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For a brief period in the eleventh century the temples of Hiraizumi , now a quiet backwater around 120km north of Sendai, rivalled even Kyoto in their magnificence. Though the majority of monasteries and palaces have since been lost, the gloriously extravagant Konjiki-do , the "Golden Hall", and the other treasures of Chuson-ji temple, bear witness to the area's former wealth and level of artistic accomplishment. Hiraizumi's Motso-ji also boasts one of Japan's best-preserved Heian-period gardens, while a boat ride along the nearby Satetsu-gawa, between the towering cliffs of Geibikei gorge , provides a break from the cultural refinement. Travelling north to Hiraizumi by train - whether on the Tohoku Shinkansen or the Tohoku main line - it's necessary to change at ICHINOSEKI , a small town 8km further south. From Ichinoseki you can either hop on the next stopping train, or pick up one of the more frequent local buses, which depart from outside the station, though note that the last Hiraizumi bus leaves at around 7pm (6.30pm Sun & hols). Ichinoseki is also the terminal for Geibikei trains, and you might find it more convenient to visit the gorge before travelling on to Hiraizumi. In Ichinoseki it's worth visiting the useful information office (Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm; 0191/23-8640, fax 21-0996) in Ichinoseki Station's "View Plaza", which has English-speaking staff. Nearby, there are also a couple of car rental outlets - Orix (0191/21-3272) and Eki Rent-a-car (0191/21-5570) - and several reasonable business hotels , notably City Hotel (0191/23-7799, fax 23-2299; Y10,000-15,000) or the more upmarket Hotel Sunroute (0191/26-4311, fax 26-4317; Y15,000-20,000).
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