The Story ofMichinoku Gold

Due to the first gold in Japan being discovered there, Mount Nonodake became known as a sacred mountain guarded by the gods and the Buddha. In the Heian period, a connection to mountain worship developed and it became recognized as a sacred place that brought peace and security to Michinoku. The mountain temple of Konpo-ji, from its founding 1,250 years ago to the present day, continues to preserve the mountain summit as sacred place, the the point that even the killing of animals for food is prohibited there. All that time, the temple has also continued to act as a center of faith for the area. Konpo-ji is a good example of how a mountain which won fame for gold production became recognized as a sacred place, then elevated to an object of worship that provided stability for the region.