Kitakami is located in central Iwate and most know for it 10,000 cherry blossom trees lined up along the Kitakami River.
A long time ago Kitakami (北上) was part of the Mutsu
Province, but there has been evidence of settlement from
the Jomon period. In the late Heian period the Northern
Fujiwara clan ruled the area, but during the Sengoku
period the land was fought over by various samurai
clans. Kitakami was divided in the Edo period between
the Nanbu Clan of Morioka and the Date Clan of Sendai.
The main attraction to Kitakami is the 10,000 cherry
blossom trees and 100,000 azaleas planted along the
Kitakami River. Before these trees were planted,
Kitakami was going through a severe case of
deforestation in the early Taisho era.
The mayor of Kurosawajiri, which is now part of Kitakami,
Kouji Sawafuji created the Waga Tenshochi Plan and
hired two people to head the project. The plan was to
create a cherry blossom spot that was not only a
beautiful place in the region, but nationwide. Most other
scenic spots have one species of cherry blossoms, but
they decided to plant a variety of seeds along the bank of
Kitakami River. This resulted in over 150 species of
cherry blossoms blooming in 1921 when the Tenshochi
Park officially opened to the public. It is said the view
from the nearby small hill called Jingaoka inspired the
name. In 1990, Tenshochi Park was listed as one of the
top 100 famous cherry blossom spots in Japan.
Kitakami is the place for the famed Michinoku Geino
Festival where 100s of people perform folk art traditions.
Patrons will have the chance to see the Shishi Odori
(deer dance), kagura (god entertainment), and Onikenbai
(demon sword dance). The Shishi Odori has many
stories pertaining to the origin of the dance like it was
created to mimic the movements of a wild deer or a
prayer to a deer that was killed. Kagura is a form of
theatrical Shinto dancing that has existed for over 500
years. The two most famous styles in Iwate are Take and
Otsugunai Kagura. Together the styles are known as
Hayachine Kagura. In 2009, Kagura was listed as a
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Onikenbai translates to demon sword dance and is
traditional folk art from Kitakami. The history of the dance
dates back over 1,300 years ago and has been
continually performed by the locals. In 1993 it was listed
as a national important intangible folk cultural property.
Even though the word Oni (demon) is used, the masks
for the performance do not have horns thus resembles
Buddha instead. The colors of the masks are red, black,
green and white. The person who wears the white mask
is the leader of the group and is referred to as ichikenbai
(first sword dance). In addition to the dance, taiko drums
and flutists accompany the group. The Onikenbai is
meant to purify the land and appease the vengeful spirits
by performing the henbai, which is a unique step in the
dance. Kitakami keeps this tradition alive by teaching the
dance in elementary and junior high schools.
Tohoku | Iwate | Kitakami
Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Festival
Tohoku Region's three best cherry blossom spots alongside Hirosaki Castle and Kakunodate