Iwai-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Iwai-jinja is a Shinto shrine located on a mountain in Ota and has been regarded as a sacred place for over a thousand years. The grounds house more than 180 deities enshrined together, an uncommon practice in Japan, and include an ancient three-trunked cedar tree about 500 years old, forest paths, and shrine buildings that wind up the slope.
The shrine is mentioned in one of Japan's oldest texts, the Hitachi no Fudoki, and archaeological remains from the Jomon Era dating back thousands of years show its ancient significance. These old roots demonstrate that the mountain has been a sacred site since the earliest periods of Japanese history.
The shrine remains a place where the local community continues traditional rituals and leaves offerings at the altars. Visitors can observe how reverence for the deities stays active today and how people express their connection to the spirits of the land.
The best time to visit is on clear days, and the walk to the summit takes about 40 minutes from the main shrine, with two different routes available depending on preference. It is wise to avoid climbing in bad weather, starting late in the day, and to borrow walking sticks offered at the site to ease the journey.
An ancient cedar tree with three separate trunks stands near the entrance and has been around for about 500 years, with a local legend describing it as a former home of a goblin creature. This tree functions as a natural sculpture and draws visitors who marvel at its unusual form.
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