Hozan-ji Temple

Hozan-ji is a Shingon Risshu temple on the slope of Mt. Ikoma. Its main hall, Shoten hall, Taho hall and ema hall stand against a great cliff called Hannya-kutsu, and under the name "Ikoma no Shoten-san" it has long drawn the faith of many people, beginning with the merchants of Osaka.

The way up to the temple is part of its charm. In 1918 the Ikoma Cable Railway, said to be the first cable car in Japan, was laid, and the Kintetsu Ikoma Cable Line still carries visitors today. The stairs of the approach, counting the climb to the Okunoin inner sanctuary, are said to total more than a thousand steps. It is about a 10-minute walk from Hozanji Station to the main hall, and there is no admission fee.

Temple tradition says it was an ascetic training site opened by En no Gyoja in 655, where Kukai also trained. In 1678 the monk Hozan Tankai revived it, and he is regarded as its de facto founder. In 1688 a new main hall was completed, the buildings were put in order, and the temple name was changed to its current form. The main hall is a two-story hall in the goma-do (fire-ritual hall) style, and the principal image, Fudo Myoo, was carved by Tankai. The wooden Fudo Myoo with its five attendant figures and the bronze Kurikara dragon sword were designated Important Cultural Properties in 2016.

Daishō Kangiten (Shoten), enshrined as the guardian deity, is a hidden image believed to bring business prosperity, harmony in marriage and good matches. The 1st and 16th of each month are Shoten's festival days. The temple is also known as a place of popular faith where people pray to give up things such as alcohol, and it is also known for matchmaking.

The Shishi-kaku is the building that catches the eye in the grounds. A two-story pseudo-Western-style building that was raised in 1882 and completed in 1884, it was built as a guest house. It is known for its colored-glass windows and is an Important Cultural Property. The Taho pagoda, built in 1957, enshrines Aizen Myoo. The temple also holds nationally designated items linked to Noh, such as a Noh text in the hand of Zeami. The Ikoma Mountaintop Amusement Park (about 860 m) is nearby, so the visit can be combined with the views from the summit. There are two free parking lots, with room for 50 and 250 cars.