Hajikami-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Hajikami-jinja is a small Shinto shrine in Kanazawa founded over 1,300 years ago and dedicated to the god of spices, making it the only shrine in Japan with this specific purpose. The shrine features two separate locations about 800 meters apart, each containing simple wooden buildings with altars for offerings, stone lanterns, and prayer areas where visitors receive charms and Goshuin stamps.
The shrine was founded in 718 and is recorded in documents from the Heian period, confirming its recognition as an important Shinto site in the region. Over the centuries, it attracted chefs, doctors, and food-related workers who sought blessings connected to spices and health.
Hajikami-jinja takes its name from an old Japanese word meaning something spicy that you bite with your teeth, originally referring to ginger and wasabi. The shrine remains deeply woven into local life, where visitors regularly bring ginger root offerings and purchase small ginger charms as part of their devotion.
The shrine sits about a 10-minute walk from Hachiman bus stop on the outskirts of Kanazawa, making it a peaceful retreat from the busy city center. Be aware that bus services can be limited, so planning ahead or walking is a good idea when visiting.
The shrine is nationally unique as the only one in Japan dedicated to the god of spices, and collectors seek its seasonal Goshuin stamps that change throughout the year. This connection to ginger and related condiments stretches back more than a millennium and remains a rare feature in Japan's shrine landscape.
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