Mount Iwaki: The Sacred Peak of Tsugaru and Its Teachings of Reverence and Prayer

History and Deities of Iwakiyama Shrine

The founding of Iwakiyama Shrine is traced to 780 CE during the Nara period, when a sanctuary was first established on the summit of Mount Iwaki. In 800 CE, the legendary general Sakanoue no Tamuramaro is said to have rebuilt the summit shrine, imbuing it with the dual purpose of subduing the northern frontier and serving as a spiritual bulwark for the region. The main deities, collectively called Iwakiyama Okami, comprise five gods: Utsushikunidama no Kami (another name for Okuninushi), Tatsuhihime no Kami, Ukanome no Kami, Oyamatsumi no Kami, and Sakanoue no Karitamaro no Mikoto. Among them, Utsushikunidama no Kami governs nation-building and Oyamatsumi no Kami protects mountains, and each of the five deities presides over different aspects of life including agriculture, water management, martial fortune, and marriage ties. For this reason, the people of Tsugaru have turned to Mount Iwaki in prayer for virtually every aspect of daily existence.

The magnificent shrine complex at the mountain's base was developed over approximately two hundred years beginning in 1640 by successive lords of the Tsugaru domain. Five structures, including the main hall, worship hall, inner gate, tower gate, and middle gate, are designated National Important Cultural Properties. The exquisite carvings on the four corners of the tower gate, attributed to the legendary craftsman Hidari Jingoro, together with the plaque reading "Guardian of the Northern Gate," boldly proclaim Mount Iwaki's role as the sacred sentinel of the Tsugaru lands. The cedar-lined approach, with trees over three hundred years old, creates an atmosphere of profound tranquility that quiets the mind with each step.

The Oyama Sankei Pilgrimage: A Three-Day Rite of Ascent and the "Saigi" Chant

The most important ritual in Mount Iwaki's worship tradition is the Oyama Sankei pilgrimage held on the first day of the eighth lunar month. Designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, this three-day event draws tens of thousands of participants annually. On the first day, called "Yoiyama," pilgrims dressed in white ceremonial garments form processions from their villages to Iwakiyama Shrine, carrying climbing banners and chanting sacred hymns as Tsugaru shamisen music fills the evening air.

The second day, "Motoyama," forms the spiritual heart of the pilgrimage. The climb begins around two in the morning, with participants ascending through the darkness guided only by the glow of paper lanterns. The chant "Saigi, Saigi, Sange Sange, Rokkon Shojo" reverberates through the mountain forests as pilgrims purify their sins and impurities with each deliberate step. "Saigi" is a Tsugaru dialect transformation of "Sange," meaning repentance, and the practice of purifying the six roots of perception (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) is rooted in the Shugendo mountain ascetic tradition. After conquering over 1,300 meters of elevation gain, the moment of greeting the first light of dawn at the summit is an experience of rebirth earned through physical ordeal. On the third day, "Kaeriyama," pilgrims descend and purify their bodies at Dake Onsen hot springs, carrying the mountain's blessing back into everyday life.

Shugendo and the Layered Religious Traditions of Mount Iwaki

Mount Iwaki's spiritual identity is not formed by Shinto alone. From the Heian period onward, as the mountain ascetic tradition of Shugendo flourished, Mount Iwaki came to be known as the "Koya of the North," a reference to the famous monastic center of Mount Koya. Training sites dedicated to the Buddhist deity Fudo Myoo were scattered throughout the mountain's slopes, and evidence of severe practices such as waterfall meditation and fasting can still be found today. Hyakuzawa-ji Temple, deeply influenced by Shingon esoteric Buddhism, once formed an integrated sacred complex with Iwakiyama Shrine, presenting a textbook example of the syncretic fusion of Shinto and Buddhism known as shinbutsu shugo. Although Hyakuzawa-ji was abolished during the Meiji-era separation of Shinto and Buddhism, the spirit of Shugendo lives on in the climbing rituals of the Oyama Sankei pilgrimage.

This layering of Shinto, Shugendo, and esoteric Buddhism is one of Mount Iwaki's most distinctive characteristics. The scholar of mountain religion Miyake Hitoshi has pointed out that Japan's sacred mountains embody a "vertical cosmology." The base of the mountain represents the human world, the middle slopes serve as the realm of ascetic training, and the summit is the sacred domain of gods and buddhas. This three-tiered structure is experientially understood through the act of climbing itself. Mount Iwaki perfectly exemplifies this framework, and pilgrims undergo a gradual transition from the profane to the sacred as they ascend.

