Teradomari Port Town

Teradomari once earned the nickname the Kamakura of Northern Japan for its concentration of Buddhist temples along the main road, many founded when merchant ships on the Hokkoku and Mikuni trading routes brought culture and religion to this Sea of Japan port. The monk Nichiren waited here seven days in 1271 for a transport ship to his exile on Sado Island, writing a letter to a disciple that is now considered sacred scripture. About 1 kilometer of traditional streetscape survives today, with ten temples, a hilltop shrine, and stone staircases connecting them all within comfortable walking distance of the waterfront.