【伊勢原 ひとり旅 】レトロで美しい石段を登り大山詣り 豆腐会席に舌鼓 癒しのスポット巡り｜｜大山阿夫利神社｜茶寮石尊｜牧場ジェラート｜古民家カフェ

【伊勢原 ひとり旅 】レトロで美しい石段を登り大山詣り 豆腐会席に舌鼓 癒しのスポット巡り｜｜大山阿夫利神社｜茶寮石尊｜牧場ジェラート｜古民家カフェ

Today we’re heading to Isehara. Isehara City is located almost in the center of Kanagawa Prefecture, a place rich in nature. Thanks to its warm climate, fruit cultivation is also thriving. It’s about 60 minutes from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Line, and it’s easily accessible from the city center.
We’ve arrived! Pictured in the background are Mt. Oyama and the Oyama spinning top, symbols of Isehara. Isehara is famous for the sacred mountain Mt. Oyama is dotted with historical and cultural heritage sites such as Afuri Shrine and Oyama Temple, making it a very popular tourist destination. Today we’re heading to Oyama by bus to visit Afuri Shrine. Oyama Afuri Shrine has its main shrine at the top and a lower shrine halfway up the mountain, and you can easily climb up to the lower shrine by cable car.
We’re also planning to have a kaiseki meal using the famous “Oyama Tofu”! Looking forward to it! First, let’s get a pamphlet at the tourist information center ! We met “Kururin,” the official mascot of Isehara City. He’s wearing an Oyama spinning top hat. So cute! As you leave the north exit of the station, you will see a large torii gate on your right. The first torii gate of Oyama Afuri Shrine. Line up for the Oyama Cable Car. After passing through the third torii gate of Afuri Shrine , the road narrows considerably. After about 25 minutes, you will arrive at the final stop, Oyama Cable Car. Thank you! The Oyama River flows alongside the approach to the shrine. You can hike to Afuri Shrine, but it’s also easy to get there by cable car. It takes about 15 minutes to climb the approach called “Koma Sando” to the cable car station. I was exhausted partway through, so it took me more than 20 minutes. Koma Sando is a great place to enjoy the retro atmosphere. It’s lined with souvenir shops, a workshop for the traditional toy “Oyama Koma,” an Oyama pudding shop, a long-established kyarabuki specialty store, and restaurants serving Oyama tofu. During the Edo period, pilgrimages to Oyama were popular, and many Edo commoners came to make the pilgrimage. It wasn’t just religious climbs, but also a place for the common people. Taking a break at a teahouse along the way and savoring tofu dishes in the post towns is said to have captured the hearts of Edoites, and this tradition is still being carried on today by the guides. The “Oyama Koma” souvenir shop sells is a local Isehara toy, and it is said to be a popular lucky charm that brings good fortune because it spins so easily. The temple lodgings along the approach to the shrine give you a sense of history. The Koma approach has 362 beautiful stone steps, and continues on. I arrived at Oyama Cable Station and bought a round-trip ticket to the last stop for 1,270 yen. There are also discount tickets from Odakyu Electric Railway, but I forgot to buy one. The third generation of this cable car was designed by the same person who designed the Romancecar, so the interior of the car also has a Romancecar atmosphere. It takes 6 minutes one way to the last stop, Oyama Afuri Shrine (Shimosha), and the train stops at Oyamaji Station along the way. The view is spectacular when you get off the station! Sagami Bay seen from an elevation of about 700 meters. It’s said to have been built over 2,200 years ago during the reign of Emperor Sujin . The enshrined deity is Oyamatsumi-no- Okami, who, as his name suggests, is the god of the mountains. The guest hall houses the reception and waiting room. A commemorative statue, the Oyama Pilgrimage, has been recognized as a Japan Heritage Site. A young man from the Oyama ko (Oyama worship group) carries a wooden sword. A cast iron rain barrel donated by volunteers from the Oyama ko (Oyama worship group) in Kawagoe . The main entrance to the main shrine at the summit, the “Tohaimon” (Climbing Gate), leads to the underground pilgrimage path under the main hall, which leads to the sacred spring where Oyama’s famous spring springs forth. The sacred water, said to grant longevity , is drinkable and can be taken home, so I purchased a bottle. I gratefully ate. The view from here has been awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide. Take a break at the sky cafe with its spectacular terrace . Depending on the weather, you can see Sagami Bay, the Boso Peninsula, and even Izu Oshima. It’s a bit hazy today, but the view is incredibly pleasant. The sun is intense, so I quickly head to a table seat. I ordered a water bun and a hot coffee ! What a refreshing dessert! The soybean flour and brown sugar syrup were a