Chiba’s Nokogiriyama

Scaling “Sawtooth Mountain”

While it pains me greatly to write this, the only place in Chiba Prefecture that most foreign tourists ever really visit is Narita International Airport. This is a real shame as the region is nothing short of a treasure trove of hidden gems that are just waiting to be explored. From the sprawling temple complex of Narita-san to the many historical buildings of Sawara, there’s just so much to see and do in Chiba. So, on that note, I’d like to introduce the topic of today’s article, Nokogiriyama (Lit. Sawtooth Mountain). Located right on the western coast of Chiba Prefecture’s Boso Peninsula, this 330 meter tall mountain is uniquely shaped and appeals to all demographics, experienced hikers included. These days I have a very long catalog of day trips from Tokyo yet Nokogiriyama easily ranks towards the very top of that list.

Never heard of Nokogiriyama before? Fret not. It was only recently that I too discovered this amazing destination when trying to figure out what I had overlooked in Chiba. Still, for a site with such a pedigree of religious and historical import, it’s amazing that Nokogiriyama isn’t more well known. You see, the western side of the mountain is home to the sprawling Nihon-ji temple complex. Here you’ll find the largest pre-modern stone Buddha in Japan as well as a number of other Buddhist effigies that will leave you…