Mt. Akagi, Akagi Shrine

As a poem “Long foot of Mt. Akagi” describes Mt. Akagi spreads long and wide after Mt. Fuji. The caldera of the main mountain Kurobi (1828m) is surrounded by multiple mountains, which are called Mt. Akagi altogether. It has been revered since ancient times and there are many Akagi Shrines at the foot of the mountain. The north dry wind which is particular in the Kanto Region is called Akagi Oroshi (The wind down from Mt. Akagi).

In the central caldera, there is lovely Lake Onuma. Here, on the peninsula-like Kotorigajima Island, Daido Akagi Shrine stands which is one of the 300 Akagi Shrines nationwide. It began from a primitive mountain faith and it is written to have been transferred from Mt. Jinko in 806, the 1st year of the Daido Period. The name of the shrine is said to have derived from this period name. The neighboring residents dedicated the gates to each of the eight trail entrances to Mt. Akagi, and they celebrated the 1200th anniversary of the shrine’s transfer in 2006.

Akagi is known as the shrine to bless women, which comes from a legend of beautiful aristocratic ladies who were deported to Kozuke Province on false charges. It is believed that women who make a wish to the god of Akagi will see it come true and be blessed with a beautiful daughter.