別所神社
2338 Bessho Onsen, Ueda City
Located north of Bessho Onsen in Ueda City, bustling with tourists and spa visitors.
Joraku-ji Temple is right next door, and being built on a small hill, it offers a panoramic view of Shiodaira and Mt. Asama.
Originally called Kumano Shrine, it is said to have been enshrined from Kumano Hongu Taisha in Wakayama, but was renamed to Bessho Shrine in 1878.
Bessho is an area where the entire village is built on slopes.
The torii gate of Bessho Shrine stands beside the path leading to Joraku-ji Temple along the continued slopes.
With the enshrinement of Male Stone, Female Stone, and Childbearing Stone, it is said to have benefits for matchmaking, and later, the plaque on the torii gate was inscribed with "Honcho Enmusubi Daijin" (Great God of Matchmaking of Japan).
From the torii gate to the shrine building, the path is steep.
The shrine building, located up the stone steps and through the trees, has the Kagura hall on the right.
The worship hall is built in front, and a shrine building stands in the forested area to the left.
The main hall behind the worship hall is a single-bay Kasuga-zukuri structure built in the late 18th century.
A common architectural style for Kumano shrines, Bessho Shrine’s main hall is particularly ornate with many carvings.
Behind the shrine building are three small shrines dedicated to deities of matchmaking, believed to have been added later than the main hall.
The builder, Sueno, was also responsible for the main hall of Shiono Shrine and was considered the leading master carpenter of the Tokishin region in this era.
Contemporaries like the Tachikawa and Osumi styles existed, but Sueno's works are noted for their traditional craftsmanship dating back to the early Edo period.
The shrine building is particularly large for 18th-century construction, with unique carvings on the back, such as waves and frog trusses, which are not seen elsewhere.
The Kagura hall is a large gabled structure with an impressive large beam visible due to the lack of a front wall.
With no ceiling, the horizontal structures that form the roof are visible.
Because the building is on the hillside, it offers a view of Shiodaira, which many tourists come to enjoy.
| Location | 2338 Bessho Onsen, Ueda City |
|---|---|
| Website | None |
| Main Hall | City-designated Cultural Property Tenmei 8 (1788) |
|---|---|
| Builder | Sueno Shohachi Yasuyasu |
| Architectural Style | Single-bay sumikizuri Kasuga-zukuri, tiled roofing |
