Iwawakiji Temple

Iwawakiji sits on the steep slopes of Mount Iwawaki (elevation 500m), surrounded by 400-year-old giant cedars. The name 'Iwawaki' (rock springing forth) is said to come from the landscape of towering rocks rising like a spring, and the temple is known as a sacred site for Katsuragi Shugendo mountain asceticism practiced across the Izumi and Kongo mountain ranges. Temple tradition holds it was founded by the ascetic En no Ozunu under imperial decree from Emperor Monmu, originally a Tendai temple before converting to the Yuzu Nembutsu sect in the Meiji era. Its Sengoku-period-built two-story pagoda houses the principal image, a seated Cosmic Buddha (Dainichi Nyorai) from the late Heian period, both designated Important Cultural Properties. The lush grounds offer autumn begonias (best September 1–15), rhododendrons, and seasonal wildflowers.