Keta-hongū, Shinto shrine in Japan
Keta-hongū, formally Noto Ikukunitama Hiko Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture. It is the chief tutelary shrine of Noto Province and enshrines Ōnamuchi-no-Mikoto. The shrine stands near the coast and is associated with the nearby Keta Shrine, from which it received a divided deity in ancient times.
Tradition holds that Keta-hongū, formally Noto Ikukunitama-hiko Shrine, was founded during the reign of Emperor Kōgen. Under Emperor Sujin its deity was divided and carried to Taketsu-ura in Hakui, where Keta Shrine was founded; the Nanao sanctuary then took the name Keta-hongū, meaning the original Keta shrine. It is the chief tutelary shrine of Noto Province.
The shrine's formal name is Noto Ikukunitama Hiko Shrine, and it serves as the chief guardian shrine of Noto Province. On 21 March it holds the Kunimuke Matsuri, known locally as the Oide Matsuri, and on 13 December the Uki Matsuri, a Niiname-sai harvest rite in which a cormorant is released and the direction of its flight is read as a forecast for the coming year.
The shrine can be reached by bus from nearby towns, and arriving early in the morning gives a quieter experience of the grounds. The site is outdoors and easy to walk around, so comfortable footwear is recommended.
Uki Matsuri, held on 13 December, is the shrine's Niiname-sai harvest rite. A cormorant caught in Nanao Bay is released before the deities, and the direction it flies is read as an omen for the coming year's harvest. The bird is called uki, and the rite is also called the Cormorant Festival.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,439 contributors worldwide.