Kurumayama Shrine

Perched at an elevation of 1,925 meters atop Mount Kurumayama — the highest peak of the Kirigamine Highlands and one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains — Kurumayama Shrine (Kurumayama Jinja) is revered as a place “close to the heavens”. Enshrined here is Oyamatsumi-no-Kami, the Shinto deity of mountains, worshipped for blessings that include good fortune and prosperity, safe childbirth, longevity, harmonious relationships, business success, household safety, and the protection of vital water sources.

Although the shrine’s precise origins are unknown, the site has been regarded as sacred since the Jomon period. Archaeological discoveries of ritual treasures and ceremonial tools suggest that this summit long served as a ritual ground where people offered prayers of gratitude to mountains across Japan. Sensing the mysterious power of nature and its life-giving blessings, ancient people are believed to have established the shrine out of deep reverence for the natural world.

 The area is also steeped in folklore. According to local legend, tengu — supernatural mountain beings — once guided lost travellers by lighting “fires of guidance”, safely leading them through the mountains. Such stories further reinforce the shrine’s identity as a place of protection and spiritual guidance.

Annual Rituals and Festivals

Kurumayama Shrine hosts a series of seasonal rituals that reflect Japan’s ancient mountain worship and agricultural traditions.

National Snow Mountain Thanksgiving Festival

Held to express gratitude for snow-covered mountains, this ceremony prays for the safety of mountaineers and winter sports enthusiasts across Japan. From the shrine’s summit, participants can take in a sacred 360-degree panorama of the Northern, Southern, and Central Alps, as well as Mount Fuji. The ritual reconnects modern visitors with the Jomon-era spirit of reverence for mountains as divine beings.

Showa Festival (April)

Observed around April 29, the birthday of Emperor Showa, this festival honours his virtues while offering prayers for the prosperity of the Imperial Household, the nation’s flourishing, and world peace.

Summer Mountain Opening Festival (May / October 2 in some years)

This ceremony marks the start of the summer mountain season, praying for the safety of hikers and travelers. Gratitude is offered to Oyamatsumi-no-Kami for fresh greenery, growth, and continued prosperity.

Nagoshi no Oharae – Midyear Purification Rite (June)

Held on June 30, this Shinto ritual cleanses spiritual impurities and misfortune accumulated during the first half of the year. It also gives thanks for safe passage through the past months and prays for purity and well-being in the remainder of the year.

Niiname-sai – Harvest Thanksgiving Festival (November)

A traditional ceremony expressing gratitude for an abundant harvest. At Kurumayama Shrine, it includes a unique ritual known as “Tenku no Omusubi” (Heavenly Rice Ball), in which rice offered to the deities is formed into rice balls. Omusubi symbolises human connection, encouraging prayers not only for oneself but also for others.

Kurumayama Onbashira Festival (September, once every seven years)

Held in the same years as Suwa Taisha’s famous Onbashira Festival, this ritual is exceptionally rare. While most Onbashira ceremonies involve dragging massive logs down from forests, Kurumayama’s festival uniquely hauls sacred pillars up steep slopes and rocky terrain toward the summit. Drawn together with unified prayers from around 1,800 meters to the 1,925-meter peak, the log is believed to "ascend the mountain and become a deity", earning the name "Onbashira of the Sky".