金子神社, Shinto shrine in Iruma, Japan
Kaneko Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the Nishi-Mitsuki area of Iruma, Japan. The grounds include a main hall built in the traditional Shinmei style, several smaller auxiliary shrines, and a tree-lined approach path leading to the entrance.
The shrine dates back to 1212, when a man named Ichimura Chikamitsu settled the area and established it as a place of worship. During the Meiji era, in 1872, it was officially renamed Kaneko Jinja and its main deity was changed to Susanoo as part of a national policy separating Buddhism and Shinto.
The main festival takes place every year in late April, when villagers carry a portable shrine through the streets and play traditional drum music known as Nishi-Mitsuki Bayashi. Children and adults take part together, making it a lively community event.
The shrine is easily reached on foot and can be visited as part of a walk through the surrounding wooded area. There are no restroom facilities on the grounds, so it is best to plan for this before arriving.
Behind the shrine, along a mountain path, there is a spot that locals call Yama no Kami, meaning Mountain God. Only an old tree and a few stones remain there today, but the place is still treated as sacred by the community.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
