Oyama Shrine (Ashikuraji)

Oyama Shrine is the great shrine devoted to the worship of Mt. Tateyama, one of Japan's three holy mountains, and its Ashikuraji sanctuary, the Chugu Kigan-den or 'middle shrine of prayer', is the most accessible and atmospheric of its three parts. Set among towering ancient cedars in the village of Ashikuraji, at the foot of the sacred peak, it is the historic heart of Tateyama mountain faith and a place of quiet, deep spirituality.\n\nThe shrine as a whole is unusual in that it comprises three sanctuaries rather than one. The Mine-honsha, the peak shrine, stands on the very summit of Oyama at over 3,000 metres and can be reached only in the short summer season; the Maedate-shadan lies at Iwakuraji lower down; and between them, in Ashikuraji, sits the Chugu Kigan-den. By tradition, worship at any of the three brings the same blessing, but each has its own role in the Tateyama faith, and the Ashikuraji sanctuary is especially revered because it directly faces the main peak of Oyama and because the mountain's legendary founder, Saeki no Ariyori, is said to have spent his final years here.\n\nTateyama worship is one of the great traditions of Japanese mountain religion. In the era of shinbutsu-shugo, the fusion of Shinto and Buddhism, Tateyama was a major centre of Shugendo mountain asceticism, its landscape read as a vivid map of paradise and hell, complete with the sulphurous 'hell valley' of Jigokudani on the heights above. Ashikuraji was the base from which pilgrims and mountain ascetics set out, and its shrine buildings, cedar avenues and associated sites preserve the memory of that spiritual world. The shrine enshrines Izanagi and Ame-no-Tajikarao, deities linked to the mountain's power.\n\nFor visitors, the Ashikuraji sanctuary offers a serene and evocative experience. The approach through the cedar grove, with its dim light and cool air, sets a reverent mood, and the weathered wooden buildings and mossy stone lend a sense of great age. This is a place to walk slowly, breathe the mountain air and sense the long history of faith attached to Tateyama, rather than a busy tourist site.\n\nThe sanctuary sits conveniently close to other Tateyama-related attractions. The nearby Tateyama Museum complex interprets the mountain faith and its landscape of paradise and hell, making an ideal companion to the shrine for those who want to understand the tradition more fully, and the whole area is the gateway to the famous Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route into the high mountains.\n\nAccess is via the Toyama Chiho Railway toward Tateyama Station, alighting near Ashikuraji, with parking available for drivers. The grounds are always open and free, and visitors should observe the usual shrine etiquette and respect the sacred atmosphere. Spring through autumn are the most comfortable seasons, with fresh green among the cedars in early summer and colour in the surrounding hills in autumn. As the spiritual foot of one of Japan's holiest mountains, Oyama Shrine at Ashikuraji is a moving and worthwhile stop for anyone drawn to the country's mountain traditions.