Mima, Tokushima Ken At 1,955 meters in height, Mt. Tsurugi is the second highest mountain in western Japan following Mt. Ishizuchi. Climbing to the top is one of the easiest of the 100 famous mountains in Japan as chairlifts take you from the trailhead to around the middle of the trail. Many visitors enjoy climbing throughout the season. A virgin forest still remains and there are colonies of alpine plants. You can enjoy different sights from season to season. The mountain is

Mima, Tokushima Ken The Mt. Tsurugi Annual Grand Ritual takes place every July 17 at the summit of Mount Tsurugi in Mima City, Tokushima Prefecture. Around 100 participants dressed in traditional white Shinto garments carry a portable shrine (mikoshi) across the high-altitude, dwarf-bamboo (kumasasa) covered slopes near the peak. July 2024

Mima, Tokushima Ken Iwasaka Shinmei Jinja (磐境神明神社), located in Mima City, Tokushima Prefecture, is a fascinating and highly unusual Shinto shrine known for its unique stone-walled architecture. Unlike traditional Shinto shrines that center around a main wooden sanctuary building (honden), this site features a primitive open-air layout that draws visitors intrigued by history, mystery, and ancient spiritual traditions Proponents of the Japanese-Jewish connection claim that the

Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Founded in the late Edo period, the company is now in its fifth generation. It began in the early Edo period when the lord of Iwakuni, Yoshikawa, developed the castle town and invited craftsmen to fill the demand for weapons (swords) and daily necessities (farm tools and hardware). Swordsmiths such as Seiryuken Moritoshi were particularly active around the Nishikigawa River, and advanced blacksmithing techniques took root in the region.　Now this store is th

Nagato, Yamaguchi The Tawarayama area is a tranquil village with a hot spring town that has long flourished as a therapeutic hot spring resort, surrounded by farming and mountain villages. The pristine scenery of the lush green mountains and the clear stream of the Kiya River, where fireflies dance, fills visitors with a warm feeling. The main industries are agriculture, forestry, and livestock farming, and the clean water and climate with large temperature differences allow

Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi The Six Jizo statues, erected at the entrance to what was once a pilgrimage route to Mount Dogatake, are a historic site that speaks to the faith of rural communities from long ago. Even today, this is a place where local residents pray for safety. A part of "Toyota Rural Space Development Project"(according to the on-site information board) Six Zizo statues are standing in a row, looking at Lake Toyota.

Otemachi, Tokyo Taira no Masakado was a military commander active in the mid-Heian period. He worked hard to reform politics in the Kanto region and is said to have earned the deep trust of the people. However, in an attempt to further reform politics, he rebelled against the Imperial Court of the time. He started a large-scale rebellion known as the Tengyo Rebellion (Taira no Masakado Rebellion), and was killed in battle in 940. Having lost the battle, Taira no Masakado was

Komagome, Tokyo Myogi Shrine in Komagome, Tokyo, was founded in 651 (the second year of the Hakuchi era). Considered one of the oldest shrines in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, legend holds that Yamato Takeru no Mikoto established his camp here during his eastern campaign in 651 and built a shrine, marking its origins. Originally named Shirotori Shrine, it appears that Shigeyoshi, a descendant of Nitta Yoshisada, later constructed it after inviting the deity from his ancestral home shr