A Hidden Gem! Tsuriyama Park in Ichinoseki

While transferring at Ichinoseki Station in Iwate Prefecture, I had a little time to spare, so I decided to explore the area around the station and ended up visiting Tsuriyama Park. It’s quite spacious, with a large plaza and great views from the top. Since I visited in the middle of summer, there wasn’t a single person there, but it seems you can enjoy cherry blossoms in the spring and autumn foliage in the fall. It’s a nice park. However, it’s a real shame to leave it as it is. Even though it includes an Inari Shrine and a Japanese garden, it didn’t seem to be well maintained. I strongly felt that if they invested a reasonable amount of money to polish and maintain it properly, it has the potential to become a major tourist attraction in Ichinoseki. I can’t stop wondering if there isn’t something that can be done about it.

Diaoshan Park