Konpira Shrine, more affectionately coined "Konpira-san" by the locals, is a common stop for tourists visiting Kagawa prefecture in Shikoku. While it is a challenge to get to, the views from the shrine and the shrine itself make the long climb worth it!
Kotohira-gu is the official name for Konpira Shrine, but most of the signs around Kotohira town will refer to it as Konpira-san in both English and Japanese. The shrine itself is located halfway up Mt. Zouzu, at about 520 meters above sea-level. To get to the main shrine, you have to climb 785 stone steps up the mountainside, but people of all ages can make the climb. It's been around since the first century, and hundreds of people make the climb every day--and it's considered one of the most difficult shrines to get to in Japan! If you get tired, there are people who will carry you down the mountain in a one-person litter, but that is definitely for emergencies and the elderly only!
There are plenty of little shops and cafes you can stop to rest at along the climb, and a lot of them sell tasty drinks and specialty ice cream, such as ice cream with oiri or gold-coated ice cream. The main kanji character of the shrine is 金 (gold), so many of the souvenirs you can buy are gold-colored or related to money. There are also a lot of udon shops, where you can stop and eat Kagawa's specialty dish.
Just to the left of the shrine entrance, there's a stable with two horses. While all of the information about them was written in Japanese, we were able to piece out that the horses are there for the shrine's god to ride. At twelve-years-old and twenty-five-years old, the horses looked spry and ready to take the gods wherever they needed to go!
We visited at the end of March, so the sakura were just beginning to bloom, but the shrine seems like a popular spring-break destination, and the path was lined with cherry blossom trees. I'm sure it's beautiful when they all bloom and cover the mountain. Even without the sakura, the view from the main shrine is breathtaking!
The deity of Konpira-san is the guardian of sailors and sea travel, so there was a collection of posters and pictures at the main shrine, as well as buoys and paddles that had been brought from various boats. Many sailors travel to Konpira-san to receive its protection. If they couldn't make the 1,368-step climb all the way to the inner shrine (I know I couldn't!), they sent their dogs up the mountain to represent them!
With the combination of old and new, and its connection to nature, Konpira-san is a great stop for anyone! I definitely plan to return in the future and complete the climb to the inner shrine.
