Cosmos Arena Fukiage

Behind the precincts of Takaohikone Shrine in Tako, Yoshimi Town, there is a rocky mountain with a great view. If you climb up the mountainside and stomp your feet, you will hear a clomping sound (ponpon). There is a legend regarding this place that goes something like this: Once upon a time, there was a rich man looking for a place to hide his fortune. One day, he paid a visit to Takaohikone Shrine and asked for the best place to hide it. The god told him, "Bury it in this rocky mountain. I will protect it for you." The man felt relieved and buried all his riches in the mountain. Today, the rocky mountain is called Mt. Ponpon and is said to be inhabited by a divine spirit, as a remnant of this story.

Eight of the total sixty-one kilometers of the Motoara River run through the Fukiage area. There are seventeen bridges on the river, including the Shinsaga Bridge, a Civil Engineering Heritage Site selected by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers. Many of the bridges are decorated with poems and sculptures, making exploring them a perfect activity for some leisurely sightseeing!

Yoshimi Town is dotted with man-made swamps, which are reservoirs built for rice paddy cultivation. Lake Hatcho is one such man-made swamp with an area of about 52,000 square meters. The kanji character for "Ha" can mean both "eight" and "many." Since several "eights" together has a catchy sound, there are historical expressions in the Japanese language which repeat the number eight to mean "many," such as "happyaku yacho" (many towns in Edo) or "happyaku yabashi" (many bridges in Osaka). Lake Hatcho used to be called "Hatcho Hattan no Numa" (one town block and 8,000 sq.meters) as a play on these expressions, but since the surface area of the lake isn't technically that big, this name isn't in use anymore.

Anrakuji Temple is the 11th temple of the Bandō 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (Bandō Sanjūsankasho) and has been known as Yoshimi Kannon since ancient times. The main deity is the Holy Avalokitesvara, the deity of compassion, and according to the Yoshimi Kannon dependent origination (Buddhist doctrine), the origin of the temple dates back to about 1200 years ago, when the Buddhist priest Gyoki carved a statue of Avalokitesvara and placed in the rock cave. Every year on June 18th, the Kannon is unveiled in the early morning to the public to ward off evil spirits. Special "Yakuwake Dango" (dumplings to ward off evil) have been sold on this day since long ago, and the long road to Anrakuji Temple continues to be lined with stalls every June 18th, with the area very crowded from around 2 am to early morning.

Hana no Oasis (flower oasis) is a park located in the Teraya district, the birthplace of flower production in Konosu. In spring, a tulip festival is held among 40,000 tulips. In autumn, you can enjoy the late-blooming sunflowers.