Mount Ishizuchi

Overview

Mount Ishizuchi rises to 1,982 metres on the border of Saijo and Kumakogen in Ehime Prefecture, in the western part of the Shikoku Mountains. It is the highest peak in Western Japan and on the island of Shikoku, and is counted among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains and the Seven Holy Mountains of Japan. Long revered as a sacred mountain of the Shugendo tradition, it draws climbers from across the country with its sweeping ridgelines and thrilling chain-assisted ascents.

Highlights

• ●Panoramic views from the 1,982-metre summit, the highest in Western Japan
• ●The sheer rocky ridge of Mount Tengu, the true high point
• ●Chain-assisted pilgrimage paths steeped in Shugendo tradition
• ●The dignity of a sacred peak among Japan's 100 Famous and Seven Holy Mountains

History

Ishizuchi appears in old texts under names such as “Ishizuchiyama” in the Nihon Ryoiki and “Ishizuchi Shrine” in the deity register of the Engishiki. It has been written with many characters over the centuries and is also known poetically as the “high peak of Iyo.” Temples such as Zenjiji and Yokomineji have called it “Shakumazan.” As a training ground of the Shugendo mountain ascetics, it developed pilgrimage routes where worshippers climbed the rock faces by clinging to iron chains, a practice still carried on today.

Map

33.7667, 133.1167 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Check gear and weather at the trailhead and plan within your limits
2. 2Ascend through the forest belt and enjoy the changing vegetation
3. 3Take on the chain sections while savouring the ridgeline views
4. 4Aim for the summit of Mount Tengu and drink in Western Japan's finest vistas

Did you know?

💡 Ishizuchi is not a single peak but a massif made up of several summits, including Mount Tengu, its highest point. There has been no eruption in the past 10,000 years, yet its rugged rock faces still recall the era when it was an active stratovolcano.

Nearby spots