This is the town's oldest statute of Amitabha, made in the late Heian period. It was originally enshrined by the Northern Fujiwara at Amidado, a temple hall containing an enshrined image of Amitabhajyo in Hirasawa Jouroku. The height of the statue is 4.8m which was measured as "Ichijou-rokushaku" in the Japanese old measurement. That is how the name, Jouroku comes from. It is valuable for this region where Heian Buddha is rarely found. This became Miyagi Prefecture's Designated Cultural Property in Showa 49 (1974).
It is a giant cedar of tree of about 900 years old and listed in Miyagi Prefectural Designated Natural Treasure. In the Meiji period, an obstetrician Igarashi Bunsai spread a belief of safe childbirth, Daruma Kou, around this area, so it is also called Daruma Cedar. The monument he made to preserve this tree is still standing near the roots of the cedar.
It was enshrined as sochinju (local Shinto deity) of Katsuta-gun, having an ancient and honorable history. The main shrine was dedicated in Kyouhou 3 (1718) by Katakura, the lord of Shiroishi Castle, who served as senior retainers to the Date clan. It is Miyagi Prefecture's Designated Cultural Property. In addition, the hall of worship, the gates, Swan Old Stone Monument, and 21 items of Votive tables are Zao Town's Designated Cultural Property. Moreover the sacred Shinto music and dance of Kattamine Shrine is listed as Zao Town's Designated Intangible Folk-Cultural Property.
Agatsuma Family House (National Important Cultural Property) is the largest private house with a thatched roof in Miyagi prefecture. It tells us how the wealthy farmer family lived in the Edo era. Hirasawa Mida's Cedar (Prefecture's Natural Treature) is one of the largest cedars in the prefecture, which is about 45 meters in height and about 9.7 meters in circumstance. It is considered that the Northern Fujiwara (Oshu Fujiwara) planted the tree at the time of the creation of Jouroku Amidado.
At "Miyagi Zao Kokeshi Museum" in Togatta Onsen, you can try painting on Kokeshi. Kokeshi is one of the traditional doll which originated in the Onsen areas in Tohoku during the Edo period as a souvenir. Create your own Kokeshi at this place!
