Mt. Aoba (青葉山 (京都府・福井県))
Mt. Aoba, the highest in Takahama-cho, is located where Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture and Takahama-cho, Oi-gun, Fukui Prefecture, are bordered. The name is used to refer to the mountain's east peak (693 m) and west peak (692 m) collectively. The mountain name is written at the position of the east peak in topographic maps based on measurements by the Geographical Survey Institute, therefore, the altitude is 693 meters when based on the maps. Both of the peaks are located in Takahama-cho.
Summary
This mountain has twin peaks, the east and the west peak, and was called Mt. Fusobaji in old times. Since the shape of the mountain that can be viewed from the eastern sea side is beautiful, it is popularly called Wakasa Fuji. In ancient times when many provinces existed, the east side of Mt. Aoba was a territory of the Yamato authorities and the west side that of Ni Province.
Mt. Aoba is deeply connected with worship. In the middle of the western side, the Maizuru side, of the mountain, Matsunoo-dera Temple (Maizuru City), No. 29 pilgrim stamp office of the 33 Temples of Saigoku was constructed, and in the middle of the eastern side, the Takahama-cho side, Nakayama-dera Temple (Takahama-cho) was constructed.
The "sango" (literally a mountain name) (the sango of a temple was mostly used to indicate where the temple is located) of both of the temples is 'Mt. Aoba.'
For worship, Aoba-jinja Shrine is placed at the east peak and the west avatar of Aoba-jinja Shrine at the west peak. Many important species of plants, such as Himokazura (Selaginella shakotanensis) of Selaginellaceae, in addition to Okishireika (Patrinia takeuchiana Makino) of the Valerian family, which grows naturally only in this mountain, exist on the hill side. Being included in the Wakasa Bay Quasi-National Park and presenting fine views from its peaks, it is visited by many worshippers and mountaineers.
Natures of the soil
It is considered that the present mountain shape of Mt. Aoba was formed by the erosion of a volcano that was active around the Pliocene. Because this means that the mountain does not meet the definition of a volcano, it is not classified into a volcano in the Quarternary period. The mountain is made of andesite and pyroclastic rock.
Transportation
The Obama Line of West Japan Railway Company and National Route 27 run in parallel along the south foot of Mt. Aoba. Both of them connect Fukui Prefecture to Kyoto Prefecture, used for accessing Mt. Aoba.