Genbikei Gorge

厳美渓

Travelers come to Genbikei Gorge for two reasons:

1) The stunning scenery at any time of year

2) The delicious 'flying dango'

Genbikei Gorge, a designated National Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument, is a delightful sight at any time of year. It's no wonder that Genbikei won the admiration of the feudal lord, Date Masamune, who had made this land his territory. It is said that the he built a tea-ceremony room and ordered cherry blossom trees to be planted along the gorge. The 350+ year old 'Teizan Cherry Blossom' comes from the name 'Lord Taizen' which is the pen name of Date Masamune.

Genbikei is home to sparkling emerald green waters and dynamic rock faces which were formed by the ash deposited by Mt. Kurikoma. There are paths on either side of the gorge that give spectacular views. Although Genbikei is gorgeous all year round, I recommend visiting in spring, where vibrant daffodils and cherry blossoms bloom to light up the area or in fall, where the warm hues of the foliage contrasts with the water. Winter makes for incredible photography when there's snow, however the shops and restaurants are generally closed.

A famous attraction unique to Genbikei is 'flying' dango known as kakkou dango.

To order flying dango: 1) put money into the basket 2) knock on the wooden board 3) watch as your order gets hoisted up 4) wait for your order to 'fly' towards you. < A video that shows the steps.

If you do not want to order dango by basket, you can walk up toward the shop and experience dango at kakkouya.

If you have some extra time, pop over to Sahara Glass Park which is a short walk from the gorge. There is a vast array of glassware and glass-blowing workshops available if you would like to try your hand at making your own little souvenir. If the dango wasn't enough to satisfy your appetite (given they are quite filling), there is a cafe and a few soba restaurants nearby or if you trek 10 minutes up the road to Genbikei Roadside Station, you can experience 'mochi cuisine', which is an Ichinoseki specialty. For those looking for a roadtrip idea, from Genbikei, head towards Polano - a local gelato shop which uses local produce, then continue on the same road and you will encounter the Former Matsurube Ohashi Bridge Remains, keep going and you'll end up at Shinyu Onsen area where there are incredible beech forests, and finally you will end up at Sukawa Onsen, the foot of a popular hiking course up Mt. Kurikoma. *Road closures from Shinyu to Sukawa Onsen may be in place from mid autumn through mid spring due to icy roads.

*Ichinoseki is blessed with two stunning gorges. Their names are very similar so be careful - this is Genbikei Gorge (not to be confused with Geibikei Gorge). They are both in completely different areas of Ichinoseki. Genbikei is sometimes spelled Gembikei.

Details:

Address : 岩手県一関市厳美町字滝の上地内

https://goo.gl/maps/LbG1KECzC6F2

Open everyday

Phone number: 0191-23-2350

Extra info: https://www.ichitabi.jp/en/feature/special/genbi/index.html Access (JR・Bus・Walk) Ichinoseki Station ～ Bus: Genbi Line (20 min ride) to Genbikei bus stop