“Kura” (in Japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.
The other having some time on my hands I decided to cycle down to Ikeda in Suruga Ku, south of Shizuoka JR Station to look for a kura that had just been introduced to me by my good friend, Philip Kreiner.
It is an old Buddhist Temple dating back to 1307 during the Kamakura Era.
The monk there kindly explained me that the kura had been built in the 2nd Year of Meiji Era (1869) after a great fire destroyed the biggest part of the Temple to preserve precious documents although nowadays it is used only as a shed.
Although comparatively small it looked different from the usual kura built by rich merchants or high officials.
It had an unusual portico at its entrance with typical Buddhist Temple decoration.
It even bore its own mon/Japanese crest!
it was in excellent repair in spite of the large smudges caused by rain running down the roofed portico.
The alignment pegs were in a very straight line proving that the building was not suffering from any warping!
Old but very solid window panels and awning!
That door seemed very solid, too!
It was open on both sides for better draft.
Well-maintained tiled roof pinion!
Well-maintained and grilled openings to let the water flow under the building!
The Ikawa Line (井川線) of the Ōigawa Railway is the only rack-and-pinion railway operating in Japan.
The line originates at Senzu Station in Kawanehon, the end station of the Ōigawa Main Line, and terminates at Ikawa Station in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City. The line has 61 tunnels and 51 bridges along its 25.5 kilometer length. It is the second trunk of the Ooigawa Line leaving from Kanaya Station.
Abt Rack Rail
The Ikawa line began operations on March 20, 1935, as a private line for the Ōigawa Electric Company, to carry workers and materials upstream to facilitate dam construction. The single track line was originally constructed with 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) narrow gauge; however, in order to have dual usage with carriages on the Senzu-Shinrin Line (now closed) a third rail was added the following year for the Japanese standard gauge (1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)). In 1954, the line was extended under the aegis of the Chubu Electric Power Company to facilitate the construction of the Ōigawa Dam. Railway operations were spun out of Chubu Electric into a separate company in 1959, with the foundation of the Ōigawa Railway Company. With the completion of the Nagashima Dam, a portion of the line had to be re-routed along a 1.5 km section with a maximum gradient of 9% (~1 in 11). This required the installation of an Abt rack system on October 2, 1990. An automatic train stop system was installed at the end of March 2009.
The line runs through an isolated mountain area with no cities or towns, and has a very small population density. Most of the passengers are tourists visiting one of the hot spring resorts along the line, or alpinists and hikers heading for the peaks of the Southern Alps National Park.
Location, Senzu, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県 島田市川根本町千頭）
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Senzu station is also the last station for Steam Locomotives on the Ooigawa Main Railway Line.
Senzu Station was one of the original stations of the Ōigawa Main Line, and was opened on December 1, 1931.
Senzu Station is a major station with a bay platform for six tracks, only 2 of which are in regular use. The station building is also a local department store. The station retains a manually operated turntable for use by the line’s steam locomotives, but this is no longer operational. The station also maintains a small museum pertaining to the line’s steam locomotive operations.
KAWANE RYOOGOKU STATION/川根両国駅
Location, Senzu, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町千頭）
Kawane-Ryōgoku Station was opened on August 1, 1959. The main rail yard for the Ōigawa Railway is located at this station.
Kawane Ryoogoku Station inner platform and tracks.
Kawane-Ryōgoku Station has a single side platform joined to an island platform by a level crossing. Only two tracks are in regular use, with the track on the far side of the island platform and a shunt track used for maintenance and for freight services. The small station building is unmanned.
Kawane Ryoogoku Rail Yards.
SAWAMA STATION/沢間駅
Location, Senzu, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町千頭）
Sawama Station was opened on August 1, 1959.
Sawama Station Tracks
Sawama Station has a single side platform serving a single track, and a small rain shelter for passengers.
DOMOTO STATION/土本駅
Location: Okuizumi, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県榛原郡川根本町奥泉）
Domoto Station was opened on August 1, 1959. Located in an isolated mountain area surrounded by dense forest, it receives few passengers.
Domoto Station has a single side platforms serving a single track, and a small rain shelter for passengers.
KAWANE-KOYAMA STATION/川根小山駅
Location: Okuizumi, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町奥泉）
Kawane-Koyama Station was opened on August 1, 1959.
Kawane-Koyama has opposed side platforms serving two tracks, and a small log-cabin type rain shelter for passengers.
OKUIZUMI STATION/奥泉駅
Location, Okuizumi, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka prefecture（静岡県榛原郡川根本町奥泉）
Okuizumi Station was opened on August 1, 1959.
