[Autumn Mt. Oyama 2024 🍁] This is Mt. Oyama as of yesterday, Thursday, November 13. As you can see, both Oyama-dera and Afuri Shrine Lower Shrine are not yet at their peak. We encountered a wild deer! The cable car was temporarily stopped due to the deer's entry. How will the weather be this weekend? Please be very careful of your footing, especially on trails made slippery and muddy after rain. 🍁We look forward to your visit🍁 ※Sunset comes early, so if you plan to reach the summit, please start early in the morning and allow plenty of time. Access: From Odakyu Line Isehara Station North Exit, platform 4 (to Oyama Cable), bus about 30 minutes Get off at the final stop and walk 15 minutes to the cable car station

Autumn on Mt. Ōyama 2024速報 This is Mt. Ōyama as of the morning of Thursday, November 7, under clear autumn skies. The leaves are just beginning to change color. From around 700 meters, a view that earned two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan offers a breathtaking panorama of Sagami Bay, Enoshima, the Miura Peninsula and the Bōsō Peninsula. The autumn foliage near the Happiness Bell and the Love-Tying Bell right by the cable car’s Ōyama-dera Station is especially beautiful now—be sure to ring the bell. Sunset comes early, so if you plan to reach the summit, start early in the morning and allow plenty of time. We look forward to welcoming you again this year with that wonderful view. See you in autumn in Isehara.

[Notice of Temporary Parking Lots for Oyama Autumn Foliage Season 2024] * Weekends and public holidays from Saturday, November 2 to Sunday, December 1 * Oyama is expected to be very crowded during the autumn foliage season. On weekends, the Municipal No.2 Parking Lot may fill up as early as dawn. If you come by car, please note that temporary parking lots are available only on weekends and public holidays during the season from Saturday, November 2 to Sunday, December 1; check in advance. Allow plenty of time for your trip. Road congestion is expected, so please use public transportation whenever possible. Access: From Isehara Station North Exit, Bus Stop No. 4 (bound for the Oyama Cable), about 30 minutes by bus Get off at the final stop and walk about 15 minutes to the cable car station. The Odakyu-issued Tanzawa-Oyama Free Pass is very convenient to use. For details, visit the Isehara City Tourism Association website.

Goma is a esoteric Buddhist ritual in which wooden votive sticks are cast into the flames on a platform to dispel misfortune, purify wishes, and pray for the fulfillment of great aspirations. At Oyama-dera, a special annual event (typically held on February 28) features the Five-Platform Goma practice. For the Five-Platform Goma, five altars are set up before the Five Wisdom Kings, with a brazier placed in front of each altar. Offerings such as milkwood are burned as worshippers pray to the principal deity. The fire of wisdom burns the fuel of earthly desires as participants pray for good health, increased blessings, and deep respect and affection. This ceremony draws many worshippers from afar and fills the temple with the bustle of continuous goma fires throughout the day. Nationwide, goma performed on five platforms is a rare sight. While the Five-Platform Goma is an annual special event, regular goma prayers are held daily and offer a precious experience open to anyone. In the solemn atmosphere of mountain-shrouded Oyama-dera, you can spend a moment of spiritual cleansing. Away from the noise of daily life, taking part in the goma ritual purifies body and mind and lets you return to everyday life with renewed spirit. Alongside the temple’s reverent atmosphere, this valuable opportunity brings peace and refreshment to the heart. Anyone may join, so you are welcome to make your request casually.

[Let’s tour five municipalities in a loop!] Tanzawa-Ōyama–Miyagase Stamp Rally Tour February 1, 2024 (Thursday) – March 15, 2024 (Friday) Stamp spots: Atsugi, Aikawa, Kiyokawa, Hadano, Isehara City Anyone can join by downloading the app to your smartphone! You might discover places you’ve never visited before! Collect three or five stamps to receive a special commemorative gift♪ ★How to participate 1. Download the dedicated app on your smartphone 2. Select the stamp rally participation screen within the app 3. Collect one stamp in each municipality (scan the image) 4. Gather three or five stamps to get a commemorative gift! 5. Answer the survey to enter the prize draw! ★Prizes • Three stamps… Original eco bag • Five stamps… Original blanket ★Prize exchange locations Isehara Station Tourist Information Center, Ekina Kururin House, and four other locations For details, please visit the official Isehara City website.

Isehara City Tourism Association in Kanagawa Prefecture has posted! They introduce popular sightseeing spots in Isehara, including Mount Oyama. This nature-filled destination is about an hour from central Tokyo. Please be sure to follow them!

Winter on Mt. Ooyama 2024 Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from January 13 (Sat) to January 28 (Sun), 2024 Service until 19:00 For six winter days again this year, the Oyama Cable Car will run night services. Riders who board after sunset (4:00 PM) can join a prize drawing. The view from below Oyama Afuri Shrine was awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. The nightscape seen through the crisp winter air is breathtakingly beautiful. Please take this opportunity to visit.

