A cave tour in Iwafune Shrine where you can experience as if you were Shugendo Practitioner. 【An unexplored spiritual place in Osaka】

Iwafune Shrine is getting well known as an unexplored spiritual place in Osaka. One of the best point in Iwafune Shrine is a cave tour.I would like to show you important things I wound like you to know when you visit to Iwafune Shrine.

A cave tour is acted as you would put your hands and your buttock on rocks to go through as the the same suggests so you should know your clothes would get dirty and there is limited shoes you are allowed to wear.

Also you would have a chance not to visit to the Shrine by weather and a schedule depends on the seasons. Now you know these information so that you won’t miss the cave tour.
There is not only a crave tour but also must-see sights in Iwafune Shrine. You can see must-see sights while a cave tour at the same time so you will enjoy more. Today I woild like to show you more details of that too.

Also I would like to show you hot to get here by public transport and by car.

After a cave tour, you will get a charm as training completion of a cave tour and you can get an fortune slip which has some different colors stones. I’ll show you about it later. So please fully enjoy a cave tour.

1.The popular activity in Iwafune Shrine is a cave tour.

A cave tour is vey popular in Iwafune Shrine.

It is not you just go through rocky area but you can go through the same streets as Shugendo Practitioners did.

There are narrow paths and area you put your knees and your buttock on the ground to enter inside a cave. Also there are places where you might have to squat down to get through so that you can feel the actual experience.

At first you pay 500 yen(300 yen for children )to visit to a shrine for a cave tour at the shrine office and get a white Tasuki and you are good to go!

Then there are several prohibited items for a safety cave tour.
And you fill out an application for visiting to a shrine at the shrine office.

Unsafe regarding to visiting to a shrine is written at the application and check by each items to confirm. You have to submit this confirming form otherwise you are not allowed to visit the cave.

Like I mentioned, many streets are a bad condition so you are not allowed to bring any luggages. When you apply for a cave tour,you can leave your luggage at the shrine office.

1-1.What kind of clothes should I wear?

You should wear clothes you can get dirty. Also I recommend you wear non-slippery shoes.

I wore these clothes in a picture above and it was no problems. When I visited to the shrine it was hot day and I wore white clothes but it didn’t get dirty so much. But I recommend not to wear a skirt.

Before the tour, a staff at the office will check what kind of shoes you are wearing. They will check whether non-slippery shoes or not likes picture above.

You will put your hands on rocks to go through so your hands will get dirty. When your hands get dry and you can clean easily but if you don’t want to get your hands dirty It’s good idea to bring non-slippery glove. Just in case you should show the glove you would bring to a staff at the office for safety.

If a staff at the shrine office point out your shoes is not suitable for the tour, you can borrow Japanese straw zori. But they are sharing with other people so if you don’t like it you should wear suitable shoes.

1-2.How long does it take time for the tour?

At the application it says expected time 30 minutes or 45 minutes but you take only a cave tour it would take 15 minutes.

Even if you take more time to visit to a shrine it would take around 15 minutes.

1-3. How long do I have to wait?

There are not many people to visit but waiting time depends on the timing. Because before visiting people have to fill out a form at the shrine office and listen to important notes so you have to wait until people ahead of you finish checking in.

Also when large group come to visit, you would have to wait longer so please come earlier to visit.

1-4. Anything else important points?

Click to enlarge.

Is even one person allowed to visit to a shrine?

No, it is not. So on Saturdays,Sundaysand holidays you will be with somebody to visit to a shrine.

On weekdays if you have an appointment a staff will go with you.(But if they are not available at the time, you have to go with somebody eles.)

Time to visit depends on seasons.

Season Time
From July to August from 9:00am to 4:00pm
From December to January from 9:00am to 3:00pm
Except of the seasons closing time will be shorter by sunset time.

You can take a cave tour from 9:00am to sunset time. so from autumn to winter closeting time will be shorter Be careful with that schedule.

Is any chance to get a wrong route or are there dangerous areas?

You won’t miss that because a route is written with white arrow on the side of the stone. But one place is tricky looks like exit. A staff will explain more detail about it so you don’t have to worry if you are careful with the arrows.

