Togakushi-jinja Shrine consists of 5 shrines, Oku-sha Shrine, Chu-sha Shrine, Houko-sha Shrine, Kuzuryu-sha Shrine and Hi-no-miko-sha Shrine. Those shrines are located at the base of holly Mt. Togakushi and enshrine gods in Japanese mythology.
In the age of gods in Japan, Amaterasu Oomikami (Sun Goddess) hid herself in Ama no iwato (the cave of heaven) because her younger brother Susanoo became wild and violent at Takamanohara. This made the world be dark and in utter chaos. God were in trouble and held a festival with singing and dancing to let her out of Ama no iwato.
Amaterasu heard uproar from outside and was wondering what was going on in the outside. She opened Ama no iwato a little and then, Ame-no-tachikarao-no-mikoto (the god of strength) opened Ama no iwato fully and welcomed her. There is a legend that during this event, Ama no iwato fell down to the lower world and became Mt. Togakushi.
From such Japanese mythology, Oku-sha Shrine enshrines Ame-no-tachikara-no-mikoto (the god of strength), Chu-sha Shrine enshrines Ame-no-yagokoro-omoikane-no-mikoto (the god of wisdom), Hi-no-miko-sha Shrine enshrines Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto (the goddess of entertainment), and Houko-sha Shrine enshrines Ame-no-uwaharu-no-mikoto (the god protecting women and children). Kuzuryu-sha Shrine enshrines Kuzuryu-no-ookami (the god associated with the local area, the god of water and good harvest).
Togakushi Worship connected with Shugendo (Japanese mountain asceticism incorporating Shinto and Buddhist concepts) and became famous in Japan as a sacred place.
In this blog, I introduce Houko-sha Shrine.
The entrance of Houko-sha Shrine
- As I mentioned above, Houko-sha Shrine enshrines Ame-no-uwaharu-no-mikoto (the god protecting women and children). He is a son of Ame-no-yagokoro-omoikane-no-mikoto, enshrined god of Chu-sha Shrine. He is the god of development, study, research and art, sewing and easy delivery of a baby. Mt. Togakushi is a sacred area and you breathe with special air different from that of urban area.
You can see the main hall of Houko-sha Shrine after you go up the 270+ stairs encircles by old Japanese cedar trees.
The base of the 270+ stairs
In the middle of the 270+ stairs
Almost top of the 270+ stairs
The main hall of Houko-sha Shrine
The main hall of Houko-sha Shrine is the oldest building of Togakushi Shrine built in 1861. The main hall built with style of Shinto architecture sharing one roof with the worship hall and are connected via an intermediate passageway which left image of times of syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism.
The main hall is about 9 meters wide and by about 13 meters deep and is a hip-and-gable roof structure. Such deep building is quite rare in Shinto Shrine buildings and that is why this hall is precious.
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