彌彦神社
2898 Yahiko, Yahiko Village, Nishikambara District, Niigata Prefecture
Of the three Echigo Province Ichinomiya shrines in Niigata Prefecture, Yahiko Shrine is located in Yahiko Village, Nishikambara District, at the foot of Mt. Yahiko, a sacred area.
Often referred to as "Yahiko Jinja" due to its location, it is officially called "Iyahiko Jinja".
The deity enshrined is Iyahiko no Kami, regarded as the ancestral god who developed Echigo Province.
This deity is also known as Ameno Kaguyama no Mikoto and is said to have introduced fishing, salt making, rice cultivation, and sericulture to the locals of Echigo, leading to the veneration of "Iyahiko no Kami" at Mt. Yahiko.
Heading towards Yahiko from the Hokuriku Expressway Sanjo IC, a large red torii gate spanning the road can be seen upon entering Yahiko Village.
This iconic torii, standing 30 meters tall, was built in 1982.
A few kilometers from the great torii gate, another torii of similar design is found among a dense grove of large trees.
The long path leads past a hand-washing basin and through a stone torii gate to a gate in the irimoya style.
With Yahiko Village behind it, the worship hall and main hall stand.
The main hall, surrounded by a large worship hall and corridors, was rebuilt in 1916 after a fire in 1912 and moved within the precincts.
To the left of the worship hall, the Man'yō Path leads to a hiking trail up Mt. Yahiko, where the Okusha Shrine, called Goshinbyō, is located at the summit.
The right side of the path to the shrine is lined with various smaller shrines within the grove.
There are nine small shrines, most in the nagare-zukuri style.
The Jupponsha Shrine on the far right enshrines ten deities, including Ōkuninushi no Kami, for national safety, and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
It is a large irimoya-style building with a width of 2.5 bays and a depth of 3 bays, built in 1694 by the Makino clan, lords of Nagaoka.
At a lower level, there is a dance hall and music hall.
Though simple with plain wooden construction and white walls, they stand out amidst the deep green of the grove.
| Location | 2898 Yahiko, Yahiko Village, Nishikambara District, Niigata Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Website | None |
| Deity | Ameno Kaguyama no Mikoto (Iyahiko no Kami) |
| Important Cultural Property | Jupponsha Shrine |
|---|---|
| Architectural Style | Irimoya-zukuri Thatch Roof Width 2.5 bays Depth 3 bays |