Kushi iwamado-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Kushi iwamado-jinja is a small shrine set in the hills of Tamba-Sasayama, surrounded by tall trees that create shade and quiet. Behind it rises a small mountain called Miyama, topped with a large stone believed to be a sacred place where gods once descended from heaven.
This shrine has been part of local life for many years and is linked to an ancient tradition of rock worship spanning centuries. A researcher visited in the 1950s and documented the stones at the summit as quartzite, a hard stone with a weathered appearance.
The shrine is rooted in a local tradition of rock worship, where natural stones are seen as dwelling places of gods and spirits. This ancient belief shapes how visitors approach the site today to pray and leave offerings.
The site is now a restricted area with signs warning visitors not to enter the mountain or climb the rocks, as it remains sacred. The shrine itself is accessible for prayer and leaving offerings, and visitors should respect the boundaries and approach the grounds with care.
In the 1950s, researchers could see large rocks at the base of Mount Miyama protruding from the ground, but over the years these stones have been hidden by dense growth of trees and plants. Despite their invisibility today, these forgotten stones remain spiritually significant in local tradition.
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