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History and tradition are deeply rooted in Tomiya, visible in the various remains, historic spots and generations-old farmland. Walking through the town may be like walking into a page in history, treading on the beaten path of our predecessors.
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| The Beginning of Tomiya |
The Kurokawa region is said to have been inhabited by hunters since the Jomon period (c. 8,000 to c. 300AD when wet-paddy rice agriculture and metal-working technology were introduced to Japan from Korea). People then went out to the flatland to start farming. It is not easy to learn the details of the ancient colonies, but earthenware and stoneware left behind provide valuable clues to understanding the ancient lifestyle.
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| The Origin of "To-no-miya" (lit. ten shrines) Shrine |
People in Kurokawa have long admired divine deities of earth and nature,
and many legends tell tales of such deities. The name of our town Tomiya
is said to be from a legend.
A long time ago, a man living in this area fell in love with a beautiful girl. In reality, the man was the incarnation of a giant snake. As the girl asked more and more of him, he gave his life in ten pieces of flesh in order to meet her impossible demands. Villagers erected ten shrines to worship each piece of his body he gave. The name Tomiya comes from the To-no-miya shrine.
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| Secret Christian Sect |
There were Christians in Kurokawa in the 17th century, which was a difficult time for them due to intersect conflicts and oppression against Christians. A statue of the Virgin Mary, disguised as the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, was found in Choraku-ji Temple in Ichino-seki in 1961. This statue gives evidence of the difficult times for Christians. While the statue looks like the Goddess of Mercy, there is a Christian cross on the bottom of one foot. The area seems to have been occupied by a secret Christian group during the days of cruel oppression.
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| Flourishing Days as a Post Station |
When Masamune Date (1567 - 1636), a feudal lord of the Sendai Domain in the Edo Period, expanded his territory towards the north, the distance between Yoshioka and Sendai castle town was too long, so a post station was needed for feudal lords and travelers to take a break. Tomiya was selected as a post station when the Ohshu Trail was established.
The Trail was busy with traffic, and became more and more crowded with inns, tea houses, rice cake shops and candy stores, which served as a foundation for the town we know today. |
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