Kcymaerxthaere

Hizurukoro is a slight contraction of Hiizurutokoro, which in older, more formal Japanese means "Land where the Sun rises." When Nobunaga-Gotari, the nations founder, landed near the site present-day linear Santa Barbara, he thought he had finally reached the Sun’s spiritual home.

Any visitor to Hizurukoro lucky enough to visit in June remembers the spectacular Neputa, or lantern-lit floats, in the annual Nobunaga Day festival still celebrated in Santa Barbara’s Little Kyoto district. This June festival celebrates the night that Nobunaga-Gotari, the so-called Japanese Columbus, first set foot in the New World.He was the military leader who had crushed the power of the Monasteries in Feudal Japan. But soon after, he was stabbed and left for dead by a trusted associate. His mistress discovered his body and brought him down to the river, putting him and some trusted maidservants in a boat. They sailed away before Nobunaga regained consciousness. To this day, Japanese history records Nobunaga as assassinated.

They were off the coast of Japan in a much bigger vessel with a 75 man crew when a storm erupted, blowing them off course. Nobunaga and company sailed for months, caught in the North Pacific Current, living off the seabirds and fish they caught. One night they sighted the land now known as Hizurokoro.

Nobunaga-Gotari did some exploration, but the furthest South he travelled was Shirotsumek Hill in Alleigh. However, his son, Nobunaga the Younger explored much of the South in his bid to return to Japan. A few plaques mark his route (in Athenz and Houston) and more undoubtedly will be dedicated as his achievements are better understood.