Keihan for a 门前町

This Keihan train station is called Yawatashi (八幡市). The station itself does not look very big and exciting, but as I went through the station and got to see what was outside, I was so surprised how much there is to see.

The only opening entrance of the station. Right outside are a small square and restaurants serving simple meals. To the right is the calbe line to Otokoyama.

            From the train schedule, it is easy to see that the station is not major - only local and sub-express train stop at here. The explanation for it, I guess is that the Keihan train line's Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū) and Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō) are made for a faster transportation among the major stations between Kyoto and Osaka. Those trains and other trains which have "Commuter" before their name are mostly for the commutation of students and office workers. The neighborhood of Yawatashi station is neither a concentrated area of companies nor schools, or even a residential area of many residents. It is a station specially built for tourism.

               From Yawatashi train station, there is a sub-line of Keihan. Unlike the train line, it is a funicular called Otokoyama Cable (男山ケーブル), which goes from the Yawatashi train station to the  mountain Otokoyama, where the Iwashimizu shrine is located. It is a special cable line which was designed only for a tourist site, but still operated by Keihan Electric Railway. On the square outside of the train station, there are bus stops and taxi waiting spots. All the transportation are made convenient for the visitors to the shrine.

Signs from tourism information office.

                  The composition of the residents makes the area quite peaceful. From the billboards and posters in the station, I figured those commercials are made mainly for the elders. It is not only showed trough the signs with elders(老人) written on, but the many commercials for activities and living goods. There are furniture store commercial classical and music concert poster,  as well as the different art displays held in nearby cities like Kyoto. 

Inside Yawatashi station. Signs of art and cultural activities, tourism.

              The most important element of the site is Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū (石清水八幡宮) . Founded in 859 and the main buildings rebuilt in 1634, this ancient shrine is considered the third biggest Shinto shrine in Japan. Yawatashi is a town named after the Hachiman-gu - a different reading but the same kanji in Japanese. The town is a outgrowth of the shrine, as Japanese call it Monzenmachi(门前町).  Monzenmachi is usually refers to a town that is formed by the business which serves the monks and the visitors, and it only happens to major and popular temples and shrines.

             Around Yawatashi station, there are as many as five temples and three shrines, not to mention the historical sites and beautiful gardens beside. They have a long history and are very much representing the old Japan to the visitors from Japan and overseas through the many relics.

Directions for the tourism and city facilities.

               One thing drew my great attention is that the city office of Yawatashi is quite important for the sight I was seeing. There are many posters for the art and cultural activities organized by the city office, and the city office is also very enthusiastic at founding various welfare for students and elders. All of these gave me a strong sense that the elders here are living an enjoyable life in a very peaceful atmosphere of the shrine.

Bus stop. Signs of supporting human rights and anti-nuclear power by the city office.

A bridge near the train station, connecting the sight-seeing area with the residential area.

           There are also interesting things I found about the surroundings of the station. Among the various ancient temples and shrines, I saw a cross on the top of a building. Apart from the possibility that it is a decoration of the building, I still think it is what it looks like. The contrast is very interesting, which reminds me of one time an elder couple stopped me in front the abandoned house beside my host family house to talk to me, explained in English that they believe in God. They were extremely nice and talkative, and kept telling me that I should read bible. I guess it is somehow the same in the Yawatashi. The historical heritage of ancient religions is getting along with the ones from the west. Again, the elders are playing an important role in getting it more widespread.

A Church not far from Yawatashi station. It is hard to tell that it is Japan in this photo.