Nihondaira Yume Terrace Live Cam

Echoes of Legends: The Nihondaira Plateau

Standing atop the Nihondaira Plateau, one feels an immediate connection to a landscape steeped in both natural grandeur and profound historical significance. This elevated terrain, a celebrated Shizuoka scenic spot, wasn't always known by its current name. Its origins are intertwined with the legendary figure Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, a prince and warrior whose exploits are chronicled in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest historical record. The Nihondaira history begins with a dramatic tale from Yamato Takeru's eastern campaign. According to legend, local chieftains, feigning loyalty, lured him onto the vast grasslands that once covered this area. They then set the grass ablaze, intending to trap and kill the prince. However, Yamato Takeru, wielding the sacred sword Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, swiftly cut down the surrounding grass, creating a firebreak. Using a counter-fire tactic, he turned the flames back towards his attackers and escaped the inferno. This act of salvation led to the sword being renamed Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the "Grass-Cutting Sword," which became one of the Three Imperial Sacred Treasures of Japan. After defeating the treacherous bandits, Yamato Takeru ascended a high point on the plateau to survey the land he had pacified – the very land that would come to be known as Nihondaira, literally meaning "Japan Plain" or "Sun Base Plain," reflecting its commanding viewpoint. This Yamato Takeru legend imbues the plateau with a mythical aura, reminding visitors that they walk on ground central to Japan's foundational narratives.