30 марта 2014 г.

Searching for Ryoma 3: Kirishima

Mt. Kirishima, where Ryoma Sakamoto honeymooned!

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Фотография 1 от 7

Kirishima Shrine, crowded with tourists

Sacred cedar tree is 37m tall!

Sign says it's 800 years old

Sunbeam is streaming through branches

Ryoma Sakamoto and his wife, Oryo

The sign explaining Ryoma Sakamoto and his wife visited Mt. Kirishima and Kirishima Shrine on their honeymoon. The first honeymoon trip any Japanese ever made in history!

View of Mt. Kirishima (Takachiho) in the distance

After being attacked by the police force dispatched by Tokugawa Shogunate at Teradaya Inn in Kyoto, where he was severely wounded, Ryoma Sakamoto, one of the leading revolutionaries who reformed Japan at the end of Edo period, traveled to Satsuma (present day Kagoshima) with his newly-wedded wife, Oryo, who saved his life in Kyoto.

He visited Kirishima Shrine, and climbed Mt. Kirishima (Takachiho). When he arrived at the top of the mountain he pulled out the sacred inverted spear and swung it around several times. How revolutionary! Their 'Honeymoon' was the first honeymoon ever in Japan's history! For access information please refer to my other article, Searching for Ryoma Sakamoto.