[Hanazawanosato] (Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, former province name: Suruga)

If you look at the topography of Shizuoka Prefecture, especially the former Suruga Province (present-day eastern Shizuoka Prefecture), you can see that cities such as Shizuoka City were built on plains opened up by rivers, and rivers or localized mountain ranges serve as boundaries between each region. These boundaries always flow into Suruga Bay, and scenic spots with cliffs, such as Satta Pass in the eastern part of Shizuoka City, were born. Hanazawayama and Okuzure Coast, which separate the Mochimune district in the western part of Shizuoka City from Yaizu City, are also symbols of this topography, and this area has been widely known as a difficult place on the Tokaido since ancient times.

Hanazawa-no-Sato is a village in a valley along the Hanazawa River in the mountainous area centered around Hanazawayama. It is a small settlement of about 30 houses lined up in a narrow valley about 800m from north to south, but the road leading to Nihonzaka Pass is said to be the ancient Tokaido, and it is imagined that many travelers have passed through here since ancient times. In the Middle Ages, a branch castle of the Imagawa clan, the guardian of Suruga Province, was built on the mountain ridge and played the role of guarding Sunpu from the west, and it is also known as the site of fierce battles during Takeda Shingen's invasion of Suruga. As the existing townscape has hardly changed since the 17th century, it was the first in Shizuoka Prefecture to be certified as a national "Important Preservation Site."
The townscape is characterized by its location along the slope of the mountain pass and the clear stream, and each house has a sturdy stone wall to create a flat foundation, on which the wooden house is built. Therefore, if you look at the mountain pass road and the row of houses from a distance, the contrast between the stone walls and wooden houses is in line with the slope, and together with the natural curves of the clear stream, it creates an indescribable atmosphere. If you look down at the flow of the Hanazawa River, you will see small stone steps remaining in various places. These are called "dandan" and indicate that the residents coexisted with the river. Today, the mountain pass road and the clear stream are bathed in sunlight filtering through the soft new green leaves, allowing you to peacefully recall the activities of the past.

Although Hanazawa Village as a whole has a pristine atmosphere, in recent years it has been gaining new appeal as a tourist destination. The "Hanazawa District Visitor Center" (photos 4-6), located in the middle of the village, is a renovated house built in the Edo period, and you can sit on the edge and relax like a traveler of the past. The explanations, including an overview of the architecture and the cultivation of mandarin oranges, the village's main industry, are interspersed with historical documents, allowing visitors to understand the history of the region through a detailed focus on the village itself.
As you continue to climb the mountain pass, you will come across "Country Open" (first photo). This old-style cafe makes use of a storehouse and barn that are about 150 years old, and offers coffee, drinks such as "lemon vinegar soda," and cakes and other sweets. The store also displays miscellaneous goods handmade by the owner and local artists, so you can actually pick them up and experience their charm. One of the characteristics of the store is that many of the items combine the natural environment and the ingenuity of the artists, especially wooden smartphone speakers. The charm of the cafe is further enhanced by its location facing the Hanazawa River. As an experiment, if you place a speaker in the large window that frames the fresh greenery like a picture frame and play music, you can hear the babbling brook and the birds along with the rich sound quality, and fully experience the clear air of the Satoyama. You can relive the activities that have been woven in the village and immerse yourself in the rich environment to your heart's content.

Recommended for solo travelers: ★★★★ (There are people, but not many. You can enjoy sightseeing in peace!)

Visit date: Saturday, the third week of May, around 3pm

Access: About 10 minutes by car from Yaizu IC

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Post by hanakin_kozakura | Apr 24, 2025