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Sacred paths lined with cedar trees that lead you to the historic sites of Kosuge Village
Shinshu-Iiyama Tourism Bureau
With over 1,300 years of history, Iiyama’s Kosuge is known as one of the three most sacred areas of northern Nagano alongside Togakushi and lizuna. Located in the eastern area of Iiyama, Kosuge was once a spiritual training ground for mountain ascetics called Yamabushi. In the Sengoku Period, a time of civil war, the entire area became a scene of conflict, and many of the halls and pagodas on Kosuge were destroyed by fire. In the Edo period (1603-1867), cedar trees and religious buildings were developed, and governance of the area as a sacred site gradually shifted from the hands of the temple to those of the villagers. This led to the establishment of Kosuge Village, where many historical sites still stand today, leaving traces of the past. Visit Kosuge and travel back in time while going through some of the paths Yamabushi once used for training. Put on your trekking shoes and hike up to the inner Kosuge Shrine. The mountain path lined with cedar trees, some of which are now centuries old and up to 45 meters tall, leads you to the magnificent shrine that has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. This short 2-hour hike is perfect for a half-day sightseeing trip.
How to get there
From Tokyo Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train to Iiyama Station (1 hour 40 minutes). The shrine is a 25-minute taxi ride from Iiyama Station.
Kosuge Mizuho, Iiyama-shi, Nagano-ken
