Until Tuesday, December 24, the Izusan Local Museum is exhibiting the original Hokke Mandala. According to Izusan Shrine tradition, this Hokke Mandala was embroidered with the hair of Hojo Masako. A repair inscription on the back records that Hojo Masako used her own hair to stitch the Hokke Mandala to pray for the soul of her husband, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and that it was enshrined as the principal image of the Hokke Hall. The museum usually displays a replica, but the original is on temporary public view for the first time in two years and four months. Please take time to appreciate the three-dimensional Sanskrit characters made with hair and the subtle coloration of the backing that only the original can show. Atami City Izusan Local Museum Hokke Mandala Exhibition Period: Thursday, November 28, 2024–Tuesday, December 24, 2024 Address: 708-2 Izusan, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture (within the grounds of Izusan Shrine) Phone: 0557-80-4252 Access: From atami station, take a bus bound for Nanao for about 10 minutes and get off at Izusan Shrine-mae Hours: 9:00–16:00 Closed: Wednesdays (if a public holiday falls on Wednesday, closed the following day) Admission: Adults ¥180 (groups ¥120); junior and senior high school students ¥120 (groups ¥80); elementary school children and younger free Parking: Available (a few spaces at Izusan Shrine) Note: Group discounts apply to parties of 20 or more.

Izusan Shrine Izusan Shrine, the birthplace of many place names in Izu. Famous as the spot where Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hōjō Masako were united, it is also known as a shrine for matchmaking. In the Edo period it was called Izu Daigongen, and Tokugawa Ieyasu visited the shrine, giving it a long historical significance. Climb the long stone steps to the precincts and enjoy a superb view overlooking Atami City and the sea. From the main hall to Motomiya, the route passes the worship pavilion, Hakusan Shrine, and Yui Myojin Honsha, taking about an hour. We recommend a leisurely mountain walk while offering your prayers. About 800 steps below the main hall is Soyu Jinja Shrine, where the god of hot springs is enshrined. The annual grand festival takes place over three days from April 14 to 16, drawing many visitors. Address／708-1 Izusan, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0002 Phone／0557-80-3164 Access／Take a bus bound for Nanao from JR atami station for about 10 minutes and get off at Izu‑san Shrine Front Parking／Free (5 spaces) ※The 837 steps count covers the route from Izusan Beach (near the running hot spring) up to the main hall. (From the city road with the Izu‑san Shrine Front bus stop to the main hall is about 200 steps; from Japan National Route 135 to the main hall is about 600 steps.) ※Beyond the main hall and the Izu‑san Local History Museum toward Motomiya, the path becomes a mountain trail, so please take care.

Hashiriyu Perched above the Sagami Sea, Hashiriyu is a rare horizontal cave spring in Japan and is counted among the country’s three great ancient springs. Discovered about 1,300 years ago, it was named Hashiriyu—literally “running hot spring”—because the water gushes from the mountains and seems to run toward the coast. As Minamoto no Sanetomo wrote, “The swift spring that issues south of Mount Izu-no-Kuni is a sign from the gods,” and until the Meiji era the spring was revered as the sacred water of Izusan Shrine. From a cave about 5 meters deep, water at 70°C still wells up at 170 liters per minute, creating a mysterious scene around the source. Address / 604-10 Izusan, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0002 Phone / 0557-81-2631 (Izusan Onsen Tourist Association) Access / From JR atami station take a bus bound for Izusan or Yugawara for about 5 minutes, get off at Aioibashi Bridge, then walk about 10 minutes Parking / None Note: This is not a bathing facility