一乗滝＆佐々木小次郎 Ichijoutaki Waterfall in Fukui
In the summer, it is a hot spot for people to go to cool down. Being deep in the mountains alone cools the air, but standing near the waterfall gives an extra refreshing spray of cool water.
There are two nearby parking lots and if there aren’t many people, you can drive pretty close to the waterfall. Additionally, there are nice, new restroom facilities and a place to have a picnic nearby.
In short: it is second only to the library for a place to hideout during the long, hot August month.
Tradition has it 佐々木小次郎 (Sasaki Kojirou) the arch-enemy of 宮本武蔵 (Miyamoto Musashi) practiced his 燕返し tsubame kaeshi (Kenkyusha has the definition as: ‘a quickly reversed cut’ whatever that means) fencing movement at the base of the waterfall while the water belted him from above. I suppose this was to improve concentration with distractions.
Who knows if this is true, but it makes for a good enough story to have a statue of the famous samurai near the waterfall. (see left).
I didn’t know this, but according to Wikipedia, Sasaki was born in Fukui Prefecture (Yumi’s hometown)! It has to be true since it came from the Internet. (Of course the Onion did once report of a Factual Error Found on the Internet regarding a Brady Bunch fan site, but I believe it has since been corrected)
Apparently, they filmed some of the NHK 大河ドラマ「武蔵 MUSASHI 」 in Fukui.
Links on 一乗滝 (in Japanese)
- http://www.geocities.co.jp
This site links to a map to find the waterfall. - Awara Onsen’s information
- Echizen.info – Nice pictures
- A site with a lot of information and summer & winter pictures
- A ghost at 一乗滝？ I don’t hear anything…
An EXTREMELY excited Makoto near the Waterfall
(He is having a hard time holding back his excitement)
Clay with an excited Makoto near the Waterfall
佐々木小次郎
Sasaki Kojirou
Here is a sign in the park area with more information on the origins of Ichijoudaki
Lastly, there was a haiku on a rock and I have no idea what it says or who wrote it. Anyone? Anyone?
～つや
神の大滝
木う～れ
