Summit of Mt. Takaiwa
This is the top of Mt. Takaiwa (881 m), the southernmost peak of the Unzen volcano cluster. It was formed by volcanic eruptions between 300,000 and 150,000 years ago.
Just before the summit, where this trail connects to the Kyushu Nature Trail, the foliage surrounding the trail opens up, revealing a view of the mountains around Unzen Onsen Town, including Mt. Kinugasa (870 m), Mt. Yadake (970 m), Mt. Myōken (1,333 m), and even part of Mt. Fugen (1,359 m) and Mt. Heisei Shinzan (1,486 m).
The shrine here is dedicated to Ukemochi no Kami, a deity worshipped by the farmers living to the southeast, as evidenced by the direction of the shrine’s orientation. Sitting off to the side is a small statue of Misogorō, a mythical giant who is said to have helped local farmers with their work and enjoyed sitting on the mountain to relax.