From Mt. Ikoma to Mt. Shigi: Hozan-ji Temple, Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park, and Chogosonshi-ji Temple (Cable Car & Car)

Visit Hozan-ji Temple halfway up Mt. Ikoma, and enjoy the flight tower and views of the Osaka Plain at Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park at the summit. From there, follow the ridge southward along the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline toward Chogosonshi-ji Temple on Mt. Shigi, known as the tiger temple. This route is primarily designed for driving, but can also be traveled by train using cable cars and the Kintetsu Ikoma Line.

History and Regional Appeal

Mt. Ikoma is a 642-meter-high mountain rising on the border between Nara and Osaka Prefectures. According to tradition, En no Gyoja opened a Shugendo training site here in 655, and Kukai is also said to have trained on this mountain. In 1678, Tankai entered this area and founded Hozan-ji Temple. Devotion to Kangiten at the Shoten-do Hall grew strong, earning the temple the familiar name "Ikoma Shoten," and during the Edo period, it attracted the devotion of Osaka merchants as a deity of commerce.

In 1918, Japan's first commercial cable car opened for worshippers visiting Ikoma Shoten. In 1929, the section extending to the mountaintop opened, and Osaka Electric Railway, the predecessor of Kintetsu, opened Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park near the summit station.

At the southern end of the ridge continuing from Mt. Ikoma stands Mt. Shigi. Prince Shotoku is said to have perceived Bishamonten on this mountain in the year, day, and hour of the tiger, and numerous tiger statues are placed throughout the precincts of Chogosonshi-ji Temple. In a single day, you can connect the spiritual traditions of the two mountains, Ikoma and Shigi, with recreation at the mountaintop.

Major Highlights

• ​Hozan-ji Temple​​: A daihonzan (grand head temple) of the Shingon Ritsu sect, whose principal image is Fudo Myoo. The main hall, Shoten-do Hall, Tahoto pagoda, and other buildings lined up against the massive rock face called Hannyakutsu form a magnificent sight. Shishikaku, built as a guest hall in the Meiji period by temple and shrine carpenters in a Western style, features colored-glass doors alongside tiled roofs and Japanese-style rooms, and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. A torii gate stands on the approach even though it is a Buddhist temple because the enshrined Kangiten is a "tenbu" guardian deity of Buddhism.
• ​Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park​​: The flight tower, existing since the park's opening, is the oldest existing large-scale amusement ride in Japan. Four airplane-shaped gondolas are suspended by cables and rotate around the tower. Because it was used as an air defense observation post by the Navy during World War II, it escaped dismantling. Below, the Osaka Plain and Nara Basin stretch out, and on clear days, Awaji Island can be seen.
• ​Chogosonshi-ji Temple​​: The head temple of the Shigisan School of Shingon Buddhism, enshrining Bishamonten. The view from the sturdy stage of the main hall is wonderful, and visitors can also undergo the Kaidan-meguri (circuit through a completely dark corridor beneath the main hall). In the temple grounds, a giant papier-mâché tiger known as the "Sekaiichi Fukutora" (World's No. 1 Lucky Tiger) welcomes visitors. The temple's name was bestowed by Emperor Daigo after his illness was cured through the prayers of Myoren Shonin, a story depicted in the National Treasure "Shigisan Engi Emaki."

Recommended Route & Travel Time

The estimated time required is about 6 hours. If traveling by car, first head to Hozan-ji Temple. There is a parking lot at Hozan-ji Temple. Pass through the torii gate on the approach, worship at the main hall and Shoten-do Hall set against Hannyakutsu, and admire the Western-style appearance of Shishikaku.

Next is Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park at the summit of Mt. Ikoma. The amusement park has a large parking lot adjacent to the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline. Ride the flight tower or look down upon the Osaka Plain from the summit, and also look for the first-order triangulation station of Mt. Ikoma located south of the flight tower. The amusement park is listed as closed for the winter season from December to early March, so please check in advance if visiting in winter.

After leaving the amusement park, drive south along the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline. This toll road follows the ridge of the Ikoma Mountain Range toward Mt. Shigi, offering views of the Osaka Plain and Nara Basin. The road is closed outside business hours. Chogosonshi-ji Temple is located right by the Shigisanmon toll gate. Enjoy the view from the main hall's stage and the Kaidan-meguri, and if you are confident in your walking ability, hike up to Kuhatsugoho-do Hall at the summit.

If using trains, transfer to the cable car at Kintetsu Ikoma Station. Get off at Hozanji Station and walk about 10 minutes to reach Hozan-ji Temple; take the cable car further up to Ikoma-Sanjo Station, and the amusement park is right in front of you. To reach Mt. Shigi, return to Ikoma Station, take the Kintetsu Ikoma Line to Shigisanshita Station (about 25 minutes), and take a taxi for about 10 minutes (buses are also available).

Summary of the Experience

Worship Kangiten at the halls lined up before the rock wall, and ride the flight tower that has been turning since the early Showa period at the mountaintop while overlooking the Osaka Plain. Drive south along the ridge road to Mt. Shigi, where papier-mâché tigers welcome you. When standing on the stage of the main hall at Chogosonshi-ji Temple, look back in your mind on the ridge road you followed from Mt. Ikoma in a single day.