AreaSanriku Coast
Kinkasan Deer
金華山 | Kinkasan Island
Sacred animals who freely roam a holy island
Photo by Atsuhiko Takeda
Photo by Atsuhiko Takeda
Photo by Atsuhiko Takeda
Photo by Atsuhiko Takeda
Kinkasan is a holy island located off the coast of Ishinomaki City, home to the legendary Koganeyama Shrine. It is said that those who make three consecutive annual pilgrimages to the shrine will be blessed with wealth for the rest of their lives. No visit is complete without happening upon the Kinkasan deer, who roam the island freely and are regarded as messengers of the gods by Shinto priests.
On the first Sunday of October, an antler-cutting ritual is performed which helps make the male deer safer to be around. The shrine turns the antler cuttings into charms, purchased by the faithful as talismans and by tourists as souvenirs.
WEBSITEhttp://kinkasan.jp/
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Sanriku Coast
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Details
ADDRESS
Kinkasan-5 Ayukawahama, Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi-ken 986-2523
ACCESS BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
From Onagawa Sightseeing Pier (観光桟橋): 35 minutes by Ushio Planning boat (潮プラニング定期船). Available Sundays, holidays, & some Saturdays; see timetable here.
Onagawa Sightseeing Pier is a 10-minute walk from Onagawa Station.
From Ayukawa Port (鮎川港): 20 minutes by Dream Liner (ドリーム定期船) or Kaijo Taxi Kuroshio (海上タクシーくろしお) boats. Dream Liner operates Sundays only. For other days and times, Kaijo Taxi Kuroshio motorboat service is available (reservations required). Details for Dream Liner & Kaijo Taxi Kuroshio available here.
Ayukawa Port is 80 minutes by bus from Ishinomaki Station. Board Ayukawa Line (鮎川線) bus bound for Ayukawa Port. Alight at Ayukawa Port (the final stop). Bus timetable here (weekdays) and here (weekends & holidays).
ADMISSION
Island & shrine: free
Ushio Planning boat (round-trip): ¥3,100 adults, ¥1,560 children
Dream Liner (round-trip): ¥2,500 adults, ¥1,250 children, infants free
Kaijo Taxi Kuroshio (round-trip per-person fare for 5+ passengers): ¥3,000 adults, ¥1,500 children, infants free
LANGUAGES
Japanese only
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE
No
HOURS
Always open (but please be aware of boat schedules)
CLOSED DAYS
None
PHONE
0225-45-2301
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Kinkasan Deer