Mt. Kongo is the dominant peak (altitude: 1,125 meters) of the Kongo Katsuragi range that stretches along the border of Osaka and Nara prefectures. Near the top are Katsuragi Shrine and Temporinji Temple which En-no-gyoja, the originator of Shugendo, opened more than 1,300 years ago. There is also the ruin of Chihaya Castle, near the climbing route, where Masashige Kusunoki barricaded himself in resistance to the Kamakura Shogunate army during the end of the Kamakura period. There are about 10 normally used climbing routes: taking the Mt. Kongo Ropeway to the Mt. Kongo Station, the highest point within Osaka Prefecture (altitude: 1,056m), and visiting Shakunage-no-mich (path of rhododendron), the camp site, Chihaya Nature and Astronomy Museum, etc. while climbing all the way to the top is popular for beginners; hiking up the Chihaya-hondo from the Mt. Kongo starting point to the Temporinji Temple office located on the mountain top plateau is popular among repeaters. In February, beautiful scenery of juhyo (trees glazed with ice) can be seen, and the Juhyo Festival is held every year.

• Location

  〒 585-0051 Oazachihaya, Chihayaakasaka-mura, Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka (The mountain summit is in Nara)

• Fax

  0721-74-0088

• Tel

  0721-72-0081

• Price

  Free

• Directions

  Take a Nankai Bus bound for Kongosan Ropeway-mae from Kawachinagano Station on the Nankai Koya and Kintetsu Nagano Lines, and get off at the last stop. Take a Kongo Bus bound for Chihaya Ropeway-mae from Tondabayashi Station on the Kintetsu Nagano Line, and get off at the last stop.

• URL

  http://www.chihayaakasaka.org/