Nice to meet you! This is the Isehara City Tourism Association. Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, lies in the center of Kanagawa and has a population of 101,495 as of December 2023. About one third of its total area is covered by forests and wilderness, making it a region rich in nature. It also boasts excellent access—about 60 minutes from Shinjuku Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line (Rapid Express/Express). In this first post, we introduce Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, focusing on its sightseeing spots! ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ Sightseeing Information for Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ ■ Mt. Ooyama / Oyama Cable Car / Daisenji Temple / Oyama Afuri Shrine Mt. Ooyama, at 1,251.7 meters and part of Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park, is one of the most popular hiking spots in the Kanto region. In 2016 it was designated a Japan Heritage site. From the summit you can see the Sagami Plain and even Tokyo’s skyscrapers on clear days, and the mountain is listed among Kanagawa’s 50 scenic spots. ・Oyama Cable Car The Ōyama Cable Line, commonly called the Oyama Cable Car, is a 0.8 km cable car. With large windows to enjoy Ooyama’s nature, it provides easy access toward the summit. ・Daisenji Temple Daisenji sits on the mountainside and is also known as Mount Amefuri. In autumn the maple trees flanking the stone steps to the main hall turn brilliant red, making it a famous spot for autumn foliage. A “Momiji Festival” is held and draws many visitors. There are four types of goshuin (temple stamps), including a striking gold-letter special edition. [Access: Get off at Daisenji Station on the Oyama Cable Car, about a 3-minute walk] ・Oyama Afuri Shrine Founded over 2,200 years ago, the shrine enshrines the three deities Ōyamatsumi no Ōkami, Ooi-Kazuchi-no-Kami, and Takaokami-no-Kami. The main shrine sits at the summit of Mt. Ooyama, with the lower shrine located on the mountainside. The view from Afuri Shrine Station on the Oyama Cable Car, which earned two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, is a must-see when you get off the cable car. [Access: Get off at Afuri Shrine Station on the Oyama Cable Car] ■ Hinata Yakushi Officially named Hinatayama Hojo-bo, it enshrines a Yakushi Nyorai carved from a single block of wood and is one of Japan’s three great Yakushi temples. Until the end of the Edo period it was called Mount Hyūga Ryōzen-ji and served as a center for Hinata Shugendo, where monks practiced ascetic training in this sacred area. Every year in mid-September red spider lilies bloom around Hinata Yakushi and attract many visitors. Hinata Yakushi offers many sights starting with the Kongorikishi statues along the approach. The Hoden, built to store cultural properties, houses 23 historic Buddhist statues, including eight nationally designated items and two prefecturally designated items. The Yakushi-do, the main hall with its thatched roof, is also designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. ■ Isehara Tounoyama Ryokuchi Park The park and citizen green space together cover about 13 hectares, with trails and lawns where you can relax and enjoy nature at a gentle pace. The well-maintained paths make hiking enjoyable and safe even for small children. ■ Mitakeen This mikan orchard covers about 1 hectare and grows approximately 900 mikan trees. Mikan picking season runs from mid-September to around February. From mid-September you can pick early varieties such as Hinano-hime and Nitta No. 1, and from early October varieties like Miyagawa wase and Taguchi wase are available. From spring through summer you can also enjoy barbecues and vegetable-harvesting experiences. Because Mitakeen sits on the mountainside, on clear days you can enjoy views of Sagami Bay, Enoshima, and the Boso Peninsula. ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ Event Information for Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ Isehara City hosts a variety of events throughout the year. ■ Setsubun Festival Celebrities are invited and events are held at sites such as Oyama Afuri Shrine, Sannomiya Hibita Shrine, and Isehara Daijingu Shrine. [Held: the day before Risshun (the beginning of spring)] ■ Sannomiya Hibita Shrine Spring Grand Festival Hibita Shrine has been known as a power spot since the Jomon period. The spring grand festival features three colorful karakuri doll floats parading through town. Traditional folk kagura performances take place on the shrine grounds and are another highlight. Festival stalls line the streets—about 200 vendors in 2023. [Held: usually in April] ■ Painted Lantern Festival Handmade painted lanterns line Oyama Shinmichi (the bypass), creating a magical scene that lights the night. Lantern designs include Edo-period woodblock print motifs and popular characters. A stamp rally and other events are held during the festival. [Held: mid to late August every year] ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ Accommodation Information for Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture ─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ Isehara offers inns, temple lodgings, and hotels tucked into quiet mountain valleys. Each accommodation serves dishes made from fresh local ingredients, and some venues offer meal-only options. You can also find lodging information on the official website of the Isehara City Tourism Association for reference. With dramatic natural scenery, historic landmarks, and the mystical atmosphere of shrines and temples, Isehara City in Kanagawa Prefecture has many attractions to explore. We will continue to share Isehara’s charms through this account. Thank you and we look forward to your support!