Konsei Pass, Mountain pass between Nikko and Katashina, Japan.
Konsei Pass is a mountain route connecting Nikko and Katashina through the Tochigi Prefecture region. The road winds through forested slopes and opens onto different views as you travel between the two areas.
The pass has served for centuries as a trade route connecting different regions of Japan. It remains an important travel corridor linking the areas on either side today.
At the saddle between Onsengadake and Konseizan stands Konsei Shrine, which honours a phallic stone as its deity; the pass name is said to come from the monk Dokyo enshrining his phallus here. The shrine is still visited by travellers crossing the pass.
The best time to cross is spring through autumn when the road is typically open and passable. Winter snow and ice can make travel more difficult and less safe.
The Konsei Tunnel under the pass, opened in 1965, was a toll road until 1995; its signs are still green, the colour used for expressways rather than ordinary roads. The pass itself is reached on foot in about 30 minutes from the tunnel's Nikko-side car park.
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