Mount Iwaki as a Natural Calendar: Guiding Agriculture and Daily Life

Visible from every corner of the Tsugaru Plain, Mount Iwaki has served since ancient times as a "natural calendar" that guided the rhythms of agricultural work. In spring, when the remaining snow on the summit transformed into specific shapes, farmers knew it was time to plant rice. In autumn, the first snowfall on the peak signaled that the harvest must be completed quickly. Specifically, when a "crane-shaped" snow pattern appeared on the mountainside, farmers began preparing seed rice, and when a "rabbit shape" emerged, it indicated the optimal time for transplanting seedlings. This represents experiential knowledge gained by reading snowfall levels and temperature changes from the mountain's appearance, and even from the perspective of modern meteorology, it constitutes a reasonably rational observation method.

Cloud movements near the summit were also used for weather forecasting. Weather proverbs such as "When a cap cloud covers Mount Iwaki, rain will come the next day" and "If the summit is visible, expect three days of clear weather" have been passed down through generations of Tsugaru farming families. In fact, the formation of cap clouds indicates high humidity at altitude and an approaching weather front, a phenomenon well supported by meteorological science. Mount Iwaki was not merely an object of worship but also a practical resource supporting agricultural production. Apple farmers in Tsugaru still use the expression "reading the mountain's mood," conducting their daily work as if in conversation with the peak.

A Seasonal Guide to Visiting Mount Iwaki

Understanding the distinct charms of each season will deepen your experience of Mount Iwaki. In spring (late April to May), the cherry blossoms at the mountain's base reach full bloom, with approximately one thousand Oyama cherry trees lining the approach to Iwakiyama Shrine. The contrast between white snow lingering on the summit and pink blossoms below creates a vista unique to this brief window. In summer (July to August), alpine flowers carpet the upper slopes, and since this season coincides with the Oyama Sankei pilgrimage, visitors can experience both sacred climbing and nature observation. In autumn (late September to October), the foliage begins changing color from the summit downward, and the beech forests around the eighth station transform into a breathtaking panorama of gold. In winter (November to March), deep snow makes climbing impractical, but Iwakiyama Shrine at the base can be visited in profound snow-covered silence, offering a rare opportunity for introspection in crisp, purified air.

For worship etiquette, begin with the standard ritual of two bows, two claps, and one bow at the main worship hall of Iwakiyama Shrine. Those who wish to climb can use either the Dake or Hyakuzawa trail, both requiring approximately four to five hours one way. Voicing the chant "Saigi, Saigi" while walking will help you enter the same spiritual state as pilgrims of centuries past. For those less confident in their physical stamina, the Iwaki Skyline road provides vehicular access to the eighth station, making the summit accessible to a wider range of visitors. The tradition of purifying the body at Dake Onsen or Hyakuzawa Onsen after descending is also well worth observing.

The Science of Awe: Modern Research Validates Mount Iwaki's Ancient Wisdom

Recent psychological research has revealed that the sense of awe inspired by vast natural landscapes and sublime phenomena confers significant mental health benefits. A research team led by Professor Dacher Keltner at the University of California, Berkeley, reported that individuals who frequently experience awe show lower levels of interleukin-6, an inflammatory marker, suggesting that immune function may be improved by the very experience of looking up at a mountain and feeling a sense of wonder.

Furthermore, the experience of awe is known to produce a "small self" effect, helping people put their personal worries into perspective. The intuitive sense that everyday anxieties and stresses feel diminished in the presence of overwhelming natural grandeur is something most people can relate to readily. The exhilaration and sense of liberation that Mount Iwaki pilgrims feel after bathing in the first light of dawn at the summit can be understood through precisely this psychological mechanism. The practice of praying to Mount Iwaki that the people of Tsugaru have maintained for over a thousand years contained a deep rationality that modern science is only now beginning to confirm.

The Path of Reverence and Coexistence That Mount Iwaki Illuminates

The worship of Mount Iwaki is the crystallization of wisdom and prayer forged by people living in Tsugaru's demanding natural environment. Venerating the mountain as a deity, purifying body and mind through sacred climbing, and reading life's guidance from snow patterns and cloud movements, all these practices are unified by a single philosophy: not to conquer nature but to live alongside it with reverence.

In modern society, surrounded by climate-controlled rooms and digital screens, we tend to lose our connection with the natural world. Yet the teachings of Mount Iwaki show us that the key to inner peace and life's direction can be found in the simple act of looking up at a mountain. Walking in nearby mountains or forests on weekends, pausing to gaze at the morning sky and breathe deeply, paying attention to the turning of the seasons: the steady accumulation of these small practices can restore our bond with nature and bring genuine tranquility to our daily lives. Mount Iwaki still rises unchanged against the Tsugaru sky, quietly pointing the way of reverence and prayer to all who come to stand in its presence.