Do you know Shipporyu-ji Temple? Located in Izumisano, where Kansai Airport is located, this temple is a place of tranquility and mystical natural and religious experiences that most tourists pass by unaware of.
The temple was founded 1,400 years ago by a man who is considered the founder of Shugendo. Shugendo is a unique Japanese religion that combines Buddhism, mountain worship, and nature worship, and this temple was the center of the religion.
Why did this place, so far from Kyoto and Nara, become the center of Shugendo? There are many reasons, but one of them is that there are a number of waterfalls in this area, which Shugendo practitioners value.
Imagine this. Imagine a temple nestled in a lush green valley deep in the mountains, with no one around. There is no sound but that of the waterfalls, and not a single noisy store for tourists.
The tour includes a guide who will show you around the temple, including a bus ride. The path from the temple gate to the temple grounds is not an easy walk as it is a path of damp stone steps. But that is why you will feel the greatest joy when you visit this temple.