Mt. Hikami has long been considered holy ground. For centuries people have been drawn to the many sacred shrines and places of worship, as well as the natural features such as the Twilit Peak and the Pool of Purification, which have themselves been treated with great reverence.
The mountain was also popular with tourists and mountain climbers for the beauty of its abundant clear waters and ancient, mysterious forests.
Worshippers and hikers alike used to find rest at Ichiru Manor, a hot spring resort near the foot of the mountain.
Now, the inn lies desolate, devoid of visitors. The mountain never recovered from a devastating landslide it suffered many years ago.
The shrine road to the summit was cut off and the flow of the water throughout the mountain was altered, forever changing the landscape.
New roads that were under construction had to be abandoned, and Ichiru Manor was buried under a slew of rock, resulting in numerous fatalities. Among those lost were the family of Ichiru Manor's proprietor, effectively putting an end to the business.
Mt. Hikami's days as a tourist destination were no more. Instead, the mountain gained notoriety as a suicide spot.
Perhaps because it was traditionally a destination to which the dying would venture, the mountain is now a place for those wishing to end their own lives. By extension, it has also become a place for thrill-seekers interested in the occult.
Mt. Hikami's Downfall
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Mt. Hikami's Downfall | |
| |
| Kanji | 日上山の零落 ひかみやま の れいらく |
| Game | Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water |
| Author | Unknown |
| Chapter | First Drop: A Vanishing Trace |
| Located at | Mikomori Hot Springs Old Building, Passageway |
| Obtained | On the floor |
| Description | A book about spiritual activity on Mt. Hikami. It had been left in a hallway in the abandoned inn. |
| Additional Description | An old, dusty book has been left in the hallway. Maybe someone dropped it? |
| Related Notes | |
日上山は昔から霊場として崇められており、
古い社など歴史ある建物と、大禍境、
禊ヶ淵に代表される、自然信仰を感じさせる
地形で参拝客を集めていた。
また、山頂の彼岸湖から流れ落ち、ふもと
の水籠池に流れ込む豊富な水は、大小の滝
や清らかな川、多くの水を湛えた淵など、
美しい水の風景と、神秘的な森を潤し、
観光客、登山客も訪れていた。
山の麓にある池のほとりには、温泉旅館
「一縷荘」があり、参拝客、登山客の疲れ
を癒していた。
しかし、今は寂れ、訪れる者はいない。
日上山は、大きな地滑りをきっかけに
変わってしまった。
山頂へと至る参道は途切れ、山中を巡って
いた水の流れは変わり、風景は一変した。
観光地として整備されようとしていた道路
の工事は中断された。
一縷荘も大量の土砂に埋まり、従業員の
家族を含め多くの死者が出て、廃業を余儀
なくされた。
「観光地」日上山は死に、人々が去った後、
再び有名になったのは「自殺の名所」として
だった。
「死にゆくものが入る山」という言い伝えの
ためか、今では自殺志願者や、心霊
スポットとして肝試しを目的とする人が
訪れるようになっている。