Around exit, there are areas not coming through sunshin but they have lights so that you can go through safely.

But it is easy to slip anywhere so go slow to visit to a shrine.

Do they have holidays? Is there any age limit?

Holidays are as follow.
・3rd week Wednesday
・4th week Wednesday and Thursday
・Rainy day , the next day of rainy day and snow day
Age limit is as follow.
・people less than 10 years old and at least 76 years old are not allowed to visit to a shrine.

1-5.When you finish a cave tour, you will get “Training completion of a cave tour”

This label can be used by puttin on the wall or pillars.Also you can put it in your purse as a good fortune charm.

2.There is more, you can see only here, Huge rock spots.

The object of worship of Shinto shrine is enshrined next to entrance of a cave tour. Amanoiwato is right outside exit. You can see Oiwaokami and Shirafuku okami on the way back to the shrine office.

2-1.Visit to Iwakura・Magaibutsu

Iwakura is where a shinto god is enshrined.

Makaibutsu is buddha statue polished natural cliffs and surface of stones and carved characters and shapes also carved relief.

Visiting the object of worship of Shinto shrine and Amanoiwato is called“Iwakura ・Magaibutsu Meguri” in Iwafune shrine.

The object of worship of Shinto shrine and Amanoiwafune.

Amanoiwafune is right before entrance of a cave tour.Before you take a cave tour, I recommend you visit to the object of worship of Shinto shrine.

This is Amanoiwafune of the object of worship of Shinto shrine next to the shrine. this object is huge Iwakura shaped a ship with 12 meters high and 12 meters wide.

The object of worship of Shinto shrine in Iwafune shrine is not like one piece of them buried under the ground shows up but separate huge rocks keep balance with others cover over the river.

It is a littele hard to see but there is river under Amanoiwafune.And it floats like it is supported by behind rocks.

An anecdote says during construction of Osaka Castle, this rocks were used for stone walls and Kiyomasa Kato,Japanese feudal lord was trying to carry them but he failed.

At the time he carved his name on them but unfortunately we can’t see it now because of weathering.When you see actual ones, you would be surprised by huge size beyond imagination.Dring a cave tour, you can see the object at every point so that you can feel the actual sise.

Amanoiwato

Amanoiwato is where Amaterasuomikami was hidden from her brother,Susanoonomikoto who was a dangerous man in the mythical age. After that, god Amenotajikarao who is a strong men helped her to get out from there.

Amanoiwato in this shrine is characterized by a structure seemed like it’s easy for just strong people to open a door made of 3 huge stones. So this makes us to imagine the myth woild be true.

Also there is mysterious connections with that visiting towards to Iwato leads to be direction of Ise Jingu so that it makes us to believe this place is true Amanoiwato.

Oiwaokami・Shirafukuokami

This picture above is Oiwaokami. It is a little smaller than Shirafukuokami and it is at upper left diagonal of Shirafukuokami.

This picture above is Shirafukuokami.

You go through a path from Amanoiwato and get to the top of the mountain then you will see huge rocks craved Oiwaokami and Shirafukuokami.

Each rocks are shaped like the symbols of male and female. Of coarse these were not craved by people but naturally made.

They have been revered for a long time by people who think this is a strange shape.People still believe that it helps to be blessed with good children and helps to heal problems with the uninary organ.

Shishomyojin

Shishomyojin is 4 stones of Buddhist image of Dainichi Buddha, Kannon Boshatsu, Seji Bosatsu and Zizo Bosatsu.

Fudo Myoo

It says it was creaved to pray for peace reigns in the land in the period of warring states.Fudo Myoo is on the left side to enter gateway of the shrine.

Hakuryunotaki

Hakuryunotaki is just 5 meters high but has a large amount of water and is worth seeing.

This waterfall has been used on the occasion of Misogi,a prification ceremony when people do ascetic training. Also changing rooms for Misogi is nearby the waterfalls.

For the direction of Hakuryunotaki, you exit gateway of Iwafune shrine and turn right and go straight then you will see a red gateway on the left. Go through the gateway and keep going and you will see Hakuryunotaki.

