An ancient Tendai temple at approximately 640m elevation in Hanno, famous as the deity of legs and feet. Known as "Nenogongen," it is famed nationwide for its miraculous benefits for ailments of the legs and hips, drawing worshippers from across Japan. The grounds hold a massive iron pair of straw sandals and wooden clogs offered by devotees, whose sheer scale overwhelms visitors. Two powerful Nio…

Founded in 911 when the monk Nenohijiri received a vision of eleven-faced Kannon and built a hall. Nenohijiri was a Kishu-born monk who arrived at this mountain after practicing across the country. When demons injured his legs in the mountains, he vowed to save those with leg ailments, becoming the …