
During the reign of the Fujiwaras (866-1184), Hiraizumi was said to rival Kyoto in grandeur and sophistication, but now all that remains are the temples of Chusonji and Motsuji, both of which are mostly in ruins at that. Famed haiku poet Matsuo Basho penned the famous haiku quoted above, with the end result that now Basho is more idolized in Hiraizumi than anywhere else -- with the exception of many other places that idolize Basho.. You can't throw a rock in Hiraizumi without hitting a Basho statue, a Basho monument, an inscribed copy of a Basho haiku or at the very least a coffee shop waving its "As mentioned in Narrow Road to the Deep North!" banners -- except in the places where there isn't a basho statue, monument, copy or coffee shop.
Hiraizumi is on the JR Tohoku Main Line, connecting to Morioka in the north and Sendai to the south.
The nearest Shinkansen stop, Ichinoseki, is only 10 minutes away (¥170). Trains from Tokyo reach Ichinoseki in about 2 1/2 hours (¥12470 for the one-way trip to Hiraizumi; no charge with the Japan Rail Pass).
Local buses connect JR Hiraizumi station to points of interest, although you can also reach them on foot. Bicycle hire is available just to the right of the station, it is ¥1000 for the whole day (lesser periods are available) it allows you to get around quickly and enjoyably.