But at the present,in July 2018 the midway through of the paths have been collapsed by rainstorms. You better to make sure if you can vist or not at the shrine office at the day.

How long would it take time to vist to all places?

It would take around 1 hour.There are rest area but no vending machines in the shrine. I recommend you bring your drink. Also there is no garbage can so bring your own garbage home.

2-2.Do they have a fortune slip?

They have not only a fortune slip but a fortune charm at the shrine office. A regular fortune slip is 100 yen and the fortune slip at the picture above comes with a little triangle bag and a stone which is 300yen.

If you want to get this one , just say “Do you have a forslip with a stone?” to a staff at the shrine office.

3.Access

There is access to Iwafune shrine by a car , bus and taxi.

3-1.By bus

The closest station from Iwafune shrine is Kisaichi Station in Koya Line of Keihan Electric Railway but it runs only Saturdays,Sundays and holidays not weekdays. Another way to get to there is taking bus from Ikoma Station in Nara Line of Kintetsu train.

Keihan Electric Railway at Kisaichi station

It will take about 20 minutes. (As of July 2018)
Available only Saturdays,Sndays and Holiday.

Kintetsu Nara Line at Ikoma Station

From North Gate at Ikoma Station in Kintetsu Nara Line towards to Ktatahara by Nara Kotsu Bus. From the terminal Kitatahara bus stop towards north 15 minutes walk. This is weekdays,Sundays and holidays available. (once per a hour except of commuting time)
It shows available time for visit to a shrine on Sundays and Holidays.

It will take about 25 minutes. It will take about 40 minutes by bus and on foot.
If you use public transport,I recommend you leave from Ikoma Station even though it will take longer.

3-2.By taxi

From Kisaichi Station of Keihan drive about 6 minutes cost boit 1200 yen.(The price depends on traffic and it is just an example.)There are not many taxis at Kisaichi Station so it might be difficult to catch taxi.)

From Ikoma Station in Kintetsu Nara Line drive about 16 minutes, cost about 2000 yen.(The price depends on traffic and it is just an example.)

3-3.By car

Go National Route 168 towards to Nara and turn right at the sign. Go along the road and you will kinda see Iwafune Shrine on left.

Pass this point at the picture above and turn right. Go along the road and you will see Iwafune Shrine.

This is the sign but only you can see it from direction of Nara.

After you pass Iwafune Shrine,you will see a parking spot on the left.

Amano river is behind of the parking spot. You can hear the sounds of the river.

Access to Iwafune shrine, it’s difficult to get there by Public transport because of secreted spots.So the best way is to take a car to get there.

4.Summary

I would like to make sure one more time about important totes.
・You should wear clothes you can get dirty.(Try to avoid skirts.)
・You should wear non-slipped shoes.
・Time for visiting to a shrine is from 9:00am and closing time is 4:00pm from July to August. The shorter sunset time is,the shorter available time is. Closing time is 3:00pm from December to January.
・Holiday is 3rd week Wednesdays and 4th week Wednesdays and Tursdays.
・You are not allowed to visit rainy day. the next day of rainy day and snow day.
・People less than 10 years old and at least 76 years old are not allowed to visit.
・Only one person is not allowed to visit. Otherwise you will be with someone to visit. If you make an appointment on weekdays, a staff will go with you. ( It depends on the shrine office)
・Public transport such as bus are not many available. Using a car is the best way.

And during a cave tour, you can see huge rocks worshiped from long time ago at the same time in Iwafune shrine.
・Huge rock called Amanoiwafune is 12 meters high and 12 meters wide.
・Huge rock called Amanoiwato stacks up.
・Huge rocks shaped like the symbol of male and female.
・Hakuryunotaki used by Buddhist monks even now.

It will take about 15 minutes for just a cave tour. It will take about 1 hour to visit to different huge roks.

After a cave tour, you will get “Training completion of a cave tour”a fortune charm and also you can get a fortune slip with different colors stones.

Based on these information, there are many places to see in Iwafune shrine. If you go through slowly in order to be slippery roads, you will be safe. So please enjoy to make great experience in the cave.

5.Information about Iwafune shrine