【Mt. Horaiji】Comfortable access to near the summit via the Parkway! Pilgrimage route and scenic spots of the mountain temple, Horaiji

Mt. Horaiji, located in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture, is known as a sacred mountain with an elevation of 695 meters.

Normally, the formal pilgrimage route involves climbing 1,425 stone steps from the foot of the mountain, but I used the Mt. Horaiji Parkway to visit from the parking lot on the mountain.

Once you park your car at the Parkway parking lot, you can reach the main hall of Horaiji Temple in a relatively short distance.

On a chilly winter day, bare trees stood out among the surrounding mountains, creating a beautiful contrast with the green of the evergreen trees.

When I arrived at the main hall, a building with impressive vermilion pillars appeared.

The main hall, with its large roof, stood quietly in the mountains.

Entering the hall, a Buddha statue is enshrined in the center, and colorful statues of divine generals are lined up on both sides.

The figures of the guardian deities, painted in blue and red, were particularly eye-catching.

The wall surface with its beautiful lattice woodwork, the hanging lanterns emitting a warm light, and the serene atmosphere make one feel the spiritual power of this place.

The Goshuin (temple seal) received as proof of the pilgrimage was stamped with the characters for "Yakushi Nyorai" and a vermilion seal of a phoenix.

Horaiji Temple is a mountain temple with Yakushi Nyorai as its principal image, and it has a history of once flourishing as a sacred site for Shugendo.

Even without climbing the stone steps, I was able to fully experience the sacred atmosphere of Mt. Horaiji by accessing it from the Parkway.

This method of pilgrimage is recommended for those who are not confident in their physical strength or have limited time.

It was a soul-cleansing time where I could feel the silence of the mountain and the weight of history.