1.The Avenue of Ancient Cedar Trees

The path from the bus stop to the Okusha Shrine is about 2km long and in the middle of it stands the red-lacquered Zuishin Gate followed by dozens of 400-year old cedar trees on either side of the path that have been designated as a national monument. The power of the trees has not faded over time and it still retains the divine nature of the path to this day. In the beginning of winter or spring, you can witness a mysterious sight as the sun rises straight along the path.

2.Zenkoji Temple

With a long history of about 1400 years since its construction, Zenkoji Temple houses the Amida (Nyorai) Triad as a main devotional object within its grounds, which is said to be the oldest Buddha statue in Japan. Welcoming people from all walks of life regardless of religion or sex, the temple is so famous and important that it has been said since olden times that one should visit Zenkoji Temple at least once in their life. The current main hall has been reconstructed in 1707 and has been designated as a National Treasure for its Buddhist architecture that represents the mid-Edo Period.

3.Togakushi Ninja Museum & Ninja Trick Mansion

This place consists of three facilities in total that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. There is the Togakushi Folk Museum and Togakushi Ninja Museum which store and display around 2,000 items, including tools that were used by ninjas as well as everyday goods that supported the traditional climate and way of living in Togakushi in the olden days. Besides that, there is also a Ninja Trick Mansion where you try to find the exit as you climb up staircases and pass through mazes and ninja rooms.

4.Togakushi Soba Museum

The Togakushi Soba Museum Tonkururin is one of the rare museums in Japan dedicated to soba (buckwheat) noodles. Inside you’ll be introduced to old soba-making tools, the history of Togakushi soba as well as how soba used to be eaten, and you will understand the background of how the soba culture has taken root in this area. In the soba-making experience corner, skilled artisans will carefully teach you how to make soba using local soba flour, and you’ll be able to taste your own hand-made soba soon after.

5.Chusha Shrine

Enshrined within the Chusha Shrine is the God of Wisdom Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto, who devised the plan to do a sacred dance called kagura which helped open the door of the heavenly cave. On its grounds there stand three cedar trees that are about 800 years old and many worshippers come to visit the shrine. There are times when you can watch the performance or a practice session of a grand kagura dance being held in the kagura hall of the shrine.

Kagami Pond

Kagami Pond (Mirror Pond) is a quiet pond at the foot of the Togakushi mountain range. As its name suggests, if the weather conditions are good, you can see the Togakushi mountain range reflected on the water surface like a mirror. The leaves of the trees around the pond and on the mountains will turn red or yellow during autumn, usually from early to mid-October. It's a popular spot where many tourists come to visit during autumn or in the early morning when there's no wind. We recommend the nice 30 min. walk from the Okusha Shrine to Kagami Pond.

Okusha Shrine

In Japanese mythology, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu once hid in a heavenly cave (Ama no Iwaya), but was forced out again by the God of Strength Ama no Tajikarao who opened the cave’s door with his unparalleled godly power and threw it all the way to Togakushi. Thus, Ama no Tajikarao came to be enshrined here at the foot of Mt. Togakushi. Okusha Shrine is the main shrine of Togakushi and its divine virtues such as good fortune, wish fulfillment, abundant harvest and sport victories have been spread throughout the country which led to many people worshipping the shrine.