Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine

Ninety-seven stone lanterns line the stairway up from the road, each one furred with moss, and the cedars close overhead so thickly that the approach stays dim even at noon. It is quiet here, apart from cameras. The shrine drew attention as a setting for the anime film Hotarubi no Mori e, and on weekend afternoons the small free car park fills up. Past the modest hall, a steeper path climbs to Ugeto Rock, a wall of stone with an opening more than 10 meters high and wide; legend says the demon Kihachi kicked it through while fleeing the god of Aso. The steps are mossy and slick, worse after rain, so wear shoes with grip and allow the better part of an hour for the round trip. Getting here without a car is the hard part. The nearest station, Takamori on the Minami-Aso Railway, is about 10 minutes away by car, and the only bus runs on weekdays, a few times a day.