About

• Features

  Mt. Hikosan (elevation: 1,199 m), which towers over the border between Soeda-cho, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture and Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, is one of the three most sacred places of Shugendo (mountain asceticism) in Japan, along with Mt. Haguro in Yamagata Prefecture and Mt. Omine in Nara Prefecture. Since ancient times, Mt. Hikosan has sustained a unique mountain worship tradition that combines Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. Since many archaeological sites from the Jomon and Yayoi periods have been found in the surrounding area, it is conceivable that spiritual practices there date back before the Common Era. According to one theory, the shrine pavilions on which the current Mount Hiko Shrine is based were built between the 3rd and 4th centuries. It is said that Enno Ozunu, the Asuka period sorcerer and founder of Shugendo, practiced asceticism at this site. The summit consists of three peaks, Kitadake, Nakadake, and Minamidake, all of which are relatively flat, but are flanked by impressive sheer cliffs. The mountain is popular among hikers from all over Kyushu because it offers a wide variety of climbing experiences, from gentle slopes to rocky terrain with ropes and chains.

• History

  Mt. Homan and Mt. Hiko, located at the northeastern gate of the remains of the Dazaifu Government Office, have been a place for practitioners of Shugendo to gain spiritual insight since ancient times, and even today, the practice of walking across both mountains to ascend and descend the peaks is still practiced. With the esoteric Buddhist comparison of Mt. Homan to Vajradhatu (the Diamond Realm of Vajrayana Buddhism)--symbolizing wisdom--and Mt. Hiko to Garbhadhatu (the Womb Realm)--symbolizing compassion, the Shugendo practitioners walk up and down the peaks to incorporate within themselves the power of all creation and thus be reborn. In the latter half of the Edo period (1603-1867), when Shugendo was at its height of prominence, there were 3,000 Shugendo practitioners living in 800 monasteries on Mt. Hiko, comprising the largest community of Shugendo practitioners in Japan. Traces of this community can be seen everywhere along the approach to Hikosan Jingu Shrine, and some lodgings still remain, which are open to the public.

• Nature

  The area remains as rich in nature as ever, since it is a sacred place for Shugendo, a practice that involves entering rugged mountains and becoming one with all things in the forest. The mountain shows a multitude of seasonal changes, but the most popular times to visit are early June and late October. In June, the Japanese stewartia, dodan azalea, and magnolia bloom at the same time, allowing visitors to experience the burst of spring with all of their being. In October, the entire mountain changes color with the autumn leaves, and visitors can enjoy climbing the mountain amidst the beautiful brocade of autumn colors. In winter, when the trees lie dormant, the icefalls on Nakadake are a must-see. The lush forest, exemplified by the ancient cedar trees over 1,200 years old, is home to a variety of rare species, including the Japanese dormouse and the Mountain hawk-eagle. The hawk is the sacred bird of Mt. Hiko, and is also featured on the crest and the talisman of the Hikosan Jingu Shrine. It is obvious that the people of the past recognized the existence of gods in nature.

• Since ancient times, Mt. Hiko has been revered and respected as a mountain of waters that brings the blessings of water to the northern Kyushu region, and as a mountain of the sun that offers the grace of the sun.

  
  
  

  Hiko Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Ameno-Oshihomi-no-Mikoto, the son of Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess in Japanese mythology, and was historically referred to as Hinoko no Yama or Hinoko Mountain.

  
  
  

  In recent years, the area has suffered from the destruction of mountain trails and the closure of the railroad line running along the foot of the mountain due to repeated natural disasters, but now the Fukuoka Prefecture Hitahikosan Line Area Development Plan led by Fukuoka Prefecture, with the participation of YAMAP, is progressively improving mountain trails and restoring the forests. Here, we would like to highlight two trails where even ordinary climbers can experience Shugendo culture.

  
  
  
  

  Symbol mark of the Mt. Hikosan Pilgrimage Route

  
  
  

  The first is the Harumine Route, a 50km journey from Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine to Mount Houmangu and then to Mount Hiko. Although the route, which is said to have been pioneered by Enno Ozunu, is not very high at around 1,000 meters above sea level, there are steep challenges along the way, making it ideal for the Shugendo experience.

  The second is the Oshioitori Route, a 39km route from Ubagafutokoro on the coast of Yukuhashi City, Fukuoka Prefecture, to Mt. Hiko. The route's name, Oshioitori, refers to a Shinto ritual that began in the Heian period (794-1185) at the Hikosan Jingu Shrine. Shugendo practitioners walk from the Shrine to Ubagafutokoro, enter the sea, perform misogi purification, and bring back seawater (oshioi-tori) to purify Mt. Hiko. The route is designed to allow visitors to recreate this ritual.

  
  
  

  In the past, Shugendo practitioners who entered the mountains were forbidden to eat animal-derived food to avoid impurity. Some Shugendo practitioners even spent up to three months in a cave in the mountains. They used this method to confront the whole of creation as well as their inner selves. Although it is rare for mountain climbers to fully experience the severity of these ascetic practices, it is important to keep in mind that the path leading to Mt. Hiko holds the same teachings of truth that these practitioners sought to attain at the risk of death.

  
  
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  Before visiting Mt. Hiko, take the time to learn about the forest restoration project that is proceeding in tandem with the trail maintenance. Mt. Hiko, which has been devastated by repeated natural disasters and deer damage, is beginning an effort to plant trees, with the help of climbers, around the summit starting in 2022.

  
  
  
  

  In the future, there are plans to establish a custom in the area for climbers to bring saplings and plant trees when they pay homage to the Shrine at the summit. Pilgrimage to the mountain also leads to the protection of the mountain ecology--this is a form of worship that has been practiced since ancient times at Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine in Wakayama Prefecture and Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture.

  
  
  
  

  The culture of spiritual practices at Mt. Hiko are assuredly being preserved from the past to the present, and into the future.