Kevin Short
Mt. Atago still stands as silent sentinel over Kyoto Basin
Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto is located in a flat basin, surrounded on the west, north and east by low mountains. The traditional name for the Kyoto area, Yamashiro, is thought to mean "mountain fortress," an image of a natural castle surrounded by mountain walls.
The Kyoto Basin was formed when powerful geological forces caused the mountains to split apart along a deep fault line. Silt, carried by the rivers, then collected in the gap, forming a level plain, about 35 kilometers long in the north-south direction, and about 20 kilometers wide in the east-west. The basin's main rivers, the Kamogawa and the Katsuragawa, drain from north to south, eventually joining the Yodogawa river, which then flows southwest to empty into Osaka Bay.
In the late eighth century, the Japanese Imperial Court was searching for the perfect spot to build their new capital city. The first capital, at Nara, had been abandoned in 784, and a second city, established at Fujiwara in the southwest corner of the Kyoto Basin, had proved unlucky, and was abandoned after only 10 years. This time the court employed the principles of feng shui geomancy to make sure they had the right spot.
Feng shui aspires to ensure peace and prosperity by maximizing the flow of elemental energy, called ki, while blocking the approach of destructive spirits. An ideal location for a palace should be on a level plain, with mountains guarding the approach from the west, north and east, and either mountains or water on the south. Based on these ideals, the northern half of the Kyoto Basin must have seemed almost too good to be true.
The city of Kyoto, then called Heiankyo, was established in 794. The west, north and east directions were anchored respectively by Mt. Arashiyama, Mt. Kibune and Mt. Daimonji. To the south of the palace flowed the Kamogawa. In addition, the crucial northeast direction, from which destructive spirits are most likely to approach, was well guarded by Mt. Hiei.
There was, however, one more direction left to nail down. In spring, a malevolent wind was known to blow from the northwest, bringing pestilence and famine. Fortunately, precisely in this direction stood Mt. Atago, the tallest of all the mountains ringing the Kyoto Basin.
For the past 1,200 years, Mt. Atago has stood silent sentinel over the basin. In addition to guarding the city from dastardly winds, the mountain is also believed to provide a special protection from fires. In addition, during Japan's feudal period, the spirit of Mt. Atago, called Atago-Gongen, was thought capable of bringing victory in battle. Atago-Gongen is often depicted as the Boddhisatva Jizo, but mounted on a war horse wearing a warrior's helmet.
To access the powers of the mountain, a pilgrim must climb the slopes and visit the shrines and temples. According to legend, the mountain was first climbed in the early eighth century by none other than En no Gyoja (En the Ascetic), the founding father of Japanese mountain spiritualism. Later, pilgrimages to Atago became so popular that a Kyoto folk saying goes: "Make seven pilgrimages to Ise in a lifetime, and three to Kumano. But visit Mt. Atago every month." Indeed, stone tablets at the top commemorate frequent climbers, including many for 3,000 times and at least one for 3,500!
Even today, pilgrims and recreational hikers alike follow the historic trail up to the top of Mt. Atago. The trail starts at Kiyotaki, and every cho (about 110 meters) of the route is marked by a stone statue of Jizo, the patron saint of walkers and also of children. Colorful bibs adorn the statues. On most have been written the names and ages of children, along with the simple prayer: "Genki ni sodachimasu yo ni" (That these children may grow strong and healthy).
The cho markers are numbered, with a total of 50 between the start of the pilgrimage (actually about a kilometer or so before Kiyotaki) and the top of the mountain. Rest stops are also provided at frequent intervals, including one where a small shrine is devoted to Taro-bo, a huge tengu or long-nosed goblin said to inhabit the mountain, and another at the remains of one of the many teahouses that once dotted the pilgrimage route.
The path from Kiyotaki up to the top is about 4-1/2 kilometers, and takes about three hours or so at a leisurely pace. Most of the hike is inside the forest, but some excellent vistas open up on the higher slopes. Fortunately, much of the mountain on this side remains in natural forest cover, with a good mixture of oaks, maples and other familiar deciduous trees, along with evergreen oaks and laurels. Look for the yabu-nikkei (Cinnamomium japonicum), with lanceolate leaves that show a distinctive and easily recognized vein pattern.
Atago Shrine, the head shrine for more than 800 branches found all over the country, sits at the very top of the mountain. Enshrined there are many deities, including Kagu Tsuchi no Mikoto, the fire deity from classical Japanese mythology. Motifs depicting wild boar abound on the walls and columns of the shrine, as well as on the wooden ema boards offered for sale at the office. The boar is considered to be a tsukai (familiar, or spirit helper), of the mountain deities.
The route down passes through Tsukinowadera, temple, founded in the early eighth century. Eventually the trail comes out on a forestry road. From here a short side trip leads up to the Kuya Falls, a magnificent thundering plummet named after the 10th-century Buddhist ascetic saint Kuya. On the left side of the falls is a stone statue of En with his two fearsome oni familiars, and high up on the right is Fudo Myoo with his two assistants.
(May. 9, 2006)
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