Two young women were coming down from the top of the stairs leading to the Mitake Shrine

Four legs on stairway — Women coming down the stairs

There is a small shrine in the middle of Miyamasuzaka slope in Shibuya. It is Miyamasu Mitake Shrine. Both the main shrine and the hall of worship are located at the top of a staircase that leads down the side of the hill, so they cannot be seen from Miyamasuzaka. You would not notice the existence of this shrine if you just walk along Miyamasuzaka.

As the name suggests, this shrine is dedicated to Zao Gongen, the god of Shugendo. Shugendo is unique to Japan and is a combination of ancient mountain worship and Buddhism. To attain enlightenment, one must practice asceticism. But today, this shrine stands in the middle of a busy downtown area, and I can't help but feel that it is far removed from the word “shugendo.

As I stood at the entrance to the path, two young women came down the stairs. They were both dressed stylishly and in current attire. It was hard to believe that they were going to perform the ascetic practices.

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