Experience Hell in Japan

Explore sites depicted in Tateyama Mandalas, immersing yourself in three-dimensional recreations of the mandala’s world—and hell. After learning about Tateyama Worship at Tenjikan, you’ll visit Enmado Hall, Nunobashi Bridge, and Mandala Yuen, where you can experience the world of Tateyama Mandalas. This fascinating journey through hell and the Pure Land brings ancient spiritual realms to life, captivating the imagination of all who visit.

Recommended: 40 min.

Paid admission

Tenjikan (Exhibition Hall)

As teachings about the sufferings of hell spread throughout Japan, the ancient belief that “souls journey into the mountains after death” merged with Buddhist teachings, leading Mt. Tateyama to become known as “the hell closest to Kyoto (the capital).” Over time, climbing the mountain came to be regarded as a form of ascetic practice, through which one experienced hell as a path to rebirth. Tenjikan presents Tateyama Worship’s hell-centered worldview through the region’s unique natural environment, resembling hellish landscapes, and materials documenting the spiritual concept of Tateyama Hell.

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10-minute walk
Recommended: 20 min.

Enmado Hall

Enmado Hall, a central religious facility of Ashikuraji, enshrines Enma, the king of hell. The current building was constructed in 1928. Enma was believed to judge the sins of the deceased and decide their fate in the afterlife. During the Nunobashi Kanjoe, women−who were forbidden from climbing Mt. Tateyama−would offer prayers at Enmado Hall before crossing the Nunobashi Bridge and completing the ritual at Ubado.

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King Enma and Hell

In hell, King Enma oversees the judgement of the deceased for sins committed during their lifetime. It was believed that upon death, a person would be judged by ten kings, including King Enma, to determine their fate in the afterlife.

10-minute walk
Recommended: 15 min.

Nunobashi Bridge

Descending Myonenzaka slope from Enmado, you will reach the Ubado River at the bottom. Nunobashi (literally nuno for “cloth” and bashi for “bridge”) is named for the white cloth laid across it during bridge-crossing ceremonies in the Edo period. The ”Nunobashi Kanjoe” ceremony was held to guide women, who were believed destined to hell after death, toward rebirth in the Pure Land. The ceremony viewed the river’s banks as “this world” and “the other world,” with the bridge as a means to cross the boundary. Women would symbolically cross to the “other world,” offer prayers, then return to “this world,” symbolizing their rebirth and salvation.

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Nunobashi Kanjoe

People believed they were destined for hell due to sins committed during their lifetime. To escape this anxiety, Tateyama Zenjo Tohai, a mountain ascent pilgrimage for atonement, became popular among men. However, women were forbidden from climbing Mt. Tateyama.
During the Edo period, Nunobashi Kanjoe (or Nunobashi Dai Kanjo) ceremonies were held at the Enmado Hall, Nunobashi Bridge, and Ubado Hall to guide women who sought salvation from hell toward rebirth in the Pure Land.

10-minute walk
Recommended: 60 min.

Paid admission

Mandala Yuen
(Mandala Park)

An artistic facility geometrically and abstractly representing the world of Tateyama Mandalas. Composed of four zones—”Hell,” “Path of the Sun,” “Heaven,” and “Path of Darkness”—it offers an immersive experience of Tateyama Worship through art, sound, and light.
In the “Hell” zone, various features convey the terror of the underworld, including demons depicted through sound and light, a spirit bridge extending over a river, and a needle mountain, making these attractions popular photo spots for visitors.

※ Winter closure from December to March

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