Yuga Shrine Main Shrine

Yukasan is a sacred mountain where Shinbutsu and Buddhism intermingle, with a history of over 2,000 years. The main shrine has its origins in the Iwakura faith, and later prospered as a place of prayer for the imperial court, and during the Edo period under the protection of Ikeda Kō, the lord of Okayama. It is widely known as the head temple for warding off evil spirits, and there are 19, 25, 33, 42, and 61 stone steps leading from Omotesando to warding off evil spirits. It is crowded with over 350,000 worshipers every year on the first three days of the New Year. Since ancient times, the ``ryo mairi'', which involves visiting both Mt. Yuka and Konpira-san (Kagawa Prefecture), has been actively held, and the area along the approach still retains the atmosphere of a temple town from bygone days.