Haruna Shrine

This ancient shrine is said to have been built during the reign of the 31st Emperor Yomei (585-587). The main shrine was rebuilt in 1806, and the main hall is connected to the “Misu-Ga-Iwa” behind it, and the deity is enshrined in the cave of the rock.

The shrine grounds are dotted with many cultural assets and natural monuments, including the Yatate-sugi (cedar tree) where Takeda Shingen, during the Warring States Period, placed his arrows and prayed for victory during his invasion of Minowa Castle.

A sacred place where mountain worship, Shintoism, and Buddhism intersect

The area has a long history of Shintoism and Buddhism, and in the Edo period (1603-1867), the temple was called Gandenji (Mt. Haruna).

In the Edo period (1603-1867), the temple was called Mt. Haruna Gandenji. During the Edo period, many worshippers, called Haruna Ko, gathered in this area, and a town called Shakemachi was formed, with many lodging houses lining the streets.

In 1868, however, the Shinto and Buddhist Separation Order was issued, and the Buddhist elements were removed, and the town reverted to the original Haruna Shrine. Today, the shukubo functions more as a dining establishment than as an inn, serving soba noodles and other light meals.

Today, the shrine is a power spot that attracts many people, from the young to the elderly.

Gods of the Shrine

Haruna Shrine is known as one of the three Jomo Mountains, along with Mount Akagi and Mount Myogi. The main deities enshrined here are Hizusanryojin, the god of fire, and Hani Yamahimejin, the god of earth. The water deities Takamikami, Yakumikami, Oyamazumi, Omotonushi, and Kibana Kaiyahime are also enshrined here.

Since the Middle Ages, the shrine has often been referred to as “Mangyogongen” and Motoyuhiko-no-mikoto has been worshipped as the deity. In the “Mt. Haruna Memorial,” the east shrine was named Rao Hayahi no Mikoto, the middle shrine Motoyuhiko-no Mikoto, and the west shrine named Kazumamido-no Mikoto, but this was changed to the current two deities, Hizanrei-no Mikoto and Hani Yamahime-no Mikoto in the first year of Meiji Era.

History

The origin of Haruna Shrine dates back to the reign of Emperor Suiyasu, when father and son Kabimashinomikoto, sons of Rao Hayahi-no-mikoto, built a primitive Shinto shrine in the mountains and enshrined Tenjin Jigion. Later, in the first year of Emperor Yomei’s reign (586), a place for rituals was reportedly built.

In 927 (the 5th year of the Enkishiki Shinmei Chou, the oldest extant book of Shinto rituals in Japan), the shrine was listed as one of the Twelve Shrines of Ueno Province. The shrine has long practiced a syncretism between Shintoism and Buddhism, and the ruins of Iwayama, a monastery dating back to the 9th century, can still be seen in the mountains.

From the Nanbokucho Period, the shrine was under the jurisdiction of Kan-eiji Temple in Ueno, and was managed by an annexed priest dispatched from Amida-in Komyo-ji Temple in Satomiyama, Nakasatomi-cho, Takasaki City.

In the early modern period, the temple became a concurrently owned shrine of Toeizan Rinnoji Temple, and was called Haruna-san Gandenji Temple and Mangyo Shrine. However, on May 10, 1876, the Buddhist elements were abolished and the original company name of Haruna Shrine was restored, following an order sent by the village of Niihimori to separate Shintoism and Buddhism.

From 2017 to 2025, Haruna Shrine also underwent extensive repair work as part of a project to restore cultural properties in Gunma Prefecture. A total of 2.3 billion yen was invested in this project, the first major repair in more than a hundred years. Specifically, the restoration of the Kokusosha Shrine and Nukuden will be carried out from FY2005 to FY2007, the restoration of the Souryumon Gate from FY2008 to FY2009, the restoration of the Head Office, Mihiden and Worship Hall from FY2009 to FY2015, and the restoration of the Kaguraden from FY2011 to FY2015.

Cultural Properties

Important Cultural Properties (National Designation)

Six buildings at Haruna Shrine have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. These buildings are as follows (designated on December 27, 2005)

Head Office, Muden, and Worship Hall: The head office in kasuga-zukuri style and the worship hall in irimoya-zukuri style are connected by a mieden, and the overall structure is gongen-zukuri. Built in 1806, it has a copper shingle roof and is decorated with gorgeous colors and sculptures. The main shrine is connected to the Mikazigan Rock behind it, and the sacred body of the deity is enshrined in a cave.

Kunisosha Shrine and Nukuden: Located to the left of the main shrine, the hall of offerings, and the hall of worship, this main hall originally enshrined the Katsugun Jizo and Amida Buddha, and was built during the Kyoho period (1716 - 1735). The forehead hall was built in the 11th year of Bunka (1814). It was originally used as a kagura viewing place.

Kaguraden: Rebuilt in 1764, the stage is covered with wooden panels, and the coffered ceiling is decorated with flower-and-bird paintings and kagura masks.

Shiryumon (double dragon gate): Erected in 1855, this shikyakumon (four-legged gate) is an irimoya-style structure with a copper shingle roof. It is decorated with dragon carvings and ink paintings, hence the name “Ssangyumon.

Shinkouden: Built in 1859, this is where the portable shrine comes and stays during the Shinko Festival. It is not painted due to the ancient system.

Zuishimon Gate: Built in 1847, this eight-legged gate has an irimoya-style roof with tile bars and copper plates. Originally called Niomon, it was renamed Zuijinmon when the Shinbutsu-hanzen ordinance was issued.

A National Natural Monument

The Yatate cedar on the grounds of Haruna Shrine is named after the tree on which Shingen Takeda performed the Yatate ritual of placing arrows to pray for victory in battle. The cedar is 55 meters high and 9.4 meters in circumference, and was designated a national natural monument on April 13, 1933.

Strange Rocks and Strange Scenery

The temple grounds are dotted with numerous oddly-shaped rocks and oddly-shaped landscapes, such as Gojii-iwa, Kujukuri-iwa, Kurakakei-iwa, and Hoko-iwa. These views provide attractive scenery for visitors and further enrich the atmosphere of the shrine.

Zuishimon Gate

The atmosphere changes at once as you pass through this gate, which was once the Niomon gate of the temple when it was built in 1847.

Approach to the Main Hall

The approach leading to the main hall is about 700 meters long. Surrounded by trees and surrounded by clean air, the walk will soothe your soul.

Soba Noodles in front of the Gate

Visitors can enjoy the famous Monzen Soba (buckwheat noodles) in front of the Haruna Shrine gate. The soba noodles are made from flour grown in Haruna and battered with spring water from Mt. Haruna, and are characterized by their refreshing texture.

Monzenmachi (Shrine Town)

In front of the gate are lodgings that have been registered as tangible cultural properties of Japan, and visitors can take a stroll through the town’s emotional atmosphere as they visit Haruna Shrine.

Today, the shukubo function less as inns and more as places to eat, and visitors can enjoy meals such as Monzen-soba and yakimanjyu (grilled manju buns) after praying at the shrine.

Yaki manju, a specialty of Gunma Prefecture, is a steamed manju that is grilled on a bamboo skewer and coated with a sweet and spicy miso sauce. Although they look large, the manjus are soft and fluffy, so you can eat a surprisingly large amount of them.