Saku offers different ways to explore cultural history, architecture, nature, and space exploration. Religious and historical themes sit alongside places devoted to the solar system and the work of space probes. When choosing what interests you on your trip, you can move between a centuries-old temple, an unusual fortress design, and scientific subjects.
Temple History and Distinctive Architectural Forms
Teishoji is a Sōtō Zen temple founded in 1521 by Tomono Sadayoshi. As the lord of Maeyama Castle, he dedicated its founding to the memory of his grandfather and father. The temple complex comprises seven buildings. Teishoji is considered a representative old temple of Saku and was selected for “Shinshu Hyakuji.” Its founding, temple tradition, and the size of its complex each give the site a distinct cultural and historical significance.
The former Nakagomi School offers a different historical perspective. It was built in 1875 with donations from villagers and other supporters and is among Japan’s oldest schools in the pseudo-Western style. Its founding came considerably later than that of Teishoji, so the two sites represent different historical periods in Saku. Tatsuoka Castle Goryokaku adds a striking architectural form to this selection: it is one of only two star-shaped fortifications in Japan. Here, the focus is not solely on age, but also on the rare star shape.
Pin-koro Jizō was erected in September 2003 as a symbol of health and longevity in Saku. Visitors include older people who pray for health and a long life, people concerned about their parents’ health, and families. The site thus brings together the Jizō’s symbolic significance and a range of personal concerns.
From the Solar System to Space Probes
At the entrance to the Usuda Deep Space Center, a scale model of the solar system, reduced to one ten-billionth of its actual size, stretches along a cherry-tree-lined path. Visitors can explore the model on foot. It makes the scale of the solar system something to experience on a walk. Visitors can also see the center’s 64-meter antenna. It sends commands to space probes and receives observational data from them. The model and antenna offer two different perspectives: a scaled-down depiction of the solar system on the one hand, and a facility with a specific role in space exploration on the other.
The central theme of the sakumo Saku Children’s Future Museum is the origin and development of the universe, Earth, and life. Its subject therefore spans cosmic, geological, and biological dimensions. Together with the Usuda Deep Space Center, it offers different ways to explore an interest in space and science: from a model of the solar system and the work of the antenna to a subject that also encompasses Earth and life.
A Natural Wonder with Its Own History
The Iwamurada-Hikarigoke colony was discovered in 1910; it was the first site in Japan where luminous moss was recorded. On March 3, 1921, it was designated a National Natural Monument. The discovery and designation were two distinct milestones: the former marked the identification of the moss at this site, and the latter its subsequent recognition as worthy of protection. For trip planning, the colony offers a different theme from the temple, school, and fortress: the focus is a natural wonder and its history as a protected site.
Whether you are more interested in religious history, architecture, nature, or space exploration, Saku offers a range of distinct subjects. The recorded dates help put historical milestones in context, while the antenna and walk-through model turn the focus to space exploration and its scale.
Discover more destinations: Azuma, Nagawa, Chino, Shimojo, Kitaazumi District, Yamanouchi, Tomi, Shimosuwa.
For the overview of the wider region: Nagano Prefecture.
