Pilgrimage to the Sacred Mountain: Mount Kinpusan

【Pilgrimage to the Sacred Mountain: Mount Kinpusan】
Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest and most revered sacred mountain, is universally recognized and celebrated worldwide.

What is less well-known, however, is that from ancient times through the medieval period, Mount Kinpusan was regarded as a spiritual counterpart to Mount Fuji. Together, these two peaks were considered a pair of sacred mountains, attracting faith and devotion from people across Japan.

In earlier times, it was said that reverence for Mount Fuji alone was incomplete, leading to an increase in pilgrimages to Mount Kinpusan. The route connecting Mount Fuji and Mount Kinpusan became known as the “Dosha Kaido” (Pilgrims’ Highway). It is also believed that the faith traditions of Musashi Mitake Shrine and Chichibu Mitsumine Shrine trace their roots to the worship of Mount Kinpusan in Koshu.

There are nine ancient pilgrimage routes to Mount Kinpusan, with the Soma-guchi route in Makio-cho, Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture, being the oldest. Even today, this route retains its profound sense of sanctity.

Kanazakura Shrine, located in Soma-guchi, Makio-cho, Yamanashi City, serves as a key point along the Soma-guchi route. The shrine is currently undergoing a historic reconstruction of its main worship hall—the first such effort in 167 years, since Ansei 4 (1857).

Ahead of the reconstruction’s completion in August of Reiwa 6 (2024), a pilgrimage was undertaken along the ancient Soma-guchi route. Participants included Kanazakura Shrine’s head priest, Mr. Odagiri, and practitioners of Koshu Shugendo, as well as representatives from Hokkoji Temple, Enshoji Temple, Kako-in Temple, Ryuko-in Temple, Fukusho-in Temple, Fukuzo-in Temple, Daizo-kyoji Temple, Shiozawa-dera Temple, and Takao-san Yakuo-in Temple. A sacred ritual of thanksgiving and reporting was solemnly conducted at the original shrine of Kanazakura and Mount Kinpusan.

The reconstruction of the worship hall at Kanazakura Shrine is deeply imbued with the sentiments of successive generations of shrine priests and their ancestors. According to the head priest, writings left by past generations often highlight the phrase “Houhon Hanshi” (to repay the origins and reflect on the beginnings), which resonates deeply with the shrine’s mission.

I had the profound honor of joining the group on a special occasion to pay respects at the original shrine at Mount Kinpusan’s Gojoiwa (Five-Joint Rock). It was an experience beyond words. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported us, including the guide, Mr. Hosaka, and all those who lent their assistance.

This day marked the beginning of a renewed recognition and revival of the faith in Mount Kinpusan.

(Reference: Survey Report on the Soma-guchi Kanazakura Shrine Inner Shrine Site)　https://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/ja/6484