Kinkasan

Kinkasan (Kinkasan or Kinkazan) is a small sacred island in Miyagi Prefecture and considered one of the Three Holiest Places of Tōhoku region in Japan, along with Dewa Sanzan and Osorezan. It lies in the Pacific Ocean off the Oshika Peninsula.

There is an Shinto shrine in the island, called Koganeyama Shrine which is devoted to the gods of wealth, Ebisu and Daikoku. It was established in 740 after gold was discovered on the island, which attracted a large number of pilgrims. Until the late 19th century, women had not been allowed on the island. It is traditionally said that if you pay a visit to this shrine once a year for three consecutive years, you will have no financial difficulties for the rest of your life. Its spiritual significance and the fact that the island used to be a site for a brief gold prospecting boom ensure a steady stream of visitors eager for some good fortune to rub off.

Kinkasan is 9.5 km2 in area, and its highest point is the pyramid-shaped Mount Kinka, which stands at 445 m. It has a human population of a few dozen, mostly people connected with the shrine or the handful of shops around the harbour, and is home to a number of deer and Japanese Macaque (monkeys). The island is largely unspoiled, and has a number of scenic hiking routes. Access to the island is by ferry, departing from Ayukawa Harbor or Onagawa.