Cave of En no Gyoja

"En no Gyoja" is an another calling of En-no-Ozuno whose date of birth and death unknown. It is said that he is a founder of Yamabushi Shugendo (mountain asceticism). He lived in Mt. Katsuragi in Yamato (present Nara Prefecture) and was excellent at Jujutsu (a kind of magic). It is noted in a description of "Shoku-Nihonki (second of the six classical Japanese history texts)" in 699 that he was banished to Izu Oshima Islands.

It is said that this "En no Gyoja Kutsu (cave)" was constructed at that time, although the relationship between "En no Gyoja" and the cave has not been clarified.

This wave-eroded cave that has a frontage of about 15meters and a depth of about 30 meters was used for ascetic training of "Yamabushi Shugendo." After a rockfall occurred in 1990, the approach to the cave has been closed.

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