🇯🇵 岩屋 (廃村) 福井県勝山市 Iwaya, Abandoned Village Katsuyama Fukui [4K Binaural]
This video was filmed in a uninhabited village called Iwaya (岩屋), a quiet and evocative area of Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture. The nearby Iwaya Kannon is a historic sacred site with origins linked to ancient mountain worship and Buddhist practice. According to local tradition, the site was established when Buddhist figures such as Nyoirin Kannon, Juichimen Kannon, and Shō Kannon were enshrined beneath massive rock formations, creating a natural spiritual setting that later developed into a place of devotion.
One of the unique features of the site is the “tainai meguri” (胎内くぐり) — a rock cave passage that visitors historically passed through as a form of spiritual purification. In this tradition, passing through the narrow rock cavity was believed to symbolize cleansing or rebirth, similar to other mountain cave ritual practices found in Japan. The cave and surrounding rocky terrain helped make Iwaya a place of ascetic training and devotional practice for pilgrims and mountain practitioners.
Nearby stands the towering Iwaya no Osugi (岩屋の大杉) — a giant cedar tree also called “Child-holding Cedar” — which has long been venerated as a sacred tree with deep local associations and is protected as a cultural natural monument.
福井県勝山市の廃村・岩屋を訪れました。この地域には古くからの霊場として 岩屋観音（いわやかんのん） があり、巨岩や巨木に囲まれた境内には如意輪観音、十一面観音、聖観音などが祀られています。元来、山岳修行や信仰の場として人々が訪れた場所であり、自然の岩肌を活かした信仰空間が今も残っています。
その中でも特徴的なのが、俗に 「胎内めぐり」 と呼ばれる 岩穴（洞窟） です。この洞窟のような通路をくぐることは、古来より 浄化や再生を象徴する行為 とされ、信仰的な意味を持つものとして多くの参拝者が歩いたと伝えられています。こうした洞窟信仰は、日本各地の山岳信仰にも通じるものがあります。
また、境内にそびえる 「岩屋の大杉（子持ち杉）」 は県指定の天然記念物にもなっている巨大な杉で、古くから御神木として信仰・崇敬されてきました。根元に祠が置かれ、山里の人々と共に時を刻んできた象徴的な存在です。
Date: 6th November 2025
Weather: 22 / 18 °C Broken clouds
🎧 This video contains Binaural Audio. Wearing headphones/earphones is recommended for the best immersive experience.
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9 Comments
Breathtaking views
Great video
I enjoyed the beautiful and relaxing walk through the forest
A beautiful, rocky river. A wonderful walk along forest paths 👍
What a beautiful village in Katsuyama City L5.
Beautiful nature that looks like the anime Totoro would live in here
Beautiful Village with green forest A nice relaxing walk 👍🌷
Beautiful forest!
What a wonderful walk.👍🏼
Beautiful so relaxing thanks for sharing