Takaya Shrine

Takaya Shrine is a Shintō shrine on the summit of Mt. Inazumi in Kan’onji. Its upper shrine, at an elevation of 404 m, is known for its picturesque torii gate which attracts crowds of Instagrammers looking to snap the remarkable view over the Seto Inland Sea and Sanuki Mountains.

Framing Ariakehama beach, the city of Kan’onji, and the rice fields of the Sanuki Plain, the torii has been named the “Gate in the Sky”. In 2018, the view was selected as one of the 88 Scenic Views of Shikoku. There’s also a view of the Shōnai Peninsula jutting into the Inland Sea to the north. On clear days, the view can extend towards Mt. Ishizuchi in Ehime.

The shrine is also known as Inazumi Shrine after the mountain. Takaya Shrine is one of twenty-four shrines in Sanuki Province listed in the Engishiki, a tenth-century compilation of laws and regulations that also recorded important shrines throughout Japan. The shrine enclosure at the summit has a modest wooden hall constructed in traditional Shintō architectural styles, featuring unpainted timber, exposed joinery, and a gabled roof. The three gods worshiped here are connected to rice cultivation, food production, and agricultural prosperity. For centuries, local farmers from the Sanuki Plain made regular ascents to Mt. Inazumi to pray for abundant rain and bountiful harvests, treating the elevated terrain of the peak as a natural dwelling place for divine spirits overseeing the coastal valleys.

Most people get to the upper shrine and torii by the road up the back of the mountain. But the road is narrow, with several sections where vehicles can’t easily pass one another. At weekends and on public holidays, access is controlled and a shuttle bus operates instead. Consequently, weekday visits are best. For Japan Adventurers, we recommend starting at the lower shrine and walking up Mt. Inazumi. The hike takes about fifty minutes and passes through woodland before reaching a final flight of 270 stone steps. About halfway up the steps is Yurugi-iwa, a large rocking boulder. The combination of the steep steps, rock, and woodland gives the approach a considerably more traditional and devotional character than simply arriving at the top by road.