Ganryu Shrine

In Miyamoricho, Tono City, Ganryu Shrine is a hidden power spot known mainly to those in the know. Behind the shrine rises a giant rock fully 54 meters high, and its face is said to reveal the forms of an ascending dragon and a descending dragon. The name Ganryu, meaning rock dragon, comes from this very boulder where dragons are said to dwell.

About 600 years ago, the monk who founded Jorakuji enshrined Fudo Myoo as the temple guardian, and the site came to be called Ganryu Daiseiden. A worship hall was built in the Edo period, and the main hall was constructed in 1806. After the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji era, it became the present Ganryu Shrine, and it is designated as Tono Heritage Site No. 31.

Highlights

- The 54 meter giant rock rising behind the shrine, said to bear carved ascending and descending dragons - A lineage tied to Fudo Myoo with roughly 600 years of history - A culturally valued shrine designated as Tono Heritage Site No. 31 - A powerful sacred landscape in which the giant rock and the hall form a single whole

Enjoying the Seasons

In spring fresh greenery buds against the giant rock, wrapping the dragon stone in soft green. In summer the contrast of deep green and rock is striking, with cool air all around. Autumn colors the boulder, making the dragon forms appear all the more mysterious. In winter the snow clad rock shows a dignified and divine presence.

Access and Basic Information

- Location: Shimomiyamori, Miyamoricho, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture - Access: A few minutes by car from JR Miyamori Station, with good access from the Miyamori interchange of the Kamaishi Expressway - Free to visit, no admission fee - Parking is available, and it pairs well with Miyamori sights such as the megane bridge

A Quick Tip

The thrill of this shrine is searching the rock for dragons. Gaze carefully at the rock face and try to find the ascending and descending dragons. The famous megane bridge, a stone arch railway viaduct, stands nearby, so visiting both enriches a Tono trip.