A Japan Heritage:
The Katsuragi Shugen Story

The Izumi Range runs east to west along the boundary of Osaka and Wakayama Prefectures. The Kongo Range stretches north to south, dividing Osaka and Nara Prefectures. This mountainous area is called Katsuragi, and it has long been revered as a home to many deities. This is also where En no Gyoja, the founder of the Shugendo sect of mountain asceticism, first practiced his training.