Mount Hiko

Spanning the border between Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, Mount Hiko is a sacred mountain made up of three peaks, with Nakadake at its center, along with Kitadake and Minamidake. It has long flourished as a sacred site for Shugendo mountain ascetic training by yamabushi. Alongside Mount Omine in Nara Prefecture and the Dewa Sanzan in Yamagata Prefecture, it is counted as one of Japan’s three major Shugendo mountains. Many historic sites still remain in the mountains, including caves and traces of lodgings once used for training.

The mountain itself is revered as the sacred body of the deity, and Hikosan Jingu, the only jingu shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture, stands on Nakadake. At the summit is the shrine’s Upper Shrine, while halfway up the mountain is the Hoheiden, an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The bronze torii gate, also an Important Cultural Property, is another iconic landmark, and by using the slope car that runs along the approach, visitors can reach the Hoheiden without walking all the way up.

There are several hiking routes, from beginner-friendly trails to advanced mountain climbs, making the area ideal for hiking and trekking. There are also many attractions rich in history and culture, including Kamakura-period cliff-carved Buddhas, Bonjiga-iwa Rock, and the Former Kissekibo Garden, said to have been designed by Sesshu. Seasonal scenery is part of the appeal as well, with rhododendrons in spring and pampas grass and autumn leaves in fall.