Mount Zōzu, Protected mountain peak in Mitoyo and Zentsūji, Japan
Mount Zōzu is a protected mountain on the border between Mitoyo and Zentsuji in Kagawa Prefecture, reaching about 540 meters at its summit. The peak is covered in dense forest, and its upper slopes open onto viewpoints with wide views over the surrounding plain and the Seto Inland Sea coast.
The mountain gained official protection as a Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument of Japan in June 1951. Long before that, it was already known as a sacred site because the Kotohira-gu shrine at its foot has drawn pilgrims from across Japan for centuries.
Mount Zōzu is closely tied to Kotohira-gu, one of the most visited shrines in Japan, which sits at its base. Many visitors combine a walk up the mountain with climbing the long stone stairway that leads to the shrine buildings.
Good walking shoes and enough water are recommended, as some sections of the trails are steep and uneven. If you plan to combine the mountain with a visit to the Kotohira-gu shrine, allow extra time since the shrine stairway alone has several hundred steps.
The name Zōzu means "elephant head" in Japanese, and the outline of the mountain is said to resemble the head of an elephant when seen from certain angles. This shape is thought to be one of the reasons why the site was considered sacred from an early time.
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