Ne-no-Gongen Tenryuji

Standing atop a mountain at about 640 meters in Hanno City, Ne-no-Gongen Tenryuji is an old temple long revered as a guardian deity of the legs and feet. A temple of the Tendai sect, it is said to have been founded in the year 911 by the holy man Ne-no-Hijiri, and a torii gate at the entrance preserves the blend of Shinto and Buddhist worship to this day. Its principal images include the eleven faced Kannon, and it is also known as a station of the Musashino thirty three Kannon pilgrimage.

Those who wish for sturdy legs, or who hope to keep walking on their own feet for years to come, quietly make the journey here from across the country. From the summit you can take in the ranges of the Okumusashi hills.

Highlights

• The largest iron sandals in Japan, weighing about two tons, are a symbol of leg and foot protection, overwhelming in their towering size
• The twin cedars, said to be around 800 years old, are a Saitama designated natural monument and sacred trees that have watched over the ages
• Beyond the mountain gate spreads a sweeping view of the Okumusashi mountains
• Amulets for the legs and feet are popular as gifts for athletes or elderly family members

Enjoying the Seasons

Spring brings mountain cherry blossoms and fresh green, summer offers cool mountain air, autumn blazes with red foliage, and winter lets you see distant peaks through clear air. Loved as a hiking destination, it offers the nature of Okumusashi in every season.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Minami, Hanno City, Saitama
• One way is to take a taxi up to the summit from Hanno Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line
• About a 90 minute walk one way from Nishiagano Station on the Seibu Chichibu Line via a hiking trail
• It can also be reached by car via National Route 299 and a prefectural road, with parking at the summit
• There is generally no charge for the visit itself, with amulets and shrine seals separate

Practical Travel Notes

• Allow about 30 minutes to an hour to explore the grounds. If you build in the hike from Nishiagano Station, it becomes a mountain walk of around an hour and a half one way
• To avoid crowds, weekdays are recommended. Holidays in the autumn leaf season are lively with hikers
• Because it is a mountaintop temple, comfortable shoes and easy to move in clothing are reassuring. The hiking trail can be slippery after rain, so watch your footing
• As for cost, amulets and shrine seals run from a few hundred to a little over a thousand yen, with transport such as taxi and parking charged separately
• It is linked by a hiking course to the nearby Takedera temple, and visiting both lets you savor the faith culture of the Hanno mountain villages in a day

A Quick Tip

Because it is a mountaintop temple, visit in comfortable shoes and easy to move in clothing. A hiking course combining it with the nearby Takedera temple is popular. There is also a way to reach the summit by taxi, so go at your own pace according to your stamina and the weather, and do not overdo it.

📚 Sources

This article draws on tourism guidance for the city of Hanno and the Okumusashi area about Ne-no-Gongen Tenryuji, its giant iron straw sandals, and the twin cedars, together with notices posted on the grounds and public materials on the Musashino Thirty-Three Kannon pilgrimage. The twin cedars designated a Saitama natural monument and the temple's founding legend are also introduced in regional materials. Because fees and hours may change, please confirm the latest details through official sources before visiting.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About 30 minutes to an hour to tour the grounds, or roughly 90 minutes one way if you include the hike from Nishi-Agano Station
• Clothing and items: As a mountaintop temple, comfortable shoes and easy-to-move clothing are advised, and the trails are slippery after rain
• Access: A taxi from Hanno Station on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line, or about a 90-minute walk on the hiking course from Nishi-Agano Station
• Parking: By car you can use the mountaintop lot via National Route 299 and the prefectural road
• Avoiding crowds: Holidays in the autumn foliage season are busy with hikers, so weekdays are best for a quiet visit
• Budget: Admission itself is generally free, with amulets and seals from a few hundred to low thousands of yen, plus separate transport costs