Hotaka Shrine

Hodaka Shrine enshrines the god of the mountain, "Hodaka Mimori." You can visit the main shrine, which is famous as a power spot with benefits such as traffic safety, industrial safety, fertility, and warding off evil spirits. The main shrine of the shrine is designated as an important cultural property of the country, and you can see the architectural style of the early Edo period. In addition, the shrine houses many cultural properties, so there are many things to see. When you visit Hodaka Shrine, you can also experience the culture, so please come and visit.

There are many shrine stamp spots around the shrines. These include Hotaka Shrine, Nishina Shinmei Shrine, Wakai Prince Shrine, Ariakeyama Shrine, and Nishina Shrine, each with its own unique charm. In particular, the main shrine is popular and distributes monthly pilgrimage stamps, which feature beautiful stamps decorated with seasonal flowers and landscapes. It's also exciting to receive limited edition stamps on special days such as New Year's, Housha Festival (March 17th), and Reisai Festival (September 26th-27th). There are also a variety of shrine stamp books available, including embroidered and color variations, so choosing one that suits your taste is also a fun part of the experience.

If you have the chance, you should definitely go see the Gofune Festival, a magnificent and colorful event held every year on September 26th and 27th. The festival is dedicated to the Gofune, a boat that is said to have carried the Hoakami deity from the sea to the land. The Gofune Festival has been designated as an intangible cultural asset of Nagano Prefecture. There are a total of eight boats, large and small, each adorned with designs such as dragon heads and phoenixes, and decorated with gorgeous ornaments made by parishioners and worshippers. Watching the boats parade through the town from the shrine is an exciting sight to behold. In addition, the Gofune Kaikan (museum) exhibits the Gofune and traditional doll decorations, which are on display all year round and can be visited.

There are many hot spring resorts in the surrounding area. In the "Hotaka Hot Spring Village," there are various ryokans and hotels of different sizes, and day trips are also possible. The source is a simple hot spring with weak alkaline and transparent color, which is expected to have a beautifying and relaxing effect. The open-air baths where you can enjoy the nature of each season are also popular. In addition, there are hot springs in the Hakuba area, which is about a 30-minute drive away, so you can enjoy both sightseeing and hot springs.

There are many delicious gourmet options in the surrounding area. In particular, soba and wasabi soba are famous and loved by locals. Hidakasoba is thin and has a strong texture, and the broth has a refreshing sweet and salty taste. It's recommended to try soba shops that offer hand-made soba using locally produced soba flour and toppings such as mountain vegetables and wasabi. For example, "Soba Dokoro Ikkyu-an" is a popular shop located about a 5-minute walk from Hidakashita Station, where you can also