Yahiko Shrine, Shinto shrine at Mount Yahiko, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Yahiko Shrine is a Shintō worship site in Nishikanbara district, Niigata Prefecture, located at the base of a mountain. Several wooden pavilions and gates lead through a forest of ancient cedar trees to the main hall.
The shrine's origin reaches back more than two millennia, when the local community established a place of worship here. Official imperial recognition came in the year 833, followed by further court honors during the 9th century.
The name comes from Ame-no-Kaguyama-no-mikoto, a deity who taught people in Echigo how to fish, produce salt and grow rice. Today visitors see an active place of worship where locals pray for good harvests and prosperity.
The shrine stands about a 15-minute walk from Yahiko Station on the JR East Yahiko Line. A large parking area is available near the grounds for visitors arriving by car.
The grounds hold a sumō wrestling ring used for training after the Obon festival period. Birds and sika deer also live in dedicated areas within the sacred precincts.
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