Okuizumi Station has an island platforms serving two tracks, and a small manned station building.
Abt Ichishiro Station was opened on August 1, 1959 and was originally named Kawane-Ichishiro Station (川根市代駅). The original line past this station and the stations on that line are now submerged under the waters of the reservoir created by the completion of the Nagashima Dam. When Nagashima Dam Station was built in 1990, the present Abt system was installed.
Abt Ichishiro Station has an opposed side platforms serving two tracks, and a small red-roofed station building.
NAGASHIMA DAM STATION/長島ダム駅
Location, Inuma, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町犬間）
Nagashima Dam Station was opened on October 2, 1990, when part of the Ikawa Line was re-routed to avoid the rising waters of the lake created by the Nagashima Dam.
Nagashima Dam Station Platform and Tracks.
Nagashima Dam Station has an opposed side platforms serving two tracks, and a small red-roofed station building.
HIRANDA STATION/ひらんだ駅
Location, numa, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町犬間）
Hiranda Station was opened on October 2, 1990, when part of the Ikawa Line was re-routed to avoid the rising waters of the lake created by the Nagashima Dam. Located in an isolated mountain area surrounded by forests, it has very few passengers.
Hiranda Station has a single side platform and a small unmanned shelter for passengers.
OKUOOIKOJOO STATION/奥大井湖上駅
Location, Baichi, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県 島田市川根本町梅地）
Okuōikojō Station was opened on October 2, 1990 when part of the Ikawa Line was re-routed to avoid the rising waters of the lake created by the Nagashima Dam. Located on a cliff next to the Okuōi Reservoir created by the Nagashima Dam, the station platform partially extends onto a bridge spanning the reservoir.
Okuōikojō has a single side platforms with a small unmanned shelter on the platform for passengers.
SESSOKYOO ONSEN STATION/接岨峡温泉駅
Location, Inuma, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県島田市川根本町犬間）
Sessokyō-Onsen Station was opened on August 1, 1959 as Kawane-Nakashima Station (川根長島駅?). It was built primarily to support dam construction activities at the nearby Nagashima Dam. On completion of the dam in October 1990, it was renamed to its present name as part of an effort to draw customers to the nearby Sessokyō-Onsen hot springs resort.
Sessokyoo Onsen Station Platform and Tracks.
Sessokyō-Onsen Station an island platform serving two tracks, and a small manned station building.
OMORI STATION/尾盛駅
Location, Inuma, Kawanehon, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県 島田市川根本町犬間）
Omori Station was opened on August 1, 1959. Located in an isolated mountain area surrounded by forests, it has very few passengers. It was built primarily to support dam construction activities in the area in the 1960s.
Omori Station “outside”.
Omori Station has opposed side platforms a small unmanned shelter on the platform for passengers.
KANZOO STATION/閑蔵駅
Location, Ikawa, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県 静岡市葵区井川）
Kanzō Station was opened on August 1, 1959. Located in an isolated mountain area surrounded by forests, it has very few passengers. It was built primarily to support dam construction activities in the Ōi River area in the 1960s.
Kanzō Station has opposed side platforms a small unmanned lean-to rain shelter on the platform for passengers.
IKAWA STATION/井川駅
Location, Ikawa, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県静岡市葵区井川）
At an altitude of 636 metres (2,087 ft), it is the highest railway station in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is located near Ikawa Dam.
Ikawa Station was opened on August 1, 1959.
Ikawa Station has a wedge-shaped island platform for two tracks. There is a small station building.
The other day when I finally reached Hagormo Pine Trees in Miho (美保), Shimizu Ku, I noticed this big shinto shrine just across the street from the entrance to the famous tourisitic spot!
The date of its foundation is unknown but it bears an important relation with the Hagormo Site.
Entrance Lantern!
One of the shrines!
Actually the site contains more than one shrine, all erected at different times!
You will find no less than three little shrines on your right!
Votive messages hung on New Year’s Day!
Shrines usually have water ready for visitors to wash their hands with!
They even explain how to properly do it!
One of the main shrines (very old)!
The main shrine!
One of the two enormous vases bearing the shrine crest!
The money offerings box also with the shrine crest!
Garyubai sake by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!
The Shrine Crest Curtain!
Let’s take a peek inside!
The prayer room!
Big drum used for the two main matsuri held during the year!
Another, much older, shrine behind the main shrine!
Felt taken to another age!
Another small but very old and of an unusual shape shrine!
I even found another one lost among the trees!
Talking of trees that very very ancient cicada must be one of the most beautiful I ever encountered!
SHIZUOKA TOURISM 