Kurikara Genpei War Museum and Rest Area

This museum and rest area is located by Gokoku Hachimangu Shrine, near the base of the stairs that lead up to it. Visitors can learn about the area’s history, especially when it comes to the Genpei War (a nationwide civil war taking place from 1180 to 1185, between the Taira and Minamoto clans).

Much of the information here is exclusively in Japanese, but visitors who don’t read Japanese can still enjoy looking at displays of old swords and armor, large maps of the area, and art inspired by a famous moment that occurred nearby during the Genpei War — during the Battle of Kurikara Pass, the Minamoto forces tied torches to the horns of hundreds of oxen to create the illusion of a much larger army, scaring off the Taira forces and leading to a major Minamoto victory. References to this moment from history can be found all throughout Oyabe, from statues to the town’s mascot.