Mount Nokogiriyama

What to know

Mount Nokogiriyama (鋸山) is a 330-meter peak on the western coast of the Boso Peninsula. Nihonji Temple (日本寺), a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, spreads across its slopes. Founded about 1,300 years ago, it is one of the oldest worship sites in the Kanto Region. The temple complex is vast, with multiple areas connected by walking paths. Exploring everything takes over an hour.

There are several entry points to the temple grounds. The usual route starts at the mountain's base, but most visitors enter higher up via parking areas or the ropeway, since the main attractions are at higher elevations. The temple's highlight, a 31-meter-tall Daibutsu (Great Buddha), stands midway up the mountain. This stone statue of Yakushi Buddha was carved over three years starting in 1780.

Along the paths further up are 1,500 stone statues of Buddhist disciples (rakan), carved over 20 years by the same master artisan who made the Daibutsu. These smaller statues are tucked into various nooks around the mountain in different poses. Unfortunately, many were beheaded during the anti-Buddhist movement of the Meiji Restoration, but restoration efforts are ongoing.

Near the summit stands a 30-meter-tall Hyaku-Shaku Kannon, depicting the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Carved into a stone cliff in 1966, it is dedicated to those who died in wars, illness, or accidents. The Kannon is also revered as a protector of transportation due to its sheltered location surrounded by rocks.

At the peak are several viewpoints, including "Jigoku Nozoki" (Hell Lookout), a rock jutting out from a sheer cliff. From the top, you can see the Boso Peninsula and Tokyo Bay, and on clear days, Mount Fuji and the Skytree.

Take the JR Uchibo Line to Hama-Kanaya Station and walk 10 minutes to the lower station of the Nokogiriyama Ropeway, which lifts visitors near the peak (1,200 yen round trip, 650 yen one way). Alternatively, the main entrance to Nihonji Temple at the base is about a 45-minute walk or a short ride on an infrequent bus from JR Hota Station.