Miyabuchi jinja

Located in the Oku area of Aoki Village, Kutsukake is to the west of Ueda City, along the mountainous route leading to Kakeyu Onsen.
The area has about three inns, forming a small hot spring town.
Kutsukake Onsen is said to have opened during the Heian period when Prince Shigeno, a provincial governor, bathed here to cure an eye disease, leading to the construction of Yakushido Temple to enshrine the guardian deity of the hot spring.
Miyabuchi Shrine is revered as the local deity of the area, enshrining Take Minakata no Mikoto and Sugawara no Michizane as an auxiliary deity.

Above the brown-painted torii gate stands the kaguraden, designated as a cultural property of Aoki Village.
This large kaguraden features a rotating stage, and the master carpenter, Shichiro Matsuzawa, was only 17 years old at the time, according to the building inscription.
Besides Matsuzawa, local craftsmen were involved in the construction, and the large building materials were also sourced locally.

The worship hall and main shrine are located at a higher elevation than the kaguraden.
The main shrine is not covered and features a rare two-bay nagare-zukuri architectural style.
The building has carvings on the lower fish, frog legs, and gable surfaces, but overall it is a simple structure with minimal decoration.