Itado Pass

Itado Pass sits at 537 meters on the historic Hagi Okan highway, the main mountain route connecting Hagi on Yamaguchi's north coast with Hofu to the south. The northbound ascent involves 42 switchbacks up the steep ridge, a challenging climb that daimyo lords, samurai, merchants, and miners all made for centuries. Miners working at the nearby Ichinosaka Silver Mine prayed at a small worship hall on the pass before crossing, giving the pass its name, meaning shingle-roofed hall. A stone monument near the summit marks the old provincial border between Suo and Nagato. A trail from the pass reaches the summit of Higashi Hobenzan (734 m) with views of both coasts.