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Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine is located atop Mount Otokoyama. It was designated as one of the top shrines in the nation during the Heian Period, and the Imperial court made special offerings here.
Enshrined here are three deities, Emperor Ojin, Empress Jingu, and Hime no Okami. It is said that the shrine was established here after the Priest Gyokyo prayed for the god at Usa Hachimangu to come down where he wanted it to be built, and this is where he chose.
It is free to enter the shrine.
Updated Nov 9, 2010
Website: http://www.iwashimizu.or.jp/
Mount Otokoyama is a holy mountain that is important for its spiritual value, as well as its historical significance. Spiritually, atop the mountain is Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, one of the most important Shinto Shrines in the nation during the Heian Period.
Historically, the mountain is important because the bamboo from this mountain was used by Thomas Edison to make the world's first incandescent light bulb! This also melds into the spiritual significance, as well, because the bamboo used in such an important invention was from the holy mountain.
Near Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine is a Thomas Edison Park with a monument in his honor. There is also a path leading down the other side of the mountain that leads you through its beautiful bamboo forest! The bamboo is much higher and more abundant than the more well-known bamboo forests in Kyoto. It's well worth the time to walk down this trail!
Written Nov 9, 2010
Hiko actually means "aviation", so the name translates to Aviation Shrine. This shrine was actually built by Chuhachi Ninomiya, the inventor of the first flying machine, in order for people to offer prayers to the victims of airplane deaths. He built it after he found that the Wright Brothers had already flown a successful flight. His own blueprints were drawn out 16 years earlier, but he wasn't able to get the funds to actually build his plane. His blueprints are actually much more advanced than the Wright Brothers' plane. Still, he always felt a connection to others in the aviation field and the invention of the plane did also create a new way to die, so this new type of hazard deserved a shrine where people could pray, he felt. He himself prayed here for his fellow aviators.
The shrine contains some artifacts from planes and plane parts, sort of like a museum, so it's an interesting site.
Written Nov 9, 2010
Yawata is very easy to access via Yawata Station. The station is located on the Keihan Line, which travels from eastern Kyoto to Osaka (not Kyoto Station or Osaka Station though!).
From Yawata Station, there is a cablecar to take you up to the top of Mount Otokoyama. It's one of the shortest cablecars in the country! You can then take the cablecar back down or hike down the trails. Yawata is a small town, so you can reach most destinations on foot.
Written Nov 9, 2010
Very few tourists to Japan come to Yawata or even know its name, but this small city is actually very interesting and has connections to one name that you WILL recognize! The bamboo from Yawata's......
Build your own Yawata page
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