area was heard.
Cannons from the Satsuma clan stationed on high ground to the east of the
Gokonomiya
Shrine fierd, attacking the Fushimi Magistrate's Office, and so the battle
also began in the
town of Fushimi.
It is said that there was a gunfight using the tatami mats in the main
hall as shilds, and
that the building suffered extensive damage.
Currently, the building has been demolished due to deterioration, and only
the large ginkgo
tree, the bell tower, and the mountain gate remain.
[Note] Kyonyo ; 教如、 donate ; 寄付する、 vanguard troops ; 先鋒隊 (troops ; ＜軍事＞部隊)
skirmish ; (軍事)小競り合い、小戦闘、 cannon ; 大砲、 station ; 配備(配置)する
Gokonomiya Shrine ; 御香宮、 gunfight ; 銃撃戦、 shield ; 盾、防御物、 demolish ; 取り崩す
deterioration ; 劣化、老朽化、 ginkgo ; イチョウ、 bell tower ; 鐘楼
It was a historical walk of about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
I was glad to be able to visit several historical sites while thinking
about Fushimi, a historical
stage plagued by civil war in the late Edo period.
Now, I'm off to today's main event, the Fushimi Taiki Bar Hopping.
I feel a little embarassed about drinking alcohol in the middle of the
day, but since it's a
festival, I think it's okay.
Well then, I'm off.!
[Note] plagued by 〜; 〜に悩まされた、〜に苦しめられた、 be off to 〜 ; 〜に出かける
feel embarrassed ; 恥ずかしい(きまりが悪い)と思う、 in the middle of the day ; 真っ昼間に(から)
well then ; それでは、 I'm off! ; 行ってきます
To be continued Wtopics-2.311 / “Walking around Fushimi, Kyoto and Fushimi Taiko
Bar Hopping (2/2_Fushimi Bar Hopping)”
Japanese diary-2.1212 / 「京都伏見街歩き&伏見太閤バル飲み歩き(1/2_伏見街歩き)
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