Hotaka Shrine

Hotaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Hotaka, Azumino, Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the three main shrines in Shinano Province. The Engishiki Jinmyocho describes it as a Myojin Taisha and it is now a Beppyo shrine.

It is a Sōja shrine. It enshrines all the kami of the shrines in Shinano Province. Whenever a new governor of Shinano Province was appointed he would be sent to the shrine to worship all the gods of the province.

Ichinomiya and Soja are not the same thing but were sometimes combined. In this case the Suwa-taisha is the Province's Ichinomiya.

Many people pray here before hiking in the Japanese Alps. It is located near Mount Hotakadake, a major Japanese mountain.

The shrine is near Hotaka Station, and located in a Chinju no Mori or sacred forest full of Japanese cedar and pine trees.

Two main gods are important here. The sea god Watatsumi, and his son, Hotakami no Mikoto (Utsushihikanasaku) the tutelary deity of the Azumi people. and their ancestor. Hotakami no Mikoto is said to have descended to earth on the nearby Mount Hotakadake.

History
The shrine was founded by Azumi people who migrated from Kyushu. The migrants searched extensively across Japan until they eventually found the Azumino valley and settled there, giving up their nautical lifestyle for an agricultural one. This is why the shrine worships the sea gods Watatsumi and Utsushihikanasaku despite being inland. It is an agriculturally focused shrine.

In 927 it was listed as a Myojin Taisha of the Engishiki Jinmyocho. It was well known across Japan in the tenth century.

Architecture
The shrine has several buildings:


 * Kaguraden: This is used for ceremonies.
 * Haiden: People pray and offer rituals here.
 * Honden: These are three small buildings for gods. The central one is for Hotakami no Mikoto.

The buildings are rebuilt every twenty years in the process of Sengu. This keeps old building methods alive.

There is also a museum of local culture on the premises.

Myojin Pond
At the Hotaka Shrine in Azumino City, there is an annual festival at which people express their gratitude for the gift of water. In the city, there is a traditional spot in which all three rivers (Azusa, Karasu and Nakabusa), as well as the water from the melted snow of Kamikochi's mountains, meet. Kamikochi mountain holds a great significance to the Azumi people as the water which flowed down this mountain was once used to irrigate their crops. Using this water, the people of Japan perform the rituals known as "Omizu-tori" (taking water) and "Omizu-gaeshi" (returning water), whereby the water is deemed to rightfully return to the Myojin Pond. During this celebration, the Azumi People commemorate their direct connection to water and their gratitude for it as it has always assisted them – both in their history as skilful seafarers and crop farmers.

The Myojin Pond in Kamikochi, Japan attracts both traditional descendants of the Azumi people, as well as tourists. It has a clear, mirror-like reflection, and is classified as one of the most revered places to worship the deities of the Azumi people.

Today, the Myojin Pond accommodates many visitors as the water that lays within is a reminder of the culture, tradition, and history of the Azumi people.

Branch shrines
The shrine has many branch shrines across the region. some include


 * Okumiya Branch: It's near Myojin Pond in Kamikochi. Here, they remember the Azumi clan's sea roots.
 * Minemiya Branch: It's on top of Mt. Oku-Hotaka. It's for Wadatsumi no Mikoto. It's a place for hikers to pray.

Festivals
Every year, there is a big festival. The festival celebrates local gods and the sea.

The Shrine has an Ofune Matsuri, or ship festival every September.

Obisha Matsuri is held every March. Priests shoot arrows at targets. It is said if they accurately hit the target there will be a good harvest. Visitors take the arrows home with them for good luck.