Mountains · Tokushima
Mount Tsurugi
剣山つるぎさんTsurugi-sanA gentle sacred summit above the hidden valleys of Iya.
Mount Tsurugi (剣山), 1,955 m, is the highest mountain in Tokushima Prefecture and the second-highest in western Japan after Ishizuchi. A sacred mountain of Shugendō with a gentle, grassy summit, it rises above the remote Iya valley, where legend says refugees of the defeated Heike clan hid their sword on the peak.
Overview
Mount Tsurugi rises in the heart of the Shikoku mountains, surrounded by the deep valleys of Iya and Kiyama. Unlike its name – "sword mountain" – the summit is a broad, grassy plateau called Heike no Baba, the "Heike riding ground", from which ridges lead to the neighbouring peak of Jirōgyū.
A road to Minokoshi at about 1,400 m and a chairlift make the summit accessible to almost anyone, and the mountain is one of the most popular in Shikoku. At the same time it remains a living religious site: yamabushi of the Tsurugi-san Shugendō tradition still practise at its rocks and shrines, and the summer festival of Tsurugi Jinja draws pilgrims each July.
Landscape and formation
Tsurugi-san lies south of the Median Tectonic Line in the Sanbagawa and Chichibu belts, formed of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks lifted and deeply dissected. The rivers Yoshino and Naka rise on its flanks; the Iya river has carved a V-shaped gorge up to several hundred metres deep north-west of the peak.
The summit's gentle form reflects a remnant of an old erosion surface, while limestone outcrops support a distinctive flora.
Highlights
Heike no Baba
平家の馬場Heike no babaThe grassy summit plateau, protected by boardwalks, with views across the Shikoku mountains.
Jirōgyū
次郎笈JirōgyūA 1,930 m neighbour reached along a grassy ridge in about an hour, one of Shikoku's finest ridge walks.
Hōzō-ishi
宝蔵石Hōzō-ishiA sacred rock near the summit where, according to legend, the sword was hidden.
- 祖谷渓Iya-kei
A remote gorge north-west of the mountain, with vine bridges and hamlets clinging to steep slopes.
Ecology
Tsurugi-san is known for subalpine plants at the southern limit of their range. The summer-flowering Kirengeshōma, a rare yellow flower of shaded ravines, is its emblem.
Flora
Kirengeshōma
キレンゲショウマkirengeshōmaA nodding yellow flower of damp woodland below the summit, blooming in late July and August; made famous by Miyao Tomiko's novel Tengai no hana.
Shikoku-shirabe
シコクシラベshikoku-shirabeA subalpine fir forming small stands near the summit.
Mitsuba-tsutsuji
ミツバツツジmitsuba-tsutsujiPurple azaleas on the ridges in spring.
Fauna
Japanese serow
カモシカkamoshikaThe Shikoku serow lives around the summit ridges.
Asian black bear
ツキノワグマtsukinowagumaShikoku's critically small bear population survives in the Tsurugi-san area.
Culture
Tsurugi-san became a Shugendō mountain in the medieval period, and in the Edo period its worship spread through Awa (Tokushima) with the summit shrine and the temple Ryūkō-ji at Minokoshi. The remote Iya valley is one of Japan's best-known Heike refuge legends: after the clan's defeat in 1185, survivors are said to have fled into these mountains with the child emperor Antoku, hiding his sword on the summit. Tsurugi Jinja's summer festival on 17 July carries the mikoshi to the summit.
Tsurugisan Hongū Hōzōseki Jinja
剣山本宮宝蔵石神社Tsurugisan Hongū Hōzōishi JinjaThe summit shrine beside the sacred rock.
Tsurugi Jinja
剣神社Tsurugi JinjaThe shrine at Minokoshi at the start of the ascent.
Iya vine bridge
祖谷のかずら橋Iya no kazurabashiA bridge of mountain vines over the Iya river, said to have been built by the Heike so it could be cut if pursuers came.
History
1185
The Heike are defeated at Dan-no-ura; legend brings their survivors to Iya.
Edo period
Tsurugi-san Shugendō spreads through Awa province.
1964
Tsurugi-san Quasi-National Park is designated.
Through the seasons
Spring
The road to Minokoshi opens in April; azaleas bloom on the ridges in May.
Summer
The main season; Kirengeshōma blooms from late July, and the shrine festival takes place on 17 July.
Autumn
Colours from early October on the summit to November in the Iya valley.
Winter
Snow and ice; the road and chairlift close, and the summit is left to experienced winter hikers.
Routes and trails
Minokoshi – summit
From Minokoshi past Tsurugi Jinja and the Nishijima station, about 1.5 hours up; easy to moderate.
Chairlift and summit
Chairlift from Minokoshi to Nishijima, then about 40 minutes to the summit; easy.
Tsurugi-san – Jirōgyū ridge
From the summit along the ridge to Jirōgyū and back via the traverse path, 2–3 hours; moderate.
Practical notes
- Minokoshi is reached by car or seasonal bus from Sadamitsu (Tsurugi town) or from the Iya valley; the mountain roads are narrow and winding.
- The chairlift and road operate from spring to autumn; check current details before visiting.
- Stay on the boardwalks on the summit to protect the grassland.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mount Tsurugi the same as Tsurugi-dake?
No. Tsurugi-san (剣山) in Tokushima is a gentle sacred mountain of 1,955 m; Tsurugi-dake (剱岳) in the Northern Alps of Toyama is a steep granite peak of 2,999 m.
How long does it take to climb Mount Tsurugi?
From Minokoshi at about 1,400 m the walk to the summit takes about 1.5 hours. With the chairlift to Nishijima the remaining walk is about 40 minutes, making it one of the easiest of the 100 Famous Mountains.
Where does the name come from?
One legend says the fugitive Heike emperor Antoku's sword was hidden on the summit; another links the name to the sharp rocks of the summit area. The Hōzō-ishi ("treasure-store rock") near the summit is worshipped.
What can be combined with the climb?
The ridge walk to neighbouring Jirōgyū (1,930 m), and the vine bridges and villages of the Iya valley below.
Related
Sources
- 1.日本の主な山岳標高 (opens in a new tab) — 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)
- 2.国定公園一覧（剣山国定公園） (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)
- 3.徳島県ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 徳島県 (Tokushima Prefecture)