Have you ever heard of ley lines, a hypothesis proposed by a British archaeologist around 1921 that ancient ruins, sacred temples, and shrines were built in a straight line with a certain meaning.
The British ley line "St. Michael's Line" involving the famous "Stonehenge" megalithic site is thought to be the origin of this theory, and a Celtic mystical story is provided there.
However, it is surprisingly easy to find straight lines on a map where various ruins and sacred mountains seem to line up with meaning. The motive why ancient peoples gave them linearity is unknown. The idea that the cities of Kyoto and Edo, for example, were protected by boundaries may be similar. However, it is also possible that these lines are just coincidental.
However, why don't you enjoy a "divine journey" to travel along the connected lines (ley lines) while feeling the romance of ancient times and learning about the history of the ley lines? In most cases, these are wonderful places called "power spots," so you will be able to enjoy a "beneficial" trip.
The most famous ley line in Japan, the "Path of Sunrise," is the 35°22' north latitude line where the sun moves exactly along this line on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. From Chiba Prefecture to Shimane Prefecture, the strongest ley line is a straight line connecting historical shrines, temples, sacred mountains, and other sanctuaries on this line, a total of eight places, including Mount Fuji and Izumo Taisha. Fuji and Izumo Taisha. From famous places to hidden places, sanctuaries with various stories are lined up in a row.
1. Tamasaki Shrine
Tamasaki Shrine in Chiba, the starting point of the "Path of Sunrise," is an old shrine with a history of at least 1,200 years. The first torii gate faces due east, and the sun rising from Kujukuri-hama on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes shines directly and solemnly on the gate.
2. Samukawa Shrine
The Samukawa Shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture is known as the guardian deity of protection from all directions and is visited by approximately 2 million worshippers annually. The shrine is a sacred place that has been worshipped by Minamoto no Yoritomo, Takeda Shingen, and generations of the Tokugawa family over its approximately 1,600-year history.
3. Mt. Fuji
Fuji, an active volcano that straddles the border between Shizuoka and Yamanashi, is Japan's highest independent peak at 3,776 meters above sea level. Fuji is widely known overseas as a symbol of Japan and has been revered since ancient times as a symbol of awe toward nature.
4. Mt. Shichimen Keishin-in Temple
This is a sacred mountain at an elevation of 1,982 meters that enshrines "Shichimen Daimyojin," a deity that protects the followers of the Lotus Sutra. Fuji can be seen every morning from Keishin-in Temple, which looks directly east toward Mt. Fuji every morning. It is a sacred place of mountain worship for local residents from long ago.
5. Chikubu Island Tsukubusuma Shrine
Chikubujima is an island in Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. The legendary Asaihime no Mikoto, revered as a water goddess, is said to reside at the Tsukubusuma Shrine on Chikubujima.
6. Motoise Naiku Kotai Shrine
Motoise is a place where the historical fact remains that Amaterasu was temporarily enshrined before arriving at the Ise Jingu Shrine. The Shinmei-zukuri torii gate, combined with the atmosphere of giant trees and pristine forests, is called a spiritual area.
7. Hoki Fuji Daisen
Daisen in Tottori, the highest peak in the Chugoku region at 1,729 meters above sea level, is also known as Hoki-Fuji. It has been revered as a sacred mountain since the Nara period (710-794), and since the Heian period (794-1192), it has been a sacred place of mountain worship.
8. Izumo-taisha
Izumo-taisha Shrine is located at the westernmost point of the sunrise ley line. The main deity is Okuninushi, the great deity of Izumo. The history of Izumo-taisha is so old that the origin of its founding is recorded in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), and it is famous for the gathering of 8 million deities from all over the country.
What do you think? Why don't you immerse yourself in the flow of eternal time as you visit these places along the ley lines? It will surely be a meaningful trip to better understand the unique Japanese culture where nature and people are united and coexist in harmony!
Ley lines connecting to the ancient world for the benefit of "divine travel".
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