Visiting Iwaya-jinja in Toho, Fukuoka

On August 17, we had decided to take a drive to see Iwaya-jinja (岩屋神社), a Shinto shrine in Toho. The shrine was said to have been built in 532 by priest Zensei (善正) from China who set the training place at Mount Hiko in the previous year. It was an important place for examiners as a sacred place where gods and Buddha descended. 

The Ichi-no-torii entrance gate near Chikuzen-Iwaya Station on Hitahikosan Line.

The Ni-no-torii gate at the shrine entrance. From here, we have to take a mountain path to the top.

 Passing the stone pillar gate, then go up a long stairs to the shrine.

I found a big gingko tree on the ground. The tree that never dies after the Siege of Iwaya Castle in 1586.

When we went up the stairs, we'll see a cave in the rock. 

We saw the 500 Rakan statues on the way.

A torii gate that stands at the Shinto temple entrance.

 Taking a short break, we went further up to the hill.

The main shrine. Look at the picture. It is a thatched roof, but there's something on top. When I was checked it up on the Internet, it was made out of cedar wood. 

At the shrine, there seems to be a jewel gemstone in it. Maybe it was a meteorite, if you see it you'll go blind.

The main hall seen from the side. As you see in the picture, it is built using the hollow of the Gongen-iwa rock.

After that we went to another shrine, Kumano-jinja (熊野神社). It's a hanging structure against the steep rocks that Tengu kicked into a hole.