Nishitetsu にしてつ Let's Hike Inoyama 井野山 and Umihachimangu Shrine 宇美八幡宮 2019.1.19

Nishitetsu  にしてつ Let's Hike Inoyama 井野山 and Umi Hachiman-gū Shrine 宇美八幡宮 2019.1.19

The second Nishitetsu hike for Winter took place on this past Saturday at Inoyama. The route started at the Kami Umi bus stop next to the Nishitetsu store and went a different route up the mountain than the one I had been on previously. Learn more about the Nishitetsu hikes here Nishitetsu Let's Hike events (Japanese Only)

The weather was not so cold for winter and the sky was very clear which meant the turnout for the event was in the hundreds. It also meant that the view from the top of the Inoyama were a lot better than my first visit.

The route to the mountain is fairly straight. We followed the Nishitetsu signs which were taped up along the way.

Eventually we turned right and walked down a smaller road which read into a bamboo forest. This route up to Inoyama is a lot more direct and steep than following the road up.

There was a rest point by a electrical pylon which also had a good view. This route is a lot more like hikes elsewhere in Fukuoka  with small streams to walk through and dense forest.

We came out of the forest to meet the road. There are no signs for this route so you would just have to know it is there.

After this reaching the road it was just a matter of following the road up to the clearing before heading up the stone steps to the top of the mountain.

The stone steps were quite tight. The top of the mountain is fairly small so the volume of people climbing up meant a lines developed to wait in.

Shioji from Inoyama

The 360 degree views from the mountain were once again very impressive. Due to the fantastic weather we could see even further than on my previous visit.

After taking in the view it was time to head down. We followed the winding road down to the shrine at the base of the mountain. This acted as an end point for the hike, the kids collected there gifts from Nishitetsu (A choice of pencils or seals)

The end point next to a small shrine.

The hike was pretty short and all in all only took about an hour and a half. This time also included waiting so it could be done in a very short time or stopping for lunch in the clearing area near the top would make a good day out.

Umi Hachiman-gū Shrine 宇美八幡宮

Umi is home to the UmiHachiMangu shrine. This shrine is a large Shinto shrine which is concerned with childbirth. It is famous for giving protection in childbirth and child rearing. It is not far from the mountain and made a very worthwhile top point on the way back to the station area. 

The entrance to the shrine. There are a number of impressive building inside as well as some very lovely old trees.

Main shrine building

Parents write the names of their newborns on a stone and place it here.

A statue of a godess

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Behind the shrine is a road leading up to a small part with a monument dedicated to peace after the second world war.  It has some nice views and another connected shrine. It also has a small play area for children.