The Giant Cedars of Hakusan Shrine
Monuments of Age and Size
This shrine is a branch of Shirayama Hime Shrine, which is located on the peak of Mt. Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture. It may have been established by someone with a connection to the parent shrine. What we know for sure is that the shishimai lion dance came here from Shirayama Hime Shrine in 1797, and is still performed twice a year—in May and October.
Two enormous cedar trees that stand just to one side of the haiden (hall of worship) make this shrine special. The cedar on the left has a circumference of 6.7 meters; the one on the right has a circumference of 8.2 meters and is reckoned to be 800 years old. The stone staircase from the road up to the honden (main sanctuary) is no less impressive, with a total of 448 steps.