stylish addition. The soft, chewy texture was refreshing and delicious. Enjoying coffee brewed with sacred water while admiring the magnificent view…it was bliss! In the back, there were comfortable tatami seats and private-style table seats. They also served alcohol! The most popular item, the masu tiramisu, was made with plenty of matcha. Next, I decided to go to Daisenji Temple. The view from the descent was also great ! The climb seemed full. This was my first time visiting Daisenji Temple. It’s a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves , and apparently the best viewing season begins around mid-November. There weren’t many people there today, so it felt a little lonely. It must be incredibly beautiful during the autumn leaves season. I wonder if I should try Kawarake Throwing. The earthenware (doki) with the words “evil warding off” written on it is said to be made of a material that quickly returns to the earth. Apparently, you throw it from here …it definitely doesn’t look like it’ll go into the circle. But wait , you won’t know until you try, right? Where did it go? I pulled myself together and made a second throw … Don’t worry, just throwing it will ward off evil spirits, I tell myself. With the recent sudden chill, the leaves are just starting to change color. Daisen-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Roben in 755, and its principal image is Acala. The temple is dyed bright red with the autumn leaves . For lunch, which I was looking forward to, I went to a restaurant serving tofu kaiseki. One of Isehara’s specialties is “Daisen tofu.” During the Edo period, delicious tofu began to be made using soybeans donated by worshippers and abundant spring water, and restaurants serving vegetarian cuisine using tofu were apparently established. Aokikan serves a tofu kaiseki course meal featuring this “Daisen tofu.” The course menu is “pine, bamboo, and plum.” I chose the “pine” course (2,800 yen). It’s a lovely restaurant with a view outside the window. First, the boiled tofu was brought to me. The chef carefully explained how to eat it. It’s the perfect season for boiled tofu. Warm stews: Umami -ni (simmered) Daisen tofu and homemade yuba salad, homemade yuba with white dressing (with persimmon), and vinegared tofu. (Vinegared dish) This is a seasonal dish: a Hiryu-zu sauce with sweet potato, chestnut, and nama – fu (wheat gluten ). It’s packed with the flavors of autumn, making it a truly seasonal dish. It’s about time to start eating yudofu ( boiled tofu). The soy sauce is piping hot. It’s soft and slightly sweet, and it’s probably the most delicious way to eat
tofu. In the hot season, we switch to hiyayakko (cold tofu) instead of yudofu. The flavorful yuba (dried tofu skin ) dressing, made with plenty of white sesame seeds, is a healthy food that Aokikan is proud of, packed with many nutrients such as protein, iron, dietary fiber, and calcium. The first persimmon of the year . On the roof is the Seven Lucky Gods. While there are many restaurants serving tofu dishes , we recommend making a reservation if you’re visiting during the autumn foliage season. The final dish is warm soba noodles topped with grated yam, yuba, and aosa (green algae). Warm up with the flavorful black shichimi pepper to your liking – there’s tofu hidden here too! For dessert, we have soft, jiggly warabi mochi (bracken- starch dumplings). All of the tofu dishes were elaborately prepared and delicious! One of the things I wanted to experience when I came to Mt. Daisen came true, and I’m very satisfied. Thank you for the meal! I also have a souvenir I want to buy. Located about a 5-minute walk down the hill from Koma Sando, this is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop that has been in business for over 150 years since the Edo period. The shop’s name, Roben, comes from the name of the monk who founded Daisen Temple. Nearby is the waterfall where Roben underwent ascetic practices . Their signature product is “Daisen Manju,” a small manju filled with sweet bean paste in a thin, fluffy skin. They sometimes sell out, so you can reserve them . I was able to successfully purchase a box of 12. I want to eat them soon! There are two tofu shops in Daisen. This is Koide Tofu Shop, founded in 1882. It’s made with abundant spring water from Mt. Oyama. Apparently, the tofu served at Aokikan is from Koide Tofu Shop! On this trip, I learned that Oyama Tofu has a deep connection to the Oyama pilgrimage. Nearby, there’s a small rainbow at Aikyo Falls … Back at Isehara Station , I took the bus to Hyuga Yakushi. It was a 15-minute ride to my next stop, Fujino Iriguchi. Right next to the bus stop, this shop, open only on weekends, is normally an online store warehouse.
