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.
May 2022 IN THE CITY SAITAMA | |
GATE SAITAMA CITY SHRINE TREE WORSHIPER |
No
12273
Shooting Date
Mar 2022
Posted On
May 22, 2022
Modified On
August 13, 2023
Place
Saitama City, Saitama
Genre
Street Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R II
Lens
ZEISS LOXIA 2/35