2024.07.29
This is my 7th solo trip to Michinoku this year, and 15 times at the same time last year, so I am given a double score.
It can't be helped because this year, which is also the year of my silver wedding, I decided to take two family and couple trips in the first half of the year, which I had inspired myself to do.
Now, let's go back to normal and finally go back to the cycle of traveling alone.
This time, our destination was Hijiori Onsen, which was our second visit.We had also visited the hot spring in January last year and had a good impression of it.In the afternoon, we heard the energetic voices of elementary school students coming home from school. It is also a hot spring town.
This is the place I wanted to stop by before or after staying.
It was almost time to check in at the inn, and I thought I'd pull up to the nearest place to visit the shrine, but the entrance was blocked off due to road closures, so I parked my car in the inn's parking lot and decided to "climb the shrine."
It's a 1.3km route that starts at Yakushi Shrine in Hijiori Onsen Town.
If you climb up the mountain from the left side of the shrine, the mountain path becomes flat.
It will soon join a paved road, but when you get here, keep going to the right.
If you have a map at hand or have a good sense of direction, you won't have a problem, but there are some people here who keep going to the left even if they have a map.
By the time you get to this point, you've already passed the middle of the journey, but as you enter the rough terrain from the paved road, it gets pretty tough from here on out.
On the way, we passed the "Kozukuri Jizo" and headed towards the power spot.
On the way, I was briefly exposed to rain, but it turned out to be either dew or sweat, and it took about 20 minutes with my early 50's feet.
There, an indescribable, sacred space spreads out before your eyes.
I won't say that the fatigue from the journey so far will be blown away, but it is the perfect spice for the Hijiori no Yu that will be served later.
It reminded me of the ``Tarumi ruins'' I once visited with Yamadera, but it had a different flavor, and my thoughts were ``I'm glad I came.''
In August 2024, if you walk along the mountain road from behind Yakushi Shrine, you will come to a national highway that is closed to vehicles. From there, there was a guide board and we headed back to the mountain path. At the end, we followed a path along a steep rocky cliff that made it difficult to pass each other. There are many signboards warning of bears. Access from the source park is not possible as it is undeveloped.
I stayed at Hijiori Onsen for the purpose of meeting this Jizo statue.
It was raining quite a bit that day, so I was worried about the mountain path to Jizokura, but luckily the rain stopped and the path wasn't too slippery.
Is there a steep slope in some places, or is it limestone? Therefore, I think you need to be careful when it rains.
You can get there from the hot spring Yakushi Shrine.
There is an entrance right behind the main shrine.
Even an old man like me could go up the mountain in 25 minutes and descend in 15 minutes.
The spectacular view overlooking the hot spring town along the way is worth seeing.
I always wonder how people in the past were able to build so many buildings in so many places, and I am truly amazed at the level of their faith.
If you like shrines and temples built on hanging cliffs, we highly recommend that you visit.
Japan Trip Guide
