## [[Jagata Jizo (蛇形地葭)]] | Nakahechi 12 | [[Inohana-oji (猪鼻王子)]] #trail/kumano-kodo/nakahechi > [!NOTE] Yukawa-oji > This shrine was formerly called Uchiyu Oji Shrine. According to the diary of Fujiwara Tamefusa, who visited Kumano in October 1081, he bathed in the "Uchiyu" River before reaching the Mikoshi Pass. Since pilgrims often rested or stayed at the Yukawa Oji Shrine, a temporary residence for the Imperial family, as well as that for noble people, were located there. The present shrine building was reconstructed in 1983. > [!NOTE] Ruin of the Doyukawa Hamlet > The Doyukawa hamlet is known as the place of origin of the Yukawa clan, which exerted strong influence over the Hidaka District in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). This hamlet is referred to as the "Yukawa-shukusho (Yukawa post station) in the diary Fujiwara no Teika kept when accompanying the pilgrimage of the retired emperor Gotoba in October 1201, while the diary of Fujiwara no Yorisuke mentions that the pilgrim party of Shumei-mon'in (consort of the retired Emperor Gotoba), including Yorisuke, took a rest around the hamlet in May 1210. In addition, a document says that the pilgrim party of Kitano-dono, a concubine of the late shogun Ashikaga yoshimitsu, received hospitable treatment from a powerful local clan who called themselves "Oku-no-Yukawa" in September 1427. These records suggest that this hamlet was populated at the latest from the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and flourished as a post station or rest station for nobles throughout the Muromachi period. A travel essay written in 1798 in the Edo period (1603-1867) also states, "The hamlet has many houses, as well as teahouse-inns." After being populated and bustling with pilgrims for a long time, this hamlet became uninhabited in 1956 when the last residents left it. > > An excavation survey conducted by Wakayama Prefecture in 2018. to 2019 discovered the remains of a structure supported by pillars sunk into the ground, which dates back to the Kamakura to Muromachi and Azuchi Momoyama periods (1185-1603), and a structure dating back to the Showa period (1926-1989). Moreover, various vessels were also excavated from those remains and around the excavation site, including unglazed yamajawan bowl dating back to the Kamakura period, Chinese-made celadon vessels dating back to the Muromachi period, unglazed Haji-style dishes dating back to the Muromachi to Edo periods, and Edo-period ceramic vessels. Given that the above-mentioned pillar-supported structure in particular seems to have been relatively large-scale and the Chinese-made celadon vessels were excavated from around the structure, it can be supposed that the structure may have been used as a post station or rest station building for such noble pilgrims as mentioned above. The remains of the pillar supported structure are a focus of special historical interest. ![[yukawa-oji IMG_7877.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6458.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6456.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6467b.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6482.png]] > [!NOTE] Michinogawa Settlement > There used to be a small settlement named MICHINOGAWA here. There were 17 households farming in this settlement since the late 19th century (early Meiji period). > > However, because of a recession in the local economy in the late 1940's, families started to move away, and the settlement declined. By 1972, only 8 households remained and the settlement was certified as unfeasible as part of a government initiative for relief of depopulated areas. Those families were relocated to an area close to [[Attractions/Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社)|Kumano Hongu Taisha]]. > > When they left, the settlement and fields were planted over with cedar and cypress trees. > > Former. residents of Michinogawa and their descendents still visit here for local festivals such as Kotohiragu and Koshin. > > Please enjoy, this forest, the heritage of Michinogawa settlement. > [!NOTE] Ruins of the Michinokawa Settlement > The Michinokawa settlement used to be located in Mikoshi, Hongucho, (currently Hongucho, Tanabe City). However, spurred by the enactment of the Act on Emergency Measures Concerning Depopulated Areas on April 24, 1970, all the residents collectively moved out in 1973, abandoning their village. Located on a sloping land facing south, this settlement has the Otonashigawa River to the south, and mountain streams to the east andwest. Moreover, the [[Kumano Kodo (熊野古道)|Kumano Kodo]] route passes through its land. The oldest historical record that describes this settlement is A Diary of [[Cities/Yunomine Onsen (湯の峰温泉)|Yunomine Onsen]] written by Nagasawa Tomoo in 1840. Meanwhile, Seto and Hizen ceramic ware produced in the late Edo period (around 1750 to 1867) were collected in the settlement ruins. These indicate that there were already some people living in this area around that period. > > The Wakayama prefectural govemment conducted an excavation on the site in 2019, and found evidence of land having been developed to build houses. In various places in the settlement, the mountain side of the slope had been excavated, and the removed earth and sand piled up on the valley side. Retaining stone walls had then been built to create a large flat area. The flat area was used for houses and rice fields, while the slope was used for crop fields. > > Many of the residents of this settlement worked in forestry, so they planted Japanesecedars and cypresses on the remains of crop fields and houses when they left their village. In 2011, Typhoon #12 (Talas) caused a massive landslide in the settlement ruins. Although this made it difficult to imagine what the settlement was once like, it was presumably a sunny village opening to the south. > > Wakayama Prefecture ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6514b.png]] ![[? yukawa-oji IMG_6518.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6525.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6524.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6534.png]] ![[? yukawa-oji IMG_6554.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6562.png]] ![[? yukawa-oji IMG_6564.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6571.png]] ![[? yukawa-oji IMG_6576.png]] ![[yukawa-oji IMG_6579b.png]]