Kurikara Prefectural Park

This lush green park is located on the prefectural border with Ishikawa, and is a popular hiking and outdoors destination for people from Toyama and Ishikawa alike, particularly for the cherry blossoms in spring and the colorful leaves in autumn.

Beyond its natural scenery, this park boasts rich historical and cultural significance. Near the park is Kurikara Fudoji Temple, a temple with ties to the Maeda family, who were once the feudal lords who ruled over Oyabe. In addition to its historic relevance, this temple is noteworthy for its beautiful statues, many of which feature a fresh, shiny gold leaf finish, as well as a striking split-colored flat stone garden with a fascinating secret: the two colors of stones are divided along the border between Ishikawa and Toyama!

This park was also the site of the Battle of Kurikara Pass in 1183, during the Genpei War (a nationwide civil war taking place from 1180 to 1185, between the Taira and Minamoto clans). The battle was won in part through clever trickery on the part of the Minamoto forces, who tied torches to the horns of hundreds of oxen at night to create the illusion of a much larger army. This helped scare off the Taira forces, setting the stage for a decisive military victory by the Minamoto forces. Even today, Oyabe is full of imagery evoking this event, including statues found in this park, and even the town’s mascot.