Souja jinja

Souja Shrine, enshrined in Maebashi City, serves as the general guardian of Kozuke Province.
It is said that Prince Toyokiiribiko, son of the 10th emperor Sujin, enshrined Futsunushi no Mikoto and his parent deity, marking the shrine's beginning.
Around 500 AD, Oguma-o rebuilt the shrine and named it Sookai Myojin.
In the Heian period, the shrine became a Souja, enshrining 549 deities from various shrines in Kozuke Province, with the list of these deities becoming the sacred object of the shrine.

Proceeding through the Shimmei torii gate at the entrance, you will see a smaller torii and the worship hall straight ahead.
The hall features a hipped roof with a gabled end and a karahafu gable over the entrance.
The structure is adorned with vivid decorations on the brackets and beams, and the transom carvings are particularly impressive.

Next to the worship hall stands a brightly colored kaguraden (sacred dance hall).
This kaguraden hosts the Daidaikagura, a designated cultural property of Maebashi City, performed annually on March 15.
The hipped roof, covered with copper plates, bears a plaque inscribed with "Daidaikagura."
The hall has handrails on the front and side, extending to the stage area.

The main hall behind the worship hall is a three-bay nagare-zukuri structure.
The hall is vividly painted, although it shows some damage.
The walls feature paintings, with yellow as the base color on the sides and back, where pine trees are depicted.
Handrails surround the front and sides, and the transom carvings are intricately painted.
Built in the Keicho period, the architecture reflects the styles of the Momoyama period, with elements such as frog-leg struts, daibutsu-style brackets, and sea cucumber beams.