Iwaya
Sutra mound #26 is on the Odake Peak of Mount Nijo, where it has been since medieval times according to the Shozan-engi (a record of Shugendo mountains compiled in the late 12th century). Running from Mount Nijo to Eifuku-ji Temple is the Takenouchi-kaido Road, Japan’s oldest highway. Along it you can find stone statues of En no Gyoja, said to be the founder of Katsuragi Shugen. Eifuku-ji Temple is the site of the tomb of Prince Shotoku, who is credited with political reform and spreading Buddhism during his tenure as regent from 593 to 622. At Eifuku-ji Temple, a grand Goma fire ritual is conducted by Shugendo practitioners every spring as part of a ceremony to commemorate the death of Prince Shotoku.
| Inquiries | Lifelong Education Department, Education Board, Taishi Town 0721-98-5534 |
|---|---|
| Address | 2044 Iwaya, Yamada, Taishi-cho, Minami-kawachi-gun, Osaka Prefecture |
| Access | 6 min. drive south from Taishi IC on Minamihanna Road to Mount Nijo Manyo no Mori parking lot; 15 min. walk from parking lot |
| Admission | — |
| Hours | — |
| Closed | — |
| Parking | Mount Nijo Manyo no Mori Information Center |