At the summit of Mt. Komagatake in central Hakone is the Mototsumiya Shrine. Mt. Komagatake was a place where mountain worship was practiced. It is also known as the “Shrine in the Sky” for sitting atop the mountain surrounded by open sky. It is said that the origin of this belief dates back to about 2,400 years ago when a hermit named Souzenshounin, who was impressed by the virtue of the mountain gods of Mt Kamiyama, established a place of worship for Mt Kamiyama. The shrine is now incorporated as a part of Hakone Shrine at the base of the mountain.

The stone on which the shimenawa (sacred ropes) are stretched is called Umayoriishi, which is said to be the rock on which the god descended on a white horse. The hole on the stone is a hoof print from the descent of the horse, and the water in the hole is said to have never dried up even in drought. On the right side of the approach to the shrine, there is a horse-riding stone, which preserves the belief in the white horse.

You can reach the Mototsumiya Shrine by the 7 minutes Komagatake Ropeway ride departing from Hakone-en on the shores of Lake Ashi. The mountaintop is at an altitude of over 1300m and weather conditions can be quite different from below. On clear days you have views of Mt. Fuji, Sagami Bay, Lake Ashi, and the surrounding mountains of Hakone. The winds are strong and tall trees do not grow here giving visitors views of spanning fields of bamboo grass.

The mountains of Hakone have been an object of faith and spirituality for some of the Shinto religion since ancient times as a place between the worlds where humans and gods live.