Wakakusa, Yamanashi

Yu-Yu Furei Park is located in east-central Wakakusa. In addition to a large municipal park the area also contains a Hot Spring.

The Tōkaichi festival (十日市) is the most famous festival in Wakakusa. It occurs every year on 10 February.

During the Kamakura period, a distinguished priest, Saint Kakuou, was living in this area. Before he was invited to live here, he had belonged to the famous Koyasan temple in Kii region. On January 10, according to the lunar calendar, he heard an oracle that suggested he carve a statue. He made the statue, and it was deified. People prayed to it day and night.

One day, during the rice-planting season in the same year, a rampaging horse was causing great trouble to the farmers. From nowhere, a boy of 15 or 16 suddenly appeared and grabbed the bit of the horse. Miraculously, the horse was calmed down, and then the farmers could plant their rice peacefully.

A little after this incident, some people noticed that the statue had some mud attached to its feet. People believed that the statue had transformed into the boy and helped the farmers; the guardian deity got the mud when he was dealing with the horse. Since then, people have called it the "Hana-tori Statue" which means, "A statue that leads horses and cows by their noses". They also held an annual festival on January 10, the day when the priest received the oracle. It is said that people from all over Yamanashi came to visit the festival en masse as the rumor of the mythic statue in Tokaichi spread.

Geologically speaking, located at the end of the Midai river alluvial fan, this region around Tokaichi is suitable for both rice cultivation and dry field farming. In addition to this, the region is close to key agricultural and forestry places: Takata, a paddy region in former Tatomi and Kosai towns; Genkata, a dry field farming region in former Shirane town; and Nekata, a forestry region in Masuho town. All of these geological conditions of Tokaichi made it become a big market place where farm products and agricultural machines were exchanged or sold. They say that the history of the market dates back to the Edo era.

More sundry items are now at the Tokaichi market: daruma dolls, good luck charms, household tools, garden plants, and prepared food.

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  Wakakusa Elementary School
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  Wakakusa Junior High School
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  South Wakakusa Elementary School
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  Tree Blossom
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  View of Mt. Fuji in Wakakusa
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  Wild Grass with Mt. Fuji in the background