Yahiko Shrine Echigonokuni Ichinomiya

Yahiko shrine is the Ichinomiya of Echigonokuni. It takes about 10 minutes on foot from Yahiko Station. 

Staying at a hot spring inn in the onsen town and visiting the shrine is also a nice experience.

Located at the foot of Mount Yahiko (elevation 634 meters) in the western part of the Echigo Plain, this shrine enshrines the mountain itself as a sacred deity. It is an ancient shrine mentioned in the Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest anthology of poetry, where it is uniquely featured in a Buddhist-style “Bussokusekika” poem.

The enshrined deity, Ame-no-Kagoyama-no-Mikoto, is revered as the ancestral god who pioneered the Echigo region, and is also honored by warriors as a deity who contributed to Emperor Jinmu’s eastern expedition.

Together with Isonokami Shrine and Mononobe Shrine, it is well-known for conducting the “Chinkonsai” (pacification of spirits) ritual, similar to those performed at the Imperial Court.

There are at least 47 branch shrines across Japan, stretching from Hokkaido to the San’in region.

The deity, Ame-no-Kagoyama-no-Mikoto (also written as Ame-no-Kagoyama-no-Mikoto), is affectionately referred to as “Oyahiko-sama” and is regarded as the ancestral god of the development of Echigo. Based on the place name, he is also known as Iyahiko-no-Okami (alternatively written as Iyahiko, Iyabiko, or Iyahiko-no-Okami).

The sacred mausoleum (Okunomiya) located at the summit of Mount Yahiko is regarded as the deity’s inner sanctuary.

Kota Shrine Echigonokuni Ichinomiya

Kota Shrine (Kota Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in Gochi, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture.

It is recognized as the Ichinomiya (highest-ranking shrine) of the former Echigo Province.

Address: 6-1-11 Gochi, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan

You can walk from Naoetsu Station for about 10 minutes.

The current enshrined deities are the following four kami:
・Ōkuninushi no Kami – the principal deity.
•Nunakawahime no Kami – wife of Ōkuninushi no Kami.
•Takeminakata no Kami – son of Ōkuninushi no Kami.
•Kotoshironushi no Mikami – another son of Ōkuninushi no Kami.

A Pilgrim to the Ichinomiya shrines across Japan

“Ichinomiya” refers to a type of shrine ranking that gradually developed from the Heian period through the early Kamakura period.

It was not designated by the imperial court or provincial governors, but rather emerged naturally as shrines with deep historical roots and strong popular devotion gained influence throughout the provinces. As a result, a hierarchy among shrines arose, with the most prominent shrine being called “Ichinomiya” (First Shrine), followed by “Ninomiya” (Second Shrine), “Sannomiya” (Third Shrine), and so on.

However, this system also underwent changes over time, which is why some provinces have more than one shrine bearing the title of “Ichinomiya.”

Additionally, the term “Ichinomiya” was not limited to the level of an entire province; it was also used for districts, villages, or even within a single shrine complex, where different sanctuaries might be referred to as Ichinomiya, Ninomiya, and so forth.

The place name “Sannomiya” in Hyogo Prefecture originates from the Sannomiya Shrine, which is a branch shrine of Ikuta Shrine.