Exploring Tendo Park: Giant Shogi Pieces and a Hidden Shrine on Mt. Maizuru

Hello, fellow travel lovers!

Today, we are exploring Tendo Park, located on Mt. Maizuru in the heart of Tendo City.

Our route begins at the Atago Pond waterfront area, continues through Momiji Garden, and climbs up to Atago Shrine.

On the way back, we will visit the Human Shogi venue and the mountaintop observation area.

It sounded like a casual walk.

Will we make it back safely?

What Is Tendo Park?

Tendo Park is a spacious, nature-filled park covering much of Mt. Maizuru.

It is home to scenic viewpoints overlooking Tendo City, Atago Shrine, and the outdoor venue used for Tendo’s famous Human Shogi event.

The mountain is also known as a beautiful cherry blossom destination, and Human Shogi is held here every spring.

Today’s walk begins at the Atago Pond waterfront area, shown in the upper-left corner of the park map.

We walk through Momiji Garden to Atago Shrine, then loop back via the Human Shogi venue.

A Refreshing View Appears with a Bang!

As soon as we started walking, a wonderfully refreshing view appeared with a bang!

The open parkland features a pond surrounded by lawns and greenery.

It certainly looked cool and refreshing.

In reality, it was rather hot.

The grounds are spacious, beautifully maintained, and incredibly open.

Even in a city park, you can feel the generous scale of Yamagata’s landscape.

When we turned around, we had a wide view over the Tendo hot spring district.

We could even see the hotel where we would be staying that night.

For some reason, spotting your hotel from a distance always feels a little exciting.

The Distinctive Monument to Chiyako Sato

Near the entrance to the mountain trail stands a monument dedicated to Chiyako Sato.

Its design is certainly distinctive.

Surrounded by the quiet atmosphere of the mountain, it immediately catches the eye.

After taking a look at the monument, we continued toward Momiji Garden.

The Stairs Begin at Momiji Garden

From here, the route becomes a seemingly endless staircase.

One step.

Another step.

And yes, there are still more.

This trail certainly knows how to make you hungry before dinner.

When we turned around halfway up, the city below was already beginning to look smaller.

We could also see the long staircase we had just climbed.

 

Looking back, we had come quite a long way.

Following the Mountain Trail to Atago Shrine

After passing through Momiji Garden, we continued toward Atago Shrine.

From this point onward, the paved path became a proper mountain trail.

Along the way, we came across the remains of an old well.

I could not help wondering what might be beneath the cover.

Then we reached the final staircase leading to the shrine.

“Once we climb these steps, we’re there!”

Atago Shrine, Quietly Hidden Among the Trees

We finally arrived at Atago Shrine.

The small shrine stands quietly among the trees.

It is not flashy or grand, but it fits perfectly into the calm atmosphere of the mountain.

From here, we followed a trail called the “Shogi and Yamadera Path” for a short distance.

After walking for about ten minutes, however, we decided to turn back.

The trail appeared to continue toward the other side of the mountain, and returning might have become rather difficult.

Curiosity is important.　Getting back safely is even more important.

It was time for a strategic retreat.

A Giant Log Floating in Midair

Boom!

A huge log appeared to be floating in midair.

Its freshly cut surface was surprisingly smooth and clean.

The tree rings were clearly visible as well.

Was it an art installation or simply a fallen tree?

The Shogi Forest Is Full of Kings

Next, we arrived at the Shogi Forest.

The first thing that caught our eye was an enormous king piece.

And there was another king farther behind it.

This is Tendo, the city of shogi.

Apparently, one king is never enough.

Tendo has even attempted a Guinness World Record related to shogi.

The streetlights are decorated with shogi pieces, too.

Everywhere we looked, there was another piece.

Our walk had officially turned into a shogi-piece treasure hunt.

The Giant Human Shogi Board

Then we reached the venue used for Human Shogi.

Then we reached the venue used for Human Shogi. From ground level, it looks like a large open plaza.

Viewed from a slightly higher position, however, the shape of the giant shogi board becomes much easier to see.

“So this is where people move around as shogi pieces!”

While we were looking down at the board, a group of young people walked onto it.

With people standing on the squares, it was much easier to understand the enormous scale.

They provided the perfect demonstration without even knowing it.

The Great Zelkova Tree at the Summit

A magnificent zelkova tree stands in the mountaintop observation area.

I could not find its exact age, but it is clearly an impressive old giant.

It has probably watched the Human Shogi event take place below for many years.

A Panoramic View from the Observation Deck

Finally, we climbed the observation deck.

The breeze flowing through the open structure felt wonderful!

After all those stairs and forest trails, the cool air was greatly appreciated.

We rested for a while and enjoyed the panoramic view over Tendo City.

Back at Atago Pond

After walking down from the summit, we safely returned to the Atago Pond waterfront area.

The irises blooming beside the water looked wonderfully cool and refreshing.

It was still hot, of course.　At least our eyes could enjoy a little relief from the heat.

Our pre-dinner hike was now successfully complete.

Tips for Walking Around Tendo Park

The paths throughout the park are generally well maintained.

Comfortable sneakers were perfectly adequate for the route we followed.

However, the area around Atago Shrine includes an unpaved mountain trail.

We visited in mid-June.　Although the breeze was pleasant, the temperature was already quite high.

There were also insects in the shaded forest areas, so carrying water and using insect repellent would make the walk more comfortable.

What began as a simple stroll turned into a surprisingly varied adventure,

with staircases, mountain paths, giant shogi pieces, and a huge outdoor board.

Tendo Park is a great place to stretch your legs before checking into a hotel or enjoying dinner in the hot spring district.

After this walk, dinner will probably taste even better than usual.

 

The journey continues... Wishing you all a wonderful trip!
＊＊TabiJun＊＊