Cultural Assets－Sutra Mounds

Sutra mound #16 is in a hamlet called Nagaredani, northeast of Mt. Iwawaki. The Nagaredani River flows through the hamlet, and a large boulder by the river is worshiped as Fudoson (or Fudo Myo-o), a Buddhist deity. The present sutra mound is in the woods north of the river and is a mini shrine reconstructed in 1978. A stone statue of Fudo Myo-o, which was recovered from the river is enshrined inside.
At nearby Hachimanjinja Shrine, there is an iron kettle dating back to 1340. This Important Cultural Property was used in Shinto rituals, suggesting a connection to Shugendo.