Lily-Garden Observatory

  You can see the scenery of the scattered farmers' residences surrounded by trees.  It’s rare in Japan.  These trees were planted to protect the house against the northwestern wind and snow.  They cut down branches to be used as fuel, and trees to be used as 'Inakake'; they hang rice plants on it after harvesting, and so on.  Like this, they used in various ways as their wisdom for farming life.

   Furthermore, 'kaya', a kind of grass being cut in fall, was laid between the trees to protect the residence from the cold wind.  This work is called 'kazarai'.  'Kaya' becomes stronger after being exposed to the icy wind.  In spring, it becomes the material for a thatched roof.

  In 1993, Iide-town got the first prize at 'the 1st Contest of the Most Beautiful Village Scenery in Japan', an award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

  Iide-town has two observatories. They are Iide Donden-daira Lily Garden Observatory in Hagyu district and Hotokeyama Observatory in Naka district, near to Ten-yoji Kannon-do Hall.

  Furthermore, you can also see the excellent scenery of the groves of trees surrounding residences from the observatory of Nagameyama in Soegawa district.

The scenery from the Hotokeyama Observatory