A remarkable shrine at the Kinsei Pass at 1,843 meters elevation, with a male phallic symbol as the sacred body — a deity of bountiful harvests and childbearing. Located at the top of the Kinsei Road connecting Nikko and Numata, it is a remote shrine closed to winter traffic from November to April due to snow. Standing in a spot with magnificent views of Senjogahara and Lake Yunoko below, worshipp…

The exact founding date of Kinsei Jinja is unknown, but the Kinsei Pass has long served as a vital mountain crossing linking Nikko and Numata, and the shrine is said to have been venerated since ancient times as a guardian deity protecting travelers on the pass. The sacred object enshrined here is a…