Takaya Shrine

Takaya Shrine stands at the 404-meter summit of Mt. Inazumi above the coastal city of Kanonji, mentioned in a 927 compilation of imperial regulations that makes it more than a thousand years old. The buildings are of less interest than the large stone torii gate, erected in 2009, which frames a wide view over the city and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea beyond. A car road now reaches the shrine, but the more satisfying route is the one-hour climb from the lower hall at the mountain's base, ending with a steep 270-step stone approach to the torii. The gate works as a natural picture frame for the sea view on clear mornings.