All worshippers and the incense burner were silhouetted on the approach to Honmon-ji Temple.

The precincts of Ikegami Honmon-ji after climbing up the Shikyo-nanji-zaka

Heading toward Honmonji from Ikegami on the Tokyu Ikegami Line, the main gate of Honmonji appears in the distance just beyond the Nami-gawa River. If you are relieved to find yourself so close to the station, you may not survive the ordeal that awaits you. The real test of the temple grounds comes after you pass through the main gate. The main gate, built around 1800, marks only the beginning of a steep flight of steps leading up to the Nio-mon Gate.

The stone steps that appear after the main gate lead straight up the hill and are spectacular from below, and the view from the top is also wonderful. The only drawback is that there are 96 steps and each step is difficult to climb. The stone steps with the ostentatious name "Shikyo-nanji-zaka" are said to have been donated by Kiyomasa Kato. He is indeed known as a master castle builder and is said to have been involved in the construction of numerous castles. The stone steps were donated in the Keicho era (1596-1598), so even though about 400 years have passed since the castle was built, it has not been destroyed by earthquakes or air raids, and many people still climb the steps today.

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