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Over 1,200 years ago, the people of Miyoshi held festivals on the natural rock platform at the summit of Mount Higumayama. In the year 808, they established a shrine at the foot of the mountain, and that shrine has been protected over the centuries by the various feudal lords that ruled over the land that is now Miyoshi. For hundreds of years, Dasai Shrine shrine has been a part of the community, even inspiring the work of local artists. When the Edo-era (1603-1868) scroll called the Ino Mononoke Roku was painted showing the haunting of Miyoshi by Japanese “yokai” and “mononoke” monsters, Dasai Shrine made an appearance in the historic brushwork, and in more recent years, the shrine has even become the setting for a modern-day manga series. This spiritual spot has been an important local landmark for the people of Miyoshi for just about as long as the town has been settled.

Dasai Shrine’s main subject of worship is Konosakuya-hime, a beautiful goddess who is actually in charge of Mount Fuji and volcanoes in general. Fortunately, there’s no reason to think that this mountain is an active volcano! The shrine also worships Amatsuhikohikohononinigi, who has both a remarkable name and a remarkable lineage, as the grandson of Japan’s sun goddess Amaterasu. Legend goes that Amatsuhikohikohononinigi and Konosakuya-hime fell in love at first sight and married immediately. Things really started moving fast, and the princess was pregnant by the next day, shortly giving birth to three boys… while inside a burning building!! A truly dramatic story, fitting for the gods of Japan. Fortunately for this family of deities, everyone was safe, which is a good thing since it’s said that the godly couple’s great-grandson became Emperor Jimmu, Japan’s legendary first emperor.

Nowadays, the Dasai Shrine is always open to visitors who want to stop by, although anyone hoping to collect a goshuin (shrine seal and calligraphy) should call ahead to make sure the head Shinto priest is around. Most Miyoshi locals visit the shrine for holidays and festivals, gathering in large crowds at the end of June in particular. The summer holiday, called Misoka, celebrates the midpoint of the year, and people come in yukata (light summer kimono) to wash away the mistakes and bad luck of the past six months. Later in the season, the shrine is the finishing point for a fall festival that includes a procession with portable shrines and traditional music, all carried and performed by kids! In past years, Dasai Shrine has also hosted events for the Miyoshi Mononoke Festival, when the spooky traditional monsters of Japan rear their heads and walk the streets of Miyoshi. 

One final highlight of the shrine is the “god stone” called Kogoishi, which towers overhead at 370 cm. When the area was still a mountaintop ritual site, this stone was used to mark the boundary between the world of the gods and the mortal realm. In the Muromachi period (1333-1573) it was used as a castle foundation stone, in the Edo era it became part of an embankment, and finally in the Meiji era (1868-1912) the stone was rediscovered and returned to Dasai Shrine, where it is now a treasured relic of the past. Legend tells us that it’s a sister stone to the Tatariishi, a stone found in the tales of the monster-filled Ino Mononoke Roku! With its long and storied history, the Kogoishi is said to bring visitors especially good luck, so travelers shouldn’t miss the chance to stop while nearbyーDasai Shrine is right near one of Miyoshi’s most popular sightseeing areas, and the Miyoshi Mononoke Museum!

The shrine also happens to have one of the most stylish public bathrooms around, so if nature calls, don’t hesitate to head in and check out the skylight!