The entrance to the Oku-sha is a wetland with vast stretches of nature. Listen carefully, and you’ll hear the murmuring of a stream. As we walk on sensing the signs of water, we stumble upon the large torī gates of Oku-sha. Ahead of us is the center of religion in Togakushi, Oku-sha, and Kuzuryū-sha.
A bridge was built in front of this torī with a stream running under it. This stream with icy water, even in summer, is called Sakasa-gawa, or “the upside-down river.” Many of Togakushi’s rivers flow south, but this one alone flows toward the northeast, hence the name “upside-down river”. There is another theory, however, that states that, once you cross this river, our world and the world of the after-life become reversed.
A two-kilometer path stretches from the torī gate of Oku-sha. As you walk along, you may feel a slight change in the air and find peace in your heart. After this, we’ll be entering the hinterlands of Togakushi, which are different from what we’ve seen until now. Sharpen your senses and open up your heart to embrace what’s to come.
