top of page
Writer's pictureTakashi Hirose

New Year's Greetings: New Year's Visit at Mt. Shigi san Chogosonshiji Temple Part.1


Japanese new year decoration

2280-1 Shigisan, Heguri, Ikoma District, Nara 636-0923

Happy New Year, 2022!


Takashi, an Osaka jewelry artist, sincerely wishes everyone good health and happiness this year.


In this article, I would like to introduce Shigisan Chogosonshi-ji Temple, which I highly recommend as a hatsumode (New Year's visit) spot in Osaka. This is a very rare temple with symbols of tigers and centipedes, and is located on the border of Osaka and Nara. It is often visited by Hanshin Tigers baseball fans. (I'm totally judging them by their appearance.)


Technically, it is located in Nara Prefecture, but the best access is from Osaka. In fact, when I was a kid, I thought it was in Osaka. It is a place where all generations can enjoy.



JR, Kintetsu trains, and Kintetsu buses run all day on New Year's Eve, so you can experience the moment of countdown in the solemn main shrine hall. I would be happy it if you could refer to the next countdown visit.


Easy access. Take the train from Kintetsu (Osaka Line) Kawachiyamamoto Station to Shigisanguchi Station (Shigi Line) for about 5 minutes. When you arrive, take the cable car waiting in front of you and climb up to Takayasuyama Station for about 7 minutes.


Once you get off the cable car, the Kintetsu Bus will be waiting for you. If you get on it, you will soon arrive at the summit area in about 5 minutes. (You can also go from the Nara side, but I have never climbed from that side. I have the impression that many people come from the Nara side by car.)


The most important point in this countdown visit is to plan so that you can reach the main shrine hall around 11:30pm.


There are several reasons for this, and I will explain them in order.




(1) You can enjoy the night view of the Osaka Plain from the Shigisanguchi-Takayasuyama cable car.


Take this cute tiger cable car and climb Mt. Takayasu. Even the seats are printed with tiger patterns. This cable car line has a history of 90 years.


Since this is a cable car, the car floor has a slope. One thing to keep in mind when boarding is that the seat where you can enjoy the view is the lowest seat. Even if you think that the upper seats are good and work hard to get them, you will be staring at the dark mountain the whole time.


If you sit in the lowest seat, the more you climb up, the more romantic night view spreads out below. The ride time is only about 7 minutes, so you will soon arrive at the upper station.

Mt. Shigi Takayasuyama Kintetsu Station Cable Car
Night view from the Takayasu sama cable car

(2) Buses from the Takayasuyama station are no busy yet.

This bus is mostly prepared for customers who used the cable car, so the driver normally wait until everyone is on board. There is still time until the countdown moment, so it's pretty empty. Only 5 minutes bus ride.


(3) You will have time to buy and eat mugwort rice cakes and tiger buns.

It takes about 10 minutes from the bus stop to the temple gate if you don't stop walking. There are hot spring hotels and souvenir shops along the way. There are Japanese restaurants (soba, udon, oden, etc.). Depending on the season, there are also street food stalls. Standard stalls such as baby castella, takoyaki, squid grill, and candy apples are open.


You will see a big red bridge. There is a large soba/udon-restaurant at the foot of the bridge. I'll visit here after doing the countdown at the temple. There is a bungee jump platform on this big bridge. If you are interested, please try. For safety reasons, they only do it during the day. Me? Hell no.


Every year, at the glass-enclosed manju shop on the corner before crossing the bridge, I have freshly baked mugwort mochi with red bean paste inside. You can eat this on your way back also.


After crossing the red bridge and pass through the large torii (shrine gate), you are inside the precincts.



Please visit my glass jewelry shop from the link below.


19 views

Comments


bottom of page