The Three Motoise Shrines and the Oni of Mt. Oe (By Car)

In Oe-cho, Fukuchiyama City, this driving course takes you on a visit to the "Three Motoise Shrines" in order: Toyouke Daijinja Shrine (known as Motoise Geku, or the outer shrine), Kotai-jinja Shrine (known as Motoise Naiku, or the inner shrine), and Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine in the Miyagawa ravine. Finally, you will explore the oni (demon/ogre) legends handed down around Mt. Oe at the Japan Oni Exchange Museum at the mountain's foot. Spend a full day driving through shrines of myth nestled in deep forests and a mountain village steeped in oni folklore.

History and Regional Charm

Kotai-jinja Shrine and Toyouke Daijinja Shrine in Oe-cho are said to be the original shrines of Ise Jingu, and together with Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine, they are referred to as the "Three Motoise Shrines." According to tradition, Amaterasu Sume Omikami traveled seeking a sacred place for eternal enshrinement, was enshrined in this land for four years, and then, after journeying through various regions, was settled in Ise. In 2007, the grounds and surrounding area of the three shrines were designated as part of Tango-Amanohashidate-Oeyama Quasi-National Park.

According to the tradition of Kotai-jinja Shrine, pilgrimages by common people are estimated to have begun during the Kamakura, Muromachi, and Sengoku periods. In the Edo period, because it lay along the route of the sankin-kotai alternate attendance system, the shrine was revered by the lords of the Miyazu Domain and garnered widespread devotion. Up until the Meiji era, annual worshipers were recorded at 80,000, with ten inns at the base of the mountain and teahouses and souvenir shops lining the streets. In those days, boats along the Yura River were used, and pilgrims walked about 4 kilometers from the landing pier to make their visits. Due to factors such as the cessation of boat services, worshipers decreased significantly from the Taisho era until around the late 1950s and early 1960s; however, from around the early 1970s onward, improvements in transportation led to a resurgence of pilgrimages to Motoise.

Mt. Oe, which rises within view from Oe-cho, has three surviving legends of oni slaying. As a town where oni legends live on, Oe-cho features many oni-themed foods and souvenirs, such as "oni soba" noodles.

Major Highlights

• ​Toyouke Daijinja Shrine​​: Known as Motoise Geku, it enshrines Toyouke-no-Okami, widely regarded as a guardian deity of food, clothing, housing, and general industry. Climbing over 100 stone steps leads to a kuroki torii (a shrine gate made from logs with the bark still intact), beyond which the kagura-den (sacred dance hall) and the main hall appear. The precinct features detached shrines and subordinate shrines that completely encircle the main hall.
• ​Kotai-jinja Shrine​​: Known as Motoise Naiku, it enshrines Amaterasu Sume Omikami. The thatched shinmei-zukuri style main hall is flanked by side shrines on the left and right and surrounded by more than 80 small shrines, giving rise to the faith of "Happo-mairi," where one visits each small shrine to ward off misfortune from all eight directions. Highlights also include the kuroki torii made of cedar, the sacred Ryuto Cedar said to be 2,000 years old, and the Maroko Cedar, said to have been planted by Prince Maroko himself.
• ​Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine and Japan Oni Exchange Museum​​: Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine is the legendary site where Amaterasu Sume Omikami is said to have hidden herself, and its main hall is built as if clinging to the rock face of the Miyagawa ravine. The Japan Oni Exchange Museum, opened in 1993, is a museum where oni take center stage. It introduces the three oni-slaying legends of Mt. Oe involving Hikoimasu-no-Kimi, Prince Maroko, and Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his comrades. Standing in the front garden is the "Great Oni of Heisei," measuring 5 meters in height and weighing 10 tons.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The recommended duration is about 5 hours. Following the tradition of Ise Jingu, it is customary to visit the Three Motoise Shrines starting from Toyouke Daijinja Shrine (the outer shrine), followed by Kotai-jinja Shrine and Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine.

First, visit Toyouke Daijinja Shrine, then drive approximately 3 kilometers north to Kotai-jinja Shrine. The area at the foot of Kotai-jinja Shrine was once a bustling post town for pilgrims, and its streets still retain the atmosphere of the old highway. There is a private paid parking lot at the shrine. From the parking lot to the shrine is about a 10-minute walk, and the approach features natural stone stairs and slopes spanning about 300 meters and 220 steps.

To reach Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine, go approximately 400 meters west-northwest from Kotai-jinja Shrine, descend a steep slope on a narrow mountain path, and further descend stairs down to the valley floor. On the way, there is the Himurogadake Yohaijo (distant worship site), where it is said that making just one wish will grant it. To reach the main hall, one climbs a rocky slope using chains, but those who choose not to climb can still pray from the base. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Finally, head to the Japan Oni Exchange Museum, located about 3.2 kilometers due north in a straight line from Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine. To the west of the museum stretches Mt. Oe, the setting of the oni legends.

Summary of the Experience

Passing through kuroki torii gates into the outer and inner shrines, viewing Ama-no-Iwato-jinja Shrine perched on the ravine's cliffside, and encountering the tales of Mt. Oe's oni: enjoy a drive through ancient mythical shrines said to be older than Ise and the mountain hamlet of Oe-cho where legends of oni endure.