Kongoshoji Temple

Kongoshoji is a venerable Buddhist temple perched high on Mount Asama, the peak that rises above Ise and Toba, and it occupies a role unusual for a Buddhist institution: it is traditionally regarded as a guardian of the great Shinto shrines of Ise Jingu, protecting them from the inauspicious northeast, the direction from which evil spirits were believed to come. This blending of Buddhist and Shinto roles, together with its mountaintop setting and commanding views, makes it one of the most rewarding excursions in the Ise-Shima region.

The temple's history is long and distinguished. Tradition holds that it was founded in the sixth century and later revived in the ninth century by Kobo Daishi, the great monk who established the Shingon school of Buddhism, though it now belongs to the Rinzai Zen tradition. For centuries a saying circulated among pilgrims that a visit to Ise Jingu was incomplete without also paying respects at Kongoshoji, so closely was the temple linked to the shrines below, and many devout travellers still climb Mount Asama to honour that old custom.

The temple grounds unfold across the wooded slopes near the summit and include an elegant main hall, a pond crossed by a vermilion bridge, and a striking hillside cemetery. This cemetery is famous for its towering wooden memorial tablets, some reaching several metres in height, erected by families in a local tradition of ancestor veneration; the forest of tall slender markers rising among the trees is a haunting and unforgettable sight found almost nowhere else in Japan. Statues, mossy stone lanterns and quiet forest paths add to the contemplative mood.

The setting is spectacular in every season. In autumn the maples blaze red and gold across the mountainside, drawing photographers, while spring brings cherry blossom and fresh green. The real reward, though, is the panorama: from the temple and the nearby summit of Mount Asama, reached via the Ise-Shima Skyline road, visitors gaze out over the glittering expanse of Ise Bay, the ragged coastline of the Shima Peninsula and, on clear days, mountains far in the distance. A summit rest house offers refreshments and one of the finest views in the region.

Because it sits atop a mountain, Kongoshoji is most easily reached by car or organised tour along the scenic Skyline toll road that links Ise and Toba, a drive that is a highlight in itself. Allow around an hour to explore the grounds and enjoy the views.

For travellers who have visited the shrines of Ise Jingu on the plain below, ascending to Kongoshoji completes the traditional pilgrimage and adds a very different dimension: Buddhist rather than Shinto, mountainous rather than forested, and crowned by vistas that place the sacred landscape of Ise in its full, breathtaking geographical context.