Mountain opening

A set date each year to allow the general public to climb the mountain. Many mountains in Japan are popular for mountain worship, and these mountains used to be sacred places only for the mountain ascetics and monks who undertook ascetic training, and were off-limits to the general public. It was said that if one tried to enter the mountains too hard, they would be attacked by Tengu. However, from the mid-Edo period onwards, mountain worship associations were formed all over the country, and members of the association began to climb the mountains to worship the gods enshrined at the peaks. For this reason, the mountains were opened to the general public for a set number of days. This was the mountain opening, and the first day in particular was called Oyama-aki, and believers celebrated being able to climb the mountain. The final day was called Yama-shimai, and the mountain once again became the domain of monks only. Mount Fuji was originally opened to the public on July 1st, but now climbing takes place on this day.

[Tokuhisa Kyuuou]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

毎年日程を決めて一般人に登山を許すこと。日本の山は山岳信仰の盛んな所が多く、これらの山は昔は入峰修行(にゅうぶしゅぎょう)をする山伏や僧たちのみの世界で一般の人は立ち入ることのできない聖なる所とされ、無理に入れば天狗(てんぐ)に襲われるといわれていた。しかし江戸中期以降、各地に山岳信仰の講が結成され、山頂に祀(まつ)られている神を拝むための講中登山が行われるようになり、このために日数を決めて山を俗人に開放した。これが山開きで、初日をとくにお山開きとよび、信徒たちは山に登れることを祝った。最終日は山仕舞いとよび、山はまた僧侶(そうりょ)たちのみの世界となった。富士山は7月1日がお山開きであったが、現在はこれにあわせて登山が行われている。

［徳久球雄］

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