Princess Mound

There is a small mound in the garden of the main hall of Muryojuji Temple in Yatsuhashi, which is famous for Japanese irises. This mound is called “Princess Mound” or “Princess Mound of Japanese Iris.”

During the Heian Period, Narihira Ariwara fell in love with a high-ranking princess who he was not permitted to love. No longer able to continue living in the capital, he went on a journey to Azuma (the Eastern Region). On the way, he was recuperating from the fatigue of the journey for some time in Yatsuhashi.

The princess who loved Narihira could not bear the hardship of saying good-bye to him. She secretly escaped from the capital and followed him to reach Yatsuhashi. Narihira’s heart was filled with joy and sweet memories when he knew that the princess came all the way to meet him on a woman’s delicate legs. However, when he met her across the river, he said, “The reason why I left for the Eastern Region is for the sake of your happiness. If I join you here, my heart will be thrown into confusion again. Please forget about me and return to the capital to live a happy life,” and he left for the journey.

The joy that she was able to meet the man she loved did not last long, and the princess fell ill because of sadness and fatigue from a long journey.

While the villagers took care of the princess at Muryojuji Temple, her illness did not get any better. Finally, she threw herself into the pond. The villagers felt sorry for the princess and built a mound for her at Muryojuji Temple. That mound is the current Princess Mound. Beautiful Japanese irises started to bloom in the pond into which she had thrown herself, and everybody began calling her the Princess of Japanese Iris without any particular reason.

Afterward, the Yatsuhashi River, where Narihira met the princess, became known as Aizuma (meeting one’s wife) River.

The end.