Oﬃcial GuideGohon-Gu (main shrine). But if you go right, you willpass through a large gate and come to a beautiful

old building housing galleries, the Omote-Shoin
Art Museum, Oku-Shoin, (open on specialoccasions), and Shiro-Shoin (open on specialoccasions).
The beautiful garden and pond beside Omote-Shoin

KOTOHIRA-Gu

A special feature of the shrine is its location - highwill entice you to sit and rest before continuing

up the eastern slope of Zozu-san (named for itsand houses art treasures designated as Important

KOTOHIRA-Gu, or, more familiarly, Kompira-san,

proﬁle resembling an elephant) and accessed by

Cultural Properties. Omote-Shoin houses sliding

is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the guardian gods ofthe purifying eﬀort of climbing up 785 stone steps

paper doors painted by the renowned Edo-era

the sea, fertility and medicine. Shinto (the Way of theto the Gohon-Gu (main shrine) itself.

artist, Maruyama Okyo (1733~1795). Oku-Shoin

Gods), is polytheistic, has its roots in ancient Japanese(open only on special occasions) has paintings bymythology, and strongly emphasizes love of nature,

Fortunately, there are many secondary shrines,

the importance of family, and physical cleanliness.

fascinating examples of sculpture and architecture
and other diversions on the way to provide an

During the Edo period (1603〜1867), when

Itoh Jakuchu.
Oku-Shoin (open on special occasions)excuse for a break in the climb.

pilgrimage was the only form of travel permitted
to common folk, people dreamed of "making a

Halfway up you will come to what seems to be apilgrimage to KOTOHIRA-Gu". Still, today, visitorssmall'parade ground'. Another 30 or so steps upto Shikoku from all over Japan make a particularagain and you will face a T-junction. You can go

point of visiting Kompira-san.

left from the T-junction to continue up to theKOTOHIRA-Gu

Omote-Shoin

Hyakka-no-zu (open on special occasions)

Resuming the climb, there's a turn to the right 80

You'll pass the largest building on the site, Asahi-Sha,other endeavors, or for safety at sea (making this shrine

meters after the T-junction,. But note the entrance towhich sits on the last ﬂat place before the steep

especially important to sailors and ﬁshermen),

the tea-room and restaurant, Kamitsubaki, on the left.

climb up to the Gohon-Gu (main shrine).

among others. If you climb another 583 steps from
Gohon-Gu (main shrine), Oku-Sha (Izutama shrine) theYou may want to rest here on your way back.
Gohon-Gu (main shrine), is appropriately impressive.

guardian deity of Gohon-Gu (main shrine), is enshrined.

There was always a tea room here, dating from 1797,

Every thirty-three years its fabulous layered bark roof

You can overlook the Sanuki plain from thedonated by Yamatoya Yasaburo. This building,is replaced.

observation deck.

unfortunately, blocked the forest view to the south,

Note the gorgeous ceiling panels, hand-painted inand so was shifted north to construct a cafe below

kiji-makie URUSHI style by artists at Wajima on theground level and a restaurant below that. The walls

Japan Sea.

Gohon-Gu (main shrine)

feature tiles of camelia and glazed in Arita, Kyushu in"Fukagawa Blue" by Fukagawa Seiji

Look to the north for views out over the Seto InlandSea, and across the plain below to a mountain soKamitsubaki

symmetrical it is called Sanuki-Fuji. As you leave theGohon-Gu (main shrine), before starting back down,
you will pass stands oﬀering shrine merchandise.
New Year favorites include decorative archery arrows,
and there are a variety of tablets to place in your homefor safety of the homestead, for success in exams or
Asahi-Sha

Dishes in Kamitsubaki

View from Gohon-Gu (main shrine)and in late December.

