Constructed 726
法起院
This temple is tucked away on a side street in the town around Hasedera Temple. The principal object of worship here is a seated statue of Saint Tokudo, who founded Hasedera Temple. This is the place where he secluded himself in the final years of his life. Though small, it’s a beautiful temple.
與喜天満神社
Climb a beautiful stairway rising up from the old station town around Hasedera Temple to arrive at this shrine.
The shrine is located atop Mount Yoki, which has been revered since ancient times in the Yamato Area as the “sacred mountain from which the sun first rises.” It has been mentioned in the Kojiki (711) histories, the Nihon Shoki (720) historical chronicle, and the Manyoshu (759) poetry collection.
門前町
A town for Hasedera Temple worshipers. It is a traditional street packed with food vendors, souvenir shops, inns, and other stores. You can enjoy their famous Japanese mugwort rice cakes and somen. There are traditional Japanese inns and guest houses both old and new. It is best to stay here in order to observe the ritual in the early morning.
![Kintetsu Sakurai Station → (Limited Express [Jyunkyu] bound for Nabari / Isuzugawa or Standard [Futsu], either for two stations / 6 minutes) → Hasedera Station → 15 minutes on foot → Hasedera Temple](/section/yamato-travel/assets/images/destination/area03/spot02/monzen_access.png)
笠山三宝荒神社
This shrine is located atop the 480 m-tall Mount Jubu, also called Kasayama. The deity honored here is associated with kitchens, known as Kojin.
Taboo to the people of distant antiquity and lush with massive trees, Mount Jubu was revered as a mountain embodying the divine. Though difficult to get to without a car, the mountain is relatively unknown and presents the possibility of a mysterious, mystical experience.
Kukai, the monk who founded the temples of Mount Koya, made a visit here and conducted aesthetic practice at the temple’s pond for 21 days. Afterwards, he went on to establish Mount Koya temples in the mountains of Wakayama. However, the work met with disaster and disease. He returned to undergo water purification once again, enshrining the Fudo Myoo Wisdom King here and supplicating the Buddhas and Kojin for Mount Koya’s sake. With this, it’s said he at last succeeded in his endeavor.
