[Saitama ]3 popular Hatsumode spots in Saitama City

Shrines that nurture more than 2,000 years of history

Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, which has its main shrine in Omiya-ku, Saitama City, is the most popular Hatsumode spot in Saitama Prefecture, usually attracting more than 2 million visitors each New Year.

According to the shrine chronicles, the shrine dates back to the reign of the 5th Emperor Takaaki, more than 2,000 years ago. It is one of the oldest shrines in Saitama Prefecture, and was founded around 473 B.C. by a request from Izumo Taisha Shrine. Legend has it that during the reign of the 12th Emperor Keiko, the Japanese warrior Takemikoto visited the shrine and prayed for the repose of the East. The gabled roof of the hall of worship, where worshippers place their hands, curves forward and extends for a long time. "This is a typical architectural style of shrines called nagare-zukuri ", which was adopted in the construction of shrines throughout Japan from the end of the Nara Period.

The main shrine, located behind the hall of worship, enshrines three deities: Susano-no-mikoto, Inadahime-no-mikoto, and Oonamuchi-no-mikoto. There are approximately 280 shrines with the name Hikawa Shrine built mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine is the head shrine of all of them. On the first day of the New Year, "the New Year's Day Festival "is held to pray for national peace, a bountiful harvest, and the prosperity of the shrine parishioners; on the second day, "the Hi Ku Hajime Festival "is held to open the doors of the 13 shrines on the shrine grounds and offer offer offerings; and on the third day, "the New Year Festival "is held to pray for the safety of the imperial family and prosperity of the imperial line. The manner of worship in front of the hall of worship is "two-beat, one-beat, one-bow. "It is expected to bring blessings for family safety, business prosperity, traffic safety, safe delivery, protection from calamity, and fulfillment of one's wishes.

Maiten (dance hall) and Kaguraden (Shinto music and dance hall) for traditional Japanese culture

To the south of the hall of worship is the Maiten, a dance hall built in the Taisha-zukuri style with a sense of balance. During festivals held at the shrine throughout the year, the shrine presents traditional Japanese cultural offerings such as Noh plays, gagaku (court music), and kagura (Shinto music and dance).

The Sakura Gate serves as the entrance to the area of the worship and dance halls, which have a solemn atmosphere. The gate, painted in bright vermilion, welcomes worshippers with an imposing appearance.

The bridge over the Shinpike to the south of the Sakura Gate is also painted in vermilion. It is believed that crossing the Shin-ike bridge will purify one's impurities.

Between Kamiike Bridge and San-no-torii (the third torii gate), a forehead shrine and a Kaguraden (Shinto music and dance hall) are located. Normally, the area has a calm atmosphere and a sense of history, but this changes drastically during the Hatsumode (New Year's visit) season.

Stalls crowd the approach connecting the San-no-torii and Ni-no-torii gates.

The precincts on the north side of the third torii gate are lined with stalls selling omikuji and New Year's good luck charms.

From the San-no-torii (third shrine gate), an approach to the south leads to the Ni-no-Torii (second shrine gate). During Hatsumode (New Year's visit to the shrine), the approach to the shrine is lined with stalls on both sides, offering all kinds of gourmet foods. The 500-meter-long approach to the shrine is filled with lively shouts of encouragement, and it is full of the New Year's spirit. The crowds are like those on a train during rush hour, and you will never get bored of the many unusual foods and beverages that can be found.

The second torii gate is erected along Prefectural Route 2. The 13-meter-high torii gate, donated and relocated from Meiji Shrine, is said to be the tallest existing wooden torii gate in the Kanto region!

If you go to Hatsumode (New Year's visit to a shrine), you will want to divine your fortune for the New Year, receive omamori (charms), omafuda (money), and other gifts, and obtain lucky charms such as hakuma-ya and fuku-kumade (lucky rakes). At shrines, the awarding office is located on the east side of the hall of worship. However, during the Hatsumode season, there are long lines at all these offices. It seems that you have to follow the progress of the line, without mistaking which window is connected to which end of the line.

"Facility Information "
Facility name: Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine
Address: 1-407, Takahana-cho, Omiya-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama
Phone number: 048-641-0137
Access: 15 min. walk from East Exit of JR Omiya Station
Cherry blossom gate opening hours: spring and fall (March, April, September, October) = 5:30 to 17:30 / summer (May to August) = 5:00 to 18:00 / winter (November to February) = 6:00 to 17:00
New Year's visit event: Saitan-sai = January 1 / Nikkuhajimae = January 2 / Genshi-hajimae = January 3
Official Website:https://musashiichinomiya-hikawa.or.jp/

J-League players praying for victory

After Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, the second most visited shrine in Saitama City for Hatsumode is Tsuki-jinja Shrine, which has its main shrine in Urawa Ward. It is said that worshippers who visit "Tsuki "will be blessed with good luck, and for athletes, it is a power spot that brings victory. The Urawa Red Diamonds J-League players visit the shrine every year before the season to pray for victory. The ears of the club mascots, Redia and Friendia, are as long as those of rabbits, and the Chou Shrine may be a gift for the team's victory.

Ancient shrine nurturing 2,000 years of history

The shrine is said to have been founded about 2,000 years ago by the order of the 10th Emperor Sojin, according to the shrine chronicle "Chokugu Engi ". The shrine was built in 1858 in the Gongen-zukuri architectural style, with the main hall and worship hall as one building. The shrine enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, Toyokebime no Mikami, and Susanoo no Mikoto as deities.

The present worship and main halls were built in 1858, but the buildings that served as the main halls until then are still carefully preserved in the precincts of the shrine as the Inari Shrine.

