Mt. Kongo
Map
Mt. Kongo is a 1,125 m mountain on the border between Gose City in Nara Prefecture and Chihayaakasaka Village in Osaka Prefecture, and the main peak of the Kongo mountain range. It is known as a place where En no Gyoja, the founder of Shugendo, trained, and Katsuragi Shrine and Tenborin-ji (a Shingon Daigo-ha temple and head temple of Katsuragi Shugendo) stand side by side near the summit. About 500,000 people climb it each year, making it one of the most popular mountains in the Kansai region.
Sacred Site Info
- Type
- Sacred mountain
- Legend
- En no Gyoja (En no Ozunu) is said to have trained on this mountain from the age of 16. Katsuragi Jinja stands near the summit and enshrines Hitokotonushi no Okami. Entry to the summit of Mt. Katsuragi (the highest point), which is regarded as sacred ground, is restricted.
- Element
- Mountain, rock
History & Origins
Mt. Kongo has been revered as a sacred Shugendo mountain since ancient times and is said to be a place where En no Gyoja trained. Katsuragi Shrine at the summit is an old shrine dedicated to Hitokotonushi no Okami, and together with Tenborin-ji it has long been a place of syncretic Shinto and Buddhist faith. In the Nanbokucho period, Kusunoki Masashige based himself here, making it historically significant as well.
Highlights
Because Katsuragi Shrine near the summit is a sacred precinct, worship at the main hall of Hitokotonushi no Okami is conducted from outside the torii gate. The grounds of Tenborin-ji preserve a tradition of holding Buddhist services in the snow even in snowy winters. Each year on July 7, the syncretic 'Renge Festival' is held. The summit area is a sacred mountain for all four seasons, with many climbers even when snow lies on the ground.
Visitor Guide
Take a Nankai bus from Tondabayashi Station on the Kintetsu Nagano Line or Kawachi-Nagano Station (JR/Nankai) to the 'Kongo Tozanguchi' stop, then walk about 90 to 150 minutes to the summit. Several well-maintained trails are available. After descending, local products can be enjoyed at the roadside station in Chihayaakasaka Village at the foot of the mountain.
Best Season
Fresh green in spring (April to May) and autumn foliage (October to November) are beautiful, and in winter (December to February) the Shugendo-style experience of walking the sacred mountain in snowy scenery is popular.
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