Mushikui Iwa Rock

Mushikui Iwa is a 60-meter rock in Takaike covered in honeycomb cavities called tafoni, formations caused by salt crystals expanding between rock layers and eroding the surface. The name means 'insect-eaten rock,' and local legend attributed the holes to an evil spirit, while Shugendo practitioners credited giant bees. The rock is part of the Kozagawa Dike, a 22-kilometer chain formed from magma that cooled 14 million years ago. A small shrine at the rock's base holds a collection of pebbles with natural holes, which people bring hoping to cure hearing problems. A short drive away, Botan Iwa shares the same pocked appearance.