Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

2024年12月17日

【Hijiri Shrine summary】

Hijiri Shrine was founded in 708. In the same year, natural copper was discovered at the shrine, and it is said to have been the occasion for the Wado Kaihin coinage and the Wadokaichin coinage. When the discovered copper was presented to the Imperial Court of the time, Emperor Ganmei was so pleased that he changed the year to “Wado”. The coin issued that year was Japan’s first circulating coin, the “Wadokaichin,” which can be found in textbooks. Known as the “God of Money” by the locals, the temple is visited by many people as a god of good fortune, praying for good luck in money, lottery tickets, and business.

DSC 1457 1024x768 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

The four deities are Kanayamahiko-no-mikoto, Kunitokotachi-no-mikoto, Amaterasu Oomikami (Amaterasu), Kannihonibanyohiko-no-mikoto (Emperor Jinmu), and Motomeikin-mikoto. A stone monument in the precincts of the shrine says, “Our company enshrines this historically historic ‘natural copper as the main deity’ and further enshrines Kanayamahiko-no-mikoto and Motomeikin-mikoto together, which suggests that Kanayamahiko-no-mikoto was originally enshrined as the deity of the natural copper.

The temple is said to contain two large and two small Wado rocks, Wadokaichin coins, and a pair of male and female centipedes made of Wado copper, which are said to have been given to Emperor Genmei as treasures.

【Why a centipede?】

Since the Chinese character for centipede can be written as “one hundred legs” in Chinese characters, it is said to have been used by the Imperial Court to express its intention that one hundred legs would be substituted for one hundred officials at the Seimei Shrine’s jinzai ceremony. It is also believed that the name derives from the fact that copper mining pits are called hyakushoku-ana, or “hundred foot pits.” It is also believed that the people prayed for the longevity and prosperity of the mining industry so that hyakushoku would multiply.

【Hijiri Shrine】

The entire shrine, including the approach to the shrine, is small in size but very beautifully maintained. The shrine building has been rebuilt five times, and the current building is considered a tangible cultural property of Chichibu City.

DSC 1467 1024x768 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

The main shrine and the hall of worship are small in size but have a stately appearance. In the shrine pavilion, there is a huge Wadokaichin, which is made of wood and very well made.

【Wado Ruins】

DSC 1478 1024x768 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

About a 10-minute walk from the Holy Shrine is the Wado Ruins, where natural copper was discovered and mined.

DSC 1481 1024x768 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

A 5-meter-high monument of “Wadokaichin” stands along a nature-rich path. Currently, the route to view the ruins from above seems to be closed due to falling rocks.

【Hijiri Shrine GOSHUIN】

2024 11 24 16 49 Office Lens 684x1024 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

【Hijiri Shrine Nearby attractions】

Lunar Stone Maple Park, Nagatoro, Chichibu

DSC 1493 520x300 - Hijiri Shrine [Saitama]

Lunar Stone Maple Park and Saitama Museum of Nature [Saitama]

【Hijiri Shrine Access】

Manager’s Comments

It is a small shrine in the countryside, but I thought there were relatively many worshippers. Since the shrine is associated with “money,” it seems to be associated with “luck in money” as a matter of course nowadays. I heard that prayers for lottery tickets are also offered, but I don’t think that is the original meaning of “money luck”…….

scenery

(3)

ambience

(3)

access

(3.5)

my opinion

(3.5)