Hikawa Shrine, Shinto shrine in Kawagoe, Japan
Hikawa is a Shinto shrine in Kawagoe, Japan, reached along a two-kilometer path lined with Japanese elm trees and three vermillion gates. The complex includes several shrine buildings, stone steps, and a well-kept courtyard where traditional architectural elements such as curved roofs and wooden prayer halls shape the scene.
The origin of the shrine dates back to the year 473 BC during the reign of Emperor Kosho. Later the complex developed into the mother shrine for more than 280 other Hikawa shrines that arose throughout Japan.
The approach to the main buildings passes through a long tunnel of Japanese elm trees that has welcomed worshippers entering the sacred precinct for centuries. Visitors can observe the typical purification rituals at the water fountain before praying at the buildings or hanging an ema wooden plaque with a wish.
From Omiya Station the shrine is reached after a twenty-minute walk through residential streets and along the wooded path. The complex is freely accessible during the day, and most visitors take about an hour to explore the buildings and the path.
The surrounding district carries the name Omiya, meaning Great Shrine, a designation derived from this sanctuary during the Meiji era. Today street signs and place names everywhere recall the central role the shrine plays in local identity.
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