On the mountain side where I look back,The most solemn festival is held October 9~11,

there is the face of Tengu who is said to be the god

when Kami-sama (God), in a portable shrine,of Oku-Sha (Izutama shrine).

accompanied by the Chief Priest in an elaborate

And to celebrate the turn of the seasons, there are

And Karasu Tengu, who prays for the safety of traveler.

palanquin and a retinue of other shrine priests andcolorful events like the Cherry Blossom Festival (Aprilshrine maidens, guards and footman a procession10) and the Maple Viewing Festival (November 10).

Kompira-san is a very active shrine, preserving anddown from the Gohon-Gu (main shrine) to take up

promoting symbolic events and seasonal markers

temporary residence at the shrine.

For those lucky enough to be able to visit often,of Japanese culture.

grounds across Saya-Bashi. Equally spectacular is theKompira-san oﬀers both solemn and dazzling occasions

Kami-sama's midnight return, culminating in an

throughout the year. We hope you enjoy your visit.

By far the biggest is Hatsumode (ﬁrst shrine visit ofunbelievable dash up the last and steepest ﬂight of

the New Year), when tens of thousands of visitors

steps into the Gohon-Gu (main shrine).

Mr. Kotooka Guuji (Chief Priest) continue to renovate
and add to the site to make it a functioning shrine.

stream up to the Gohon-Gu (main shrine) to makean oﬀering and pray for good health and fortune inKemari, a colorful pageant of"soccer skills" by shrine

the coming year. If the crowds are overwhelming

priests in colorful classic costume, can only be seen

and your knees begin to shake on the way downin Kyoto, or here at Kompira-san on the ground inall those steps, branch oﬀ to the left at thefront of Omote-Shoin. The Kemari ground is deﬁned'parade-ground'into the quiet serenity of theby four forked trees, a pine, cherry, willow and maple.

extensive forested grounds and take the heavenly,

Gods are said to be sitting in the forks enjoying thesmooth Ura-Sando (back route) down to the town.

display. Not to be missed, kemari is on May 5, July 7,©2009 KOTOHIRA-Gu Based on documents provided by KOTOHIRA-Gu
Written by Graham & Sumié PAGE

Oku-Sha (Izutama shrine）

Reitaisai (The most solemn festival)

KemariKOTOHIRA-Gu
ACCESS MAP

KOTOHIRA-Gu

Oku-Sha(Izutama shrine)

MutsutamaBatsujo- Shrine
Den
RyokutaiDen
MihotsuhimeSha
Asahi-Sha

Gohon-Gu (main shrine)
785th
ShinsatsuStone step
JuyoshoKaguraDen

KOTOHIRA-YAMA

Omote-Sando(Stone steps)
Ura-Sando
City Road

Omote-Shoin

Cafe & Restaurant
Kamitsubaki

Oku-Shoin892-1, Kotohira-cho, Nakatado-gun,
Kagawa-ken, JAPAN 766-8501+81・(0)877-75-2121

www.konpira.or.jp

Kanakura River

Shiro-Shoin

Railway

Mokuba-Sha
Mi-UmayaTakahashi
Yuichi-Kan

Ura-Sando

The top picture is “Member of Sanuki-in, a ﬁgure to save Tametomo” .
A painting by Kuniyoshi Utagawa an Ukiyoe artist in late Edo period.

Gohon-Gu (main shrine)

Homotsu-Kan
O-Mon
Ko-Ro

Kanamaru-Za

Saya-Bashi

Konpira Shominshinko
Shiryo Shuzo-Ko
Kotohira
HonkyoSo-honbu

OmoteSando

Security Gate

YachiyoKamadoKotohira
ElementarySchool
toAwa-Ikeda,
Kochi

Hotel
Kotosankaku

Kotohira
Post Oﬃce

One way
Ima-Bashi Ichino-Hashi

Konpira-inu

Kotohira Dentetsu LineKotohira Station

Shin-machi
Shopping St.

JR Kotohira Station

to Zentsuji
to Root319
KanakuraRiver

Taka-Toro toTakamatsuChikukotoTakamatsu,
Okayama