Kotohira-gu Grand Shrine (Konpira-san, Sacred 1,368 Stone Steps & Guardian of Mariners)

Category: Sacred Mountain Shrine & Maritime Protector Pilgrimage | Location: Kagawa

Perched reverently upon the forested slopes of sacred Mount Zozu in Kotohira Town, Kagawa Prefecture, **Kotohira-gu Grand Shrine**—affectionately known across Japan as **Konpira-san**—is one of the nation's most venerated spiritual sanctuaries. Dedicated to Omononushi no Kami (a guardian divinity of agriculture, medicine, and sea voyage) and Emperor Sutoku, it has been worshipped since the dawn of navigation by mariners, fishermen, and shipwrights seeking divine protection against the perils of the sea. During the feudal Edo period, when ordinary citizens were strictly forbidden from traveling outside their home domains, special imperial dispensations were granted for pilgrimage here, giving rise to the cultural vow: *"To visit Konpira-san at least once in a lifetime."* The shrine's defining hallmark is its monumental stone-staircase ascent carving straight up through dense primeval cedar groves. Pilgrims must conquer **785 arduous stone steps** to reach the soaring Main Shrine (*Hongu*), elevated 251 meters above the valley floor. Along the ascent, travelers pass the intricately carved double-roofed Asahisha Pavilion, the monumental Daimon Gate, and the Ema-do votive hall—filled with thousands of nautical offerings ranging from historic wooden ship paintings to modern container vessel photographs and scale replicas. From the sweeping observation terrace adjacent to the Hongu, the entire Sanuki Plain unfolds below, framed by the symmetrical volcanic cone of Mount Iino ("Sanuki Fuji"). For determined pilgrims seeking the ultimate spiritual reward, an additional 583 steps through steep forest canopies lead to the remote **Inner Shrine** (*Okusha*, officially Izutama Jinja) at the **1,368th step**. High up on the sheer rock cliffs beside the Okusha, mysterious stone carvings of crow-billed *Tengu* mountain spirits watch over the sacred peak. After descending the mountain stairway, pilgrims rejuvenate their bodies along the bustling market approach with bowls of piping-hot, handcrafted **Sanuki Udon**—celebrated for its firm, chewy wheat noodles—and treat themselves to colorful *Oiri Soft*, creamy soft-serve ice cream encrusted with melt-in-the-mouth pastel puffed rice pearls traditional to Kagawa wedding banquets.