In the precincts of the shrine, zelkova and mukunoki trees have built a forest of religious significance. "It is called the precincts forest of Cho-jinja Shrine "and is a designated natural monument of Saitama City. There are many old trees, some of which have grown to a height of over 30 meters.

Every year, worshippers overflow the shrine grounds during Hatsumode (New Year's visit). The procession seems to start from the sidewalk on Prefectural Route 213 where the shrine borders the west.

During the Hatsumode season, the approach to the shrine, less than 100 meters from the prefectural road to the hall of worship, is lined with stalls on both sides. The abundance of gourmet food available for eating and walking may make the waiting time less painful.

God's messengers abound in the precincts of the temple

The Sho Jinja is nicknamed "Tsukinomiya "by the locals. "Because of the identical readings of Sho "and "and Tsuki ", the shrine was associated with the belief in moon-waiting in the Middle Ages, and rabbits, which are considered to be lunar animals, were considered to be messengers of the gods. Statues of rabbits are placed throughout the temple grounds. At the entrance along the prefectural road, visitors are first greeted not by komainu (guardian dogs) but by komainabbit (rabbits). Another feature of this shrine is that there is no torii gate at the entrance, which is related to the origin of the shrine. The 10th Emperor Sojin built a warehouse at the Cho-jinja Shrine to store the tributes to be offered to the Ise Jingu Shrine, and designated the shrine as a place to collect and transport them. It is said that the torii gate and the gate were not built because they might have hindered the transportation of the tribute.

At the east end of the approach to the shrine, in front of the hall of worship, there is a hand-watering basin. Visitors purify their hands and mouths here before going to the hall of worship.

It is a rabbit that fills the hand basin with water. This water is also called "the sacred water of good luck (kaiun) ". The rabbit sitting with both legs together is so adorable that you may want to pet its head.

A pair of stone statues of rabbits are placed to the south of the hand-watering basin; they were created around 1860 and appear to have gazed upon worshippers for more than 100 years.

The shrine grounds extend around the hall of worship, but in the area to the east is the Shinpike, with its calm surface.

The rabbit plays the role of a fountain in the center of the pond.

The shrine grounds are filled with rabbits, and there is a wide selection of amulets and other awards with rabbit designs.

Goods such as amulets, prayer cards, and sacred arrows are distributed at the awarding office located to the east of the hall of worship.

"Facility Information "
Facility name: Tsukijinja Shrine
Address: 3-17-25 Kishimachi, Urawa-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama
Phone number: 048-822-2254
Access: 10 min. walk from West Exit of JR Urawa Station
Hatsunode: Toshigatsu Festival = January 1

Shrines with strong luck to win

After Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine and Chou Shrine, the next most visited shrine in Saitama City for Hatsumode is Hisaizu Shrine, which has its main shrine in Iwatsuki Ward. "Hisaizu "can be read as "quiz "and has a reputation as a shrine for luck in victory. 1987, the shrine was the site of the NTV quiz show "The Greatest Quiz in History! It was the site of the second domestic qualifying round of the 11th Trans-American Ultra Quiz ". Since then, quiz show hosts from various TV stations have been frequent visitors to the shrine.

The general shrine of Iwatsuki

Kuizu Shrine is said to have originated when the Doji clan of the Izumo tribe moved to eastern Japan during the reign of Emperor Kinmei, about 1,500 years ago, and invited Oanaamuchi no Mikoto, the parent deity of the Izumo tribe, to this place. During the Heian period (794-1185), the shrine attracted the respect of the Musashi Shichitō ", a group of warriors who were powerful in the Musashino area ", and the belief in Kuizu spread throughout the Moto-arakawa River basin. In the Warring States period, when Ota Dōshan, a vassal of the Ogiya-Uesugi family, built Iwatsuki Castle, the shrine became the general guardian of Iwatsuki.

The entrance to the shrine is the Ichino Torii (first torii gate), which stands along the Tobu Urban Park Line tracks. The shrine name is deeply engraved on a stone monument at the side of the torii gate.

Overhead on the approach to the hall of worship is covered with evergreen greenery that seems to pour down negative ions.

From the first torii gate, walk less than 200 meters north on the approach to the second torii gate.

Along the approach from the second torii gate to the hall of worship, stalls are lined up and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of the New Year.

After purifying oneself at the hand-watering basin located at the northern end of the approach to the shrine, visitors can go to the hall of worship to pray. At Kuizu Shrine, visitors can expect to receive blessings such as luck in victory, match-making, protection from bad luck, and safe delivery.

After you have finished praying at the shrine, you will want to take a walk around the grounds. The Kuizu Shrine is home to some rare creatures. To the east of the kaguraden are rows of aviaries.

Peacocks being carefully cared for in the precincts of the temple

In 1937, when His Imperial Highness Prince Asakomiya visited the shrine, three peacocks were dedicated to him. Since then, peacocks have been carefully raised at the shrine, and now there are nearly 20 peacocks in the family.

Not only peacocks, but also numerous chickens seem to make up the bird family of the shrine. They are sometimes set free on the grounds and speak to each other in a lively chirping voice.

An awarding office is located to the east of the hall of worship. At the counter, there is a wide variety of awards such as amulets with peacock designs.

"Facility Information "
Facility name: Hisaizu Shrine
Address: 2-6-55 Miyamachi, Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama
Phone number: 048-756-0503
Access: 15 min. walk from Tobu Urban Park Line Iwatsuki Sta.
Hatsunode: Toshigatsu Festival = January 1
Official Website :https://www.hisaizu.jp/

summary

Numerous shrines have been built in Saitama City. Among them, Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, Cho-jinja Shrine, and Kuizu Shrine are ancient shrines with a history of over 1,500 years, and are filled with worshippers during the Hatsumode season. All of these shrines have unique characteristics that may make you want to make a Hatsumode ladder.