Myogi jinja

Located in Myogi Town, Tomioka City, near the border between Nagano and Gunma Prefectures, the shrine sits on the eastern side of Mt. Myogi, one of the Three Mountains of Jomo.
The shrine is central to the mountain worship of Myogi-san, and it was originally known as Hakiso Shrine.
It is said to have been founded in 537, and initially, there were no shrine buildings, with worship centered around Kageiwa Rock to the north of the current main hall.
With the progression of syncretism between Shinto and Buddhism, Dainichi Nyorai was enshrined, and during the Edo period, the temple became a retreat for the head priests of Kan'eiji Temple, receiving numerous donations and repairs to its buildings.

Climbing the steep approach path leading to Myogi-san, you will see a large eight-legged gate at the top of the stone steps.
Standing over 11 meters tall, this grand gate is painted in vibrant colors and features a gabled roof with three bays and one entrance.
It was used as the Niomon gate of the temple until the Edo period and bears the inscription "Koyain" on its plaque.

Continuing along the approach path beyond the main gate, there is a copper Myojin torii gate.
Through the branches of the shrine forest, you can see Myogi-san, with the path leading directly to the main hall located at the foot of the mountain.

The right side of the shrine grounds houses the Hakiso Shrine building, designated as a cultural property by Gunma Prefecture.
Originally used as the main hall, this brightly colored building served as a temporary hall after the current main hall was damaged in a landslide disaster in 2007.
Featuring gongen-zukuri style architecture with an irimoya roof, the front face has a chidorihafu gable with outward-facing chigi attached to the roof ridge.

The main hall (honden) and the offering hall (heiden) are connected to this building.
The vibrant colors under the eaves of the offering hall, along with the red used on the walls and pillars, create a beautifully decorated structure.
While the side panels of the main hall have handrails and the side panels are installed, there are no notable carvings on the back side or side panels.