The sacred Mt. Daisen, where the gods reside
Mt. Daisen has been traditionally worshiped since ancient times as a sacred mountain. With age-old historic sites, temples, and shrines across the mountainside, it is steeped in an awe-inspiring aura. The Mt. Daisen Natsuyama Summer Festival is held every June at the summit to pray for mountaineering safety and on its eve, 2,000 people carry torches down the path at Ogamiyama Shrine. At the triennial Daisen Miyuki Festival held since the Heian Period (the 8th to 12th century), participants parade down the path in traditional attire, carrying intricate portable shrines called mikoshi. You might say that the heart Mt. Daisen’s faith is its history and culture itself.