They stock about 2,000 organic foods and eco-friendly goods. They’re all healthy-looking. It’s great that you can actually touch and buy donuts and soy gelato. They even have rare flowers! You can even arrange your own dried flowers, and a customer showed me their creations. So lovely! This is a space where local restaurants rotate weekly. On this day, “Vietnamese Restaurant Soraya” was at the stall. Delicious Vietnamese food was lined up, but unfortunately, the kururin-yaki I was looking forward to was only available on Saturdays…! And here you can meet three goats! They’re pure white and surprisingly big… I found out later that they’ll eat grass if you offer it to them! Thank you, goats, for the healing! At Hinata Marche, they told me about a cafe with great coffee. There aren’t many buses, so I decided to take my time walking. It’s along the road to Hyuga Yakushi, so I didn’t think I’d get lost. After about 15 minutes, the cafe came into view …Wow…It’s a lovely cafe with an old-fashioned Japanese-style building! It’s located next to the bus terminus, and many people drop in after hiking Mt. Oyama or visiting Hyuga Yakushi. The cafe’s interior is a perfect match for the cafe’s atmosphere. A monaka with the goat motif mentioned earlier. Coffee is basically self-brewed – it’s more like a coffee stand than a cafe. After pouring hot water into the monaka, I let it steep for a while and then enjoyed it at the counter. Goat monaka accompanied the coffee. Monaka made with carefully selected ingredients. So cute… but… Let’s eat . Plenty of red bean paste, delicious! Drinking coffee in the midst of nature is exceptional. After walking a lot, it was a very comfortable break. It was delicious, so I bought some to take home. I’ll visit Hyuga Yakushi someday… I took the bus from the south exit of the station again and headed to the gelato shop. I got off in front of Ota Elementary School . I headed to my destination relying on Google Maps, but… I was walking along the rice paddy path. I was worried if I was on the right path, but I just kept walking. It was somehow soothing – cute flowers , phew. After walking for about 15 minutes, the shop came into view. This gelato shop is directly operated by Ishida Farm and uses 100% freshly harvested raw milk. There were a constant stream of customers coming into the shop. This gelato shop is popular with locals, so you can’t go wrong. They have over 15 types of gelato, both limited-time and year-round, and in addition to raw milk, they also use carefully selected ingredients for their gelato. It’s really hard to choose…! They have the limited-time “Strawberry White Chocolate” and “Hokkaido Pumpkin”. I ate them before they melted! And, since we’re here, we also want to try some freshly squeezed farm milk. The gentle aroma of the hot milk. I’m grateful to the cows at Ishida Farm, located directly opposite Meguri. Ishida Farm is highly regarded for its hygienic breeding management. The cows must feel comfortable in a clean environment. It’s a wonderful place with a peaceful landscape . The food was delicious! I’m glad I made the effort to walk all the way here. Apparently, clouds often form on Mt. Daisen, so it was also called “Rainy Mountain.” It seems the rice harvest is nearing the end. The golden ears of rice are beautiful. While waiting for the bus, I turned around and was thrilled to see Mt. Fuji! This is an amazing place with a panoramic view of Mt. Oyama, Mt. Tanzawa, Mt. Fuji, and even Mt. Futago in Hakone in the distance. I was once again glad I came. I had dinner here, which was recommended to me by the tourist information center. “Koshitoge” is pronounced “Koedo.” It’s a 5-minute walk from the north exit of Isehara Station. This popular handmade soba noodle shop frequented by locals … I was hungry, so I ordered Tenseiro . Thin soba noodles with two shrimp and vegetable tempura. Come to think of it, I had soba noodles for lunch too… It’s interesting how the taste and texture can be completely different depending on the restaurant. The soba noodles had a sweet taste . They were thin, yet chewy and very delicious! I wonder why potato tempura is so delicious. It was a fun day… I’m savoring the happiness and wrapping up my trip to Isehara. Thank you for watching.

こんにちは。
今回は神奈川県伊勢原の日帰り旅です。
伊勢原市、秦野市、厚木市にまたがる霊峰大山にある大山阿夫利神社 下社と
大山寺を参拝してきました。
本格的な紅葉の時期は大変な賑わいになる紅葉の名所でもあります。
大山の麓で豆腐会席をいただいたり、絶景カフェでお茶をしたり、、、
その他にも、バスに乗ってのんびり癒しスポット巡りも😊
思いがけず、夕陽に染まる富士山も見れて大満足の旅でした😊

📍大山阿夫利神社
https://www.afuri.or.jp/

📍大山寺（神奈川）

TOP

📍青木館
http://aokikan.co.jp/

📍茶寮 石尊
http://aokikan.co.jp/

📍 ひなたマルシェ・日向薬師珈琲焙煎所
https://www.instagram.com/hinata.marche/

📍石田牧場のジェラート屋めぐり
https://meguri-gelato.com/

一人旅
女ひとり旅
大山詣り
大山登山
神奈川旅