日本三大桜、山高神代桜

武川町の実相寺に咲く日本三大桜を見に行っていました。昨年も寄らせて戴きましたが今年は満開の時期にあたり色鮮やかでした。境内に咲くラッパ水仙の色合いと桜色が見事でした。

推定樹齢1,800年とも2,000年とも言われるヒガンザクラが南アルプスを背景に咲いています。日本でも最古、最大級の巨木として大正時代に国指定天然記念物１号に指定されたものです。神話の日本武尊が東征の際に植えたものだとか。その真偽は分かりかねますが。

実相寺は、日蓮聖人を開祖とする日蓮宗のお寺です。身延山久遠寺の直末の寺院です。武田信玄を始めとして徳川幕府との関連もその歴史の中に見る事が出来ます。

実相寺の境内地は武田家支流の一条忠頼の城跡で、その後は末裔の山高氏が居住されたとされています。寺は、山高氏が江戸に移った後に建てられました。梵鐘には山高荘右衛門尉信保の名前が刻み込まれています。山高氏の名から山高神代桜の名前が残されているのでしょう。

I visited Jisso-ji Temple in Mukawa-cho to see the three most beautiful cherry trees in Japan. I had visited the temple last year, but this year the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the colors were vibrant. The color of the cherry blossoms and the daffodils blooming on the temple grounds were magnificent.

The Higanzakura cherry trees, estimated to be 1,800 or 2,000 years old, were in full bloom with the Southern Alps in the background. As one of the oldest and largest giant trees in Japan, it was designated as National Natural Monument No. 1 in the Taisho era (1912-1926). It is said that the tree was planted by the mythological Japanese warrior Takeruno Mikoto during his expedition to the east. We do not know its truth or falsehood.

Jisso-ji Temple is a Nichiren Shu temple founded by Nichiren Shonin. It is a direct descendant of Kuonji Temple on Mt. Jissoji's history includes association with Shingen Takeda and the Tokugawa Bakufu (Shogunate).

The grounds of Jisso-ji Temple were the site of the castle of Ichijo Tadayori, a branch of the Takeda family, and were later occupied by his descendant, the Yamataka clan. The temple was built after the Yamataka clan moved to Edo. The name of Yamataka Soemon-emon Nobuyuki is engraved on the temple bell. The name of the Yamataka clan may be the reason why the name Yamataka Jindai-zakura has been preserved.