Orihime Shrine

Orihime Shrine is located halfway up Mount Orihime and features a beautiful vermilion-lacquered temple. It was built in 1879 and enshrines Yachinahime-no-mikoto and Amamimihoko-no-mikoto. It was built to pray for the promotion of industry.

It stands in the mountains surrounded by greenery. The shrine enshrines the guardian deity of Ashikaga’s historic and traditional textile industry area, and is believed to bring blessings for the promotion of industry and marriage.

There is even a song in the Ashikaga Ondo (a traditional Japanese folk song) that says that when visiting Ashikaga, one should look for the red shrine of Orihime-sama.

This shrine was built in 1879, but was destroyed by fire in the following year, 1838. Subsequently, reconstruction of the shrine building began in 1934, and the present building was completed in 1937.

In 2004, the shrine was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

The shrine grounds are located halfway up a mountain, offering a panoramic view of the Kanto Plain. The Ashikaga urban area and the Watarase River can be seen, and on a clear day, even the Tokyo Sky Tree can sometimes be seen.

It is also the starting and ending point of a hiking course in the prefectural nature park, and is a popular strolling spot for families and beginners alike. It is loved by many people for its seasonal views and spectacular vistas.

Ashikaga Orihime Shrine holds a spring festival in May and an autumn festival in November. At these festivals, visitors can enjoy okinagura (Shinto music and dance) and ocarina performances. There are also stalls selling local delicacies, creating a lively atmosphere.

In 2014, the festival was also recognized as a sacred place for lovers and selected as one of Japan’s night view heritage sites. As a result, it is a popular date spot.

Ashikaga Orihime Shrine is the guardian deity of Ashikaga City’s textile industry and is a beautiful vermilion-lacquered temple built halfway up Orihime Mountain. The shrine is one of Ashikaga City’s most famous landmarks and boasts a history and tradition of more than 1,200 years. There are also ruins of ancient tombs in the surrounding area.

The shrine was founded in 1705 by local residents and later became a precinct shrine of Yakumo Shrine in Dori 4-chome. The shrine was then moved from Yakumo Shrine to Mount Orihime in 1879, but was destroyed by fire in 1880. It remained a temporary shrine for a while, but reconstruction work began in 1934, and the current shrine pavilion was completed in 1937. This shrine pavilion was modeled after the Byodoin Phoenix Hall.

Orihime Shrine declined for a time, but was revived by Yoshiro Hayashi in the Heisei period. The deities worshipped are Amami-no-Mikoto (ancestor of the Hattori clan) and Hachisen-hime-no-mikoto. The monument is 2.7 meters wide and 7.5 meters high, with a title by Kaneko Kentaro, calligraphy by Tokutomi Soho, and calligraphy by Iwasawa Ryoyo.

In 2004, the shrine pavilion, Kaguraden, shrine office, and water closet were registered as Tangible Cultural Properties. Furthermore, since 2010, an event called “Ashikaga Himedama” has been held around Orihime Shrine and Kadota Inari Shrine. This shrine is believed to be beneficial for marriage and was selected as a sacred place for lovers in 2014.

In 2014, a rest area and information center called “Himechan Hiroba” was constructed at the entrance to Orihime Shrine. This place was purchased by an individual for the revitalization of Ashikaga City and is managed by a local organization. Also in 2014, the site was recognized as a Japan Night View Heritage Site, along with the adjacent Orihime Park. Furthermore, in 2017, the lunar landscape was recognized as one of the “100 Best Moons of Japan.