Honederamura Shōen, Archaeological site and historic manor in Ichinoseki, Japan
Honederamura Shōen is a medieval manor with preserved rice paddies and traditional buildings situated on a terraced plain near Mount Kurikoma. The site encompasses fields, structures, and waterways that follow the original layout of a feudal-era agricultural estate.
A Buddhist monk named Jizaibō Renkō donated the land to Chūson-ji temple in Hiraizumi during the late Heian period to support a sutra library. This gift established it as an important religious asset within the temple's economic network.
Two detailed maps from the Kamakura period, stored at Chūson-ji temple, document the estate's layout, confirming the preservation of its medieval agricultural landscape.
The site is best explored on foot, with a walk lasting 40 to 60 minutes taking you through rice paddies, traditional buildings, and natural springs along the Honedera River. The terrain is hilly and can become slippery when wet, so appropriate footwear and flexible timing are important.
Detailed maps from the Kamakura period stored at Chūson-ji temple document the precise original layout of the property. These plans allow visitors to connect preserved structures with historical reality and fully understand how a medieval estate was organized in space.
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