Horaisan Jinja Shrine
This vermillion shrine’s origins are said to date back to 773. The shrine’s main hall (honden) is a designated Important Cultural Property, and the four individual halls in which the gods are enshrined are periodically reconstructed in the same configuration as their original emplacement in 1614.
The shrine’s name, which means “the mountain that attracts treasure,” is thought to refer to the important position it has held since ancient times. Although the river has since changed course, the shrine was once positioned near an important docking area, so many goods and tribute were brought up the slope to the shrine. Horaisan Shrine’s auspicious name draws many people who come to pray for good luck, prosperity, and business success.
An ingenious series of canals near the shrine aided Horaisan in bringing prosperity to the area. Built in the late Heian period (794–1185) by Mongaku Shonin (1139–1203), the priest who had the shrine rebuilt after it was moved from its original location, these waterways still ensure a steady flow of water to the rice fields around the shrine.
