Mount Ikoma

Mount Ikoma
生駒山
A View of Mt. Ikoma
Highest point
Elevation	642 m (2,106 ft)
Naming
Pronunciation	Japanese: [ikomajama]
Geography
Mount Ikoma Ikoma, Nara, Japan Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
Parent range	Ikoma Mountains

Mount Ikoma (生駒山, Ikoma-yama) is a mountain on the border of Nara Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture in Japan. This mountain is the highest peak in the Ikoma Mountains and the height is 642 meters.

Cherry trees in blossom on Mount Ikoma

Outline

Mount Ikoma is a part of Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park. The mountain is one of the most famous picnic spots in the Kansai region. On the top of the mountain, there are many TV towers for broadcasting to the Kansai region and Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park.

History

Mount Ikoma was an important object of worship for ancient Japanese people. On the east foot of the mountain, Ikoma Jinja, literally 'Shrine for Mount Ikoma,' has been extant since the 5th century. The mountain and the Hozan-ji Temple near the summit were traditionally celebrated as national scenery and included in well-known woodblock series such as the "Sixty-eight National Views." After the Second World War, the west foot of the mountain started to host Korean religious institutions serving the spiritual needs of Korean immigrants and residents of Korean descent, mostly women.

The city itself was transformed by the Kintetsu train tunnel. Pilgrims and visitors to the temple grew, as well as tourist-related inns and eating establishments. After the Pacific War, the area below the temple developed into an active red-light and entertainment district. The local geisha prospered.

Ikoma today retains a bit of the old atmosphere with its winding and narrow streets. Ikoma also nurtured lively traditional Japanese arts such as dance and varieties of Japanese music. The walk down from the mountain temple to the town is a noted area for cherry blossoms, as is the mountain itself with its Ikoma Skyline Drive developed by Kintetsu Corporation.

Access

• Ikoma Sanjo Station of Ikoma Cable Line

External links

• Media related to Mount Ikoma at Wikimedia Commons
• Ministry of the Environment of Japan
• Official website of the Geographical Survey Institute in Japan