Ishiwari Shrine
石割神社
Ishiwari Shrine, on Mt. Ishiwari, offers mountain views and a chance to pass through a legendary boulder.
What it is
- Shrine at 1,143 meters above sea level.
- Located at the eighth station of Mt. Ishiwari.
- Named after a massive fractured boulder behind it.
What to see
- Enormous fractured boulder, the "Riven Rock."
- Narrow gap in the boulder to pass through.
- 403-step stairway leading to the shrine.
- View of Mt. Fuji and Mt. Hirao from the peak.
- View of the Minami Alps from the peak.
Getting there
- Mt. Ishiwari Hiking Course Entrance bus stop.
- Trailhead parking lot is nearby.
In detail
Ishiwari-jinja Shrine
Ishiwari-jinja Shrine stands 1,143 meters above sea level at the eighth station of 1,413-meter-tall Mt. Ishiwari. The name Ishiwari, or “Riven Rock,” refers to an enormous fractured boulder that stands behind the shrine. According to the eighth-century Kojiki (“Record of Ancient Matters”), the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami once temporarily sealed herself in a cave, casting the world into total darkness. Local lore maintains that she used this massive rock to block the entrance.
According to legend, good fortune comes to those who pass three times through the narrow gap in the boulder. However, the story goes, if the boulder detects someone unworthy in the gap, it slams shut! Before testing this tradition, visitors must climb the famous 403-step stairway to the shrine, which starts just through the torii gate near the Mt. Ishiwari Hiking Course Entrance bus stop and trailhead parking lot.
Hiking the Mt. Ishiwari Trail
Mt. Ishiwari is lightly forested, making its peak a good vantage point for viewing the surrounding mountains, including Mt. Fuji and Mt. Hirao straight ahead and the Minami Alps far off to the left. The trail from the parking lot to Mt. Ishiwari’s peak, across to Mt. Hirao, and back to the parking lot takes about three hours.
Text: 観光庁 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース. Reproduced unchanged. The notes above were written from that text by Japan Gems.
Where it is
山梨県南都留郡山中湖村平野1979 Open in Google Maps
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