The Omiya Hikawa Jinja Shrine, an imperial shrine and one of the shrines worshipped in the palace, was constantly visited by worshippers

Although there are various theories as to why the Ichinomiya shrine (senior shrine) was selected, the Encyclopedia of Japan says that in many cases, "the shrine with the most venerable history, the most faith, and the best economic foundation in the country" was selected. Given this, it is a bit strange that the Omiya Hikawa Jinja Shrine, which is considered to be the senior shrine in Musashi Province, is located in Saitama City, Saitama. Although Omiya is also developing, it is not comparable to Tokyo. The fact that the head office of Hikawa Jinja Shrine is located in Omiya, a bit far from Tokyo, where people, goods, and money are concentrated, seems to those of us living in modern Japan to be far from the political and economic center of the country.

I am not sure why the Omiya Hikawa Jinja Shrine was chosen as the senior shrine in Musashi Province, but I am certain that it is a venerable shrine that still attracts many devotees. As I stood looking at the shrine grounds, visitors came in through the gate without a pause. This is a shrine with a long history that is mentioned in the Engishiki Shinmei-cho, a book compiled in 927. It is a shrine to which an imperial envoy is sent when performing rituals, and it is also one of the shrines that is worshipped in the Shiho worship ceremony held at the palace on New Year's Day to pray for a bountiful harvest. It is a shrine of a different class from other shrines. The Omiya Hikawa Shrine, which is closely associated with the imperial family, is said to receive more than 2 million Hatsumode visitors every year.

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