Blog

場所によって、「時」が知らない所がありますよね。駒ヶ根の光前寺さんは正にそう言う「時代を超える」場所です。

長野県の中で、敷地が善光寺の次に２番目広い、８６０年に出来た光前寺。８００年の歴史を持つ杉の木、静かな庭園、南信の唯一の三重塔、不思議な光苔、零犬早太朗の伝説、

永遠な魅力なお寺です。

駒ヶ根に行けば光前寺さんに是非、寄って下さい。
春ならしだれ桜、秋ならまぶしい紅葉、その間は幻な光苔、冬はきっと綺麗な雪景色、
その雄大な杉が並んでいる参道、
立派な門をくぐって、
庭園を見て　←有料（５００円、御茶及びお土産付き）
歴史を難じさせる本堂でお参りして、
三重塔の美しさを楽しんで、
早太朗の像に挨拶して、

ここは伝説の光前寺の別な世界。

What is is about Japanese temples that give them an air of eternity? For Komagane's Kozen-ji, is it its history that dates back to AD860? Or perhaps the 800-year old cedar trees along the 'sando' pilgrimage path? Maybe it's the mysterious glowing moss in the cracks between the boulders that line the sando. Then there's the blissfully peaceful formal garden (entrance fee 500 yen including tea and a souvenir), the venerable main hall, the graceful 3-story pagoda (the only one in southern Nagano), and the statue of the Hayataro wolf from the legend of the same name.

Come see Kozen-ji, and experience Kozen-ji's eternal time and space.

光前寺 Kozen-ji

7月30日に私が43歳となりました。43歳との事で、そろそろ「若旦那」と言えなくなってしまいますね。まあ、誕生日に合わせて家族の夏休みで南信の駒ヶ根に行きまして、私の旅館青年部の仲間の宇佐美さんの宿、早太朗温泉「やまぶき」にお世話になりました。

駒ヶ岳の麓で、そのロープウェーや光前寺さんで有名な早太朗温泉。お湯は高目なpH9.1で肌がすべすべになった。夕食の時にやまぶきさんの特徴的な古民家風な囲炉裏付きの個室でごちそうになった。その際、やまぶきさんの特別おもてなしで個室が誕生日パーティー用に飾ってあった。素晴らしい演出だった！私の一番好きな日本酒、夜明け前もプレゼントで頂きました。

早太朗温泉の素晴らしい誕生日の思い出になった。

On July 30th, I turned 43 years old. Partly for my birthday and partly for our family's summer vacation, we went for a drive to southern Nagano's Hayataro Onsen and stayed at my Junior Ryokan Association buddy Usami-san's inn, Yamabuki. Hayataro Onsen is at the base of Mt. Komagatake and its amazing ropeway and is the home of legendary Kozen-ji Temple.

Hayataro Onsen's water has a high, 9.1pH which leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. At dinner, we were treated to a feast in one of Yamabuki's private dinner rooms decorated for my birthday.

Thanks to Yamabuki and Hayataro Onsen, I had a very memorable birthday celebration!

亀清旅館の貸し切り露天「しなの風呂」の庭に庭師の岡田さんの拘りの植物が沢山植えてある。今、咲いているのはキクボウツボグサです。

低目な植物に紫色の花。調べてみたら欧米で昔から薬として使われているそうです。特に切り傷に効くらしい。

上山田温泉のお湯も色んな効果がある中で、切り傷にも効きます。（私は薪割や宿直し大工の仕事とかで良く切り傷が付くので、その度に温泉に入ってから驚くほど早く治る！）

ヒーリングのお湯とヒーリングの庭：　亀清旅館の家族露天「しなの風呂」。

Kamesei Ryokan's private outdoor bath "Shinano-buro" features a designer garden by our gardener Okada-san. He planted several specialty plants and flowers including this one currently in bloom, Prunella laciniata, commonly known as Cutleaf Self-Heal.

As common with members of the mint family, Self-Heal has square stems covered with fine hairs. "Cutleaf" refers to its leaves that are long, narrow and divided, hence the botanical description “laciniata,” meaning “torn” or “cut.”

And its named "Self-Heal" from its wound-healing properties. 16th-century herbalist John Gerard and 17th-century botanist Nicholas Culpepper wrote about its healing effects.

How appropriate, because our onsen water here at Kamiyamada Onsen is also known to heal cuts and bruises. And I for one am well aware of that healing power, as I am always amazed how fast my nicks and dings from my job as an innkeeper get better after a soak in the onsen bath.

Healing onsen water and healing plants in the garden -- Kamesei Ryokan's Shinano-buro outdoor family bath!

Cutleaf Self-Heal