Words, like quaint, unusual, or eerie would be best used to describe this complex.
Maybe even dangerous; one wrong step and you will end-up in a stream.
Hows this for a place of worship? Unusual, wouldn't you say? But, it's whats situated throughout the site that intrigues me.
Judging by the presence of the two water-spouts on the premises, the Shinto practice of Misogi, or ritual purification, is carried-out here.
Information regarding Ikomahanyadakifudo-in? Absolutely none, sorry. I was hoping there would be some available on the internet, or other such sources. But there aint.
So why am I composing this blog about it, you may well ask? Quite simple really. The temple is located on a segment of the Ikoma-sanke Hiking Course that I was using, when I literally stumbled-across it. At the time I was descending from an area at the base of Mt Ikomayama, and had just entered Nara Prefecture (map of course).
| To give you a better idea of the site, I'll let this video do the talking (albeit yours truly doing the narration). |
Just around the corner from Ikomahanyadakifudo-in, is the much larger, and more popular, Hozan-ji Temple. So, if you are in the area, why not place this complex on your itinerary.