is a park on the border of Mitake, Kani District and Mizunami in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is located in Hida-Kisogawa Quasi-National Park. Oniiwa is a Japanese government designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument.
Overview
It is located near the source of the Kani River, a tributary of the Kiso River. It has massive granite rocks that have been eroded over a period of millions of years."巨岩怪石織り成す景勝地" Yomiuri Shimbun 2019-8-22 morning p. 23 There are also many rhododendrons and Japanese maples, and it is a famous spot for foliage in autumn. Near the summit, a waterfall will appear a few times a year after heavy rainfall."幻の滝出現 鬼岩公園の烏帽子岩山頂付近" Gifu Shimbun 2006-7-23 p. 23
Oniiwa Onsen, a sulfur and uranium mineral spring, is nearby.
Matsuno Dam is located at the northeastern entrance to the park. It impounds Matsuno Lake, which is part of Kani River.
It was discovered in 2016 that rock climbing wedges had been driven into rocks at Oniiwa Park within Mitake. The Japan Free Climbing Association, as well as meeting with the town of Mitake, Gifu, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs, performed work on March 27, 2018 to remove the wedges or otherwise to repair the places where the wedges could not be removed.
Origin of the name "Oniiwa" The legend is that there was a demon named who lived in the area, and so it came to be called . Seki no Tarō lived around the year 1200, and terrorized residents and travelers on the Tōsandō with evil deeds. He was killed by soldiers dispatched under the orders of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Other than Oniiwa, there are places with names connected to the legend like , where the oni lived, or , where the heads of slain oni were buried, as well as , , and others.
Fukuoni Matsuri
A Setsubun festival that has been held since 1986 on the first Sunday in February, around February 3. The legend goes that Seki no Taro was exorcised and resurrected as a good-luck demon. So that the demons will bring good luck, when scattering beans, instead of the normal chant, everyone says .
Goshuin Planned by the Gifu Community Development Association's . As of November 2019 Oniiwa Park is one of 13 places that have "Golden Goshuin"."『金の御朱印』広がり次々 県内『金運の聖地』13ヶ所に 郡上八幡城で新たに授与" Chunichi Shimbun Morning Edition 2019-11-28 edition page 19 These are special goshuin decorated with gold that are only available on the last Friday of each month, or "Premium Friday". They are issued at the goshuin booth in Oniiwa Drive-in.「刷新し『金の御朱印』 鬼岩観光協が発行 岐阜・金神社にならい 月末の金曜日のみ発行」Chunichi Shimbun Morning Edition 2019-11-29 edition p. 19"キラキラ鬼岩御朱印 瑞浪市 あすからリニューアル" Gifu Shimbun Morning 2019-11-28 edition It uses a proprietary ink that looks gold from the front and red from the back.
Access If by train, take a taxi from either Mitake Station on the Meitetsu Hiromi Line or Tokishi Station on the JR Chūō Main Line. A bus operated by is no longer running. If by highway, get off the Chūō Expressway at Toki IC or the Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway at Kani-Mitake IC and then to Route 21.
See also List of Places of Scenic Beauty of Japan (Gifu) Monuments of Japan
Notes
References
External links
Oniiwa Onsen Travel Navigator