Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

It is said that the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine was established during the Tumulus period, about 1,500 years ago. Since 1457, when the military commander Dokan Ota constructed the Kawagoe Castle, this shrine has been worshiped as sochinju (a Shinto deity of a locality). The deities, Itsuhashira-no-kamisama, which this shrine is devoted to, are a family, so they were worshiped as the gods for a good marriage match as well as a couple's and family's harmony. People say that you will be blessed with a good match if you pick a small, white stone on the shrine grounds and take good care of it. Thus, those men and women who wish to meet someone special visit there. The current shrine hall has elaborate reliefs. Picture scrolls and ema wooden plaques that have historical value are designated as tangible cultural properties of the Kawagoe city, and many other valuable articles are stored as treasures. Many events are held throughout the year. In the new year's Prayer Ceremony for better fortune, fortune coins that are said to bring good luck for the year are thrown from the shrine hall, and many people join the ceremony to get one. The divine favor of the shrine is for general concerns, a good match, family harmony, good health, profitable business, safe child labor, and the blessing of a child. It is a 20-minute walk from the Kawagoe Station on the JR Saikyo Line.