Abiko Winter Travelogue

A morning appointment took me to Abiko City, Chiba Prefecture. It's a bedroom community for Tokyo on the north shore of Teganuma, the wide marsh between Abiko and Kashiwa Cities. On the train ride in, I noticed many plum trees in bloom in gardens and parks. So after my appointment I had lunch at one of the many noodle restaurants. Abiko's south side has many long-established independent restaurants. To walk off a hearty bowl of ramen, I took a walk indicated by the station front wayfinding map.

In the Taisho era, Abiko was a retreat for scholars, writers, and authors, and acquired the nickname "Kamakura of the East". Some homes from the era remain, and I recommend Sugimura Sojinkan Memorial Museum and the Former Murakawa Villa.

Like Kamakura, the city has rolling hills from which you can view the water. While it has many historic and ancient sites, it's not nearly as dense as Kamakura. It's an atmosphere reminiscent of the Kamakura landscape.

I decided on a stroll to Funato no Mori, a wildlife preservation area. Along the way are Showa-era shops and lush gardens. This place isn't a huge tourist draw, so it's quiet and relaxing. The sights are quaint and minor, but I think that's part of the charm. It's the little things - a forlorn shrine bordering the farm fields, the satoyama landscape in the forest, and the birdsong. It feels like you're in the deep countryside, even though a busy suburban town center is just a few kilometers away.

Before I returned home, I dropped in at the tourism information centre, Abishirube. During hinamatsuri season, local origami artists display intricate folded-paper doll displays.

Are you drawn to an off-the-beaten-path historic spot near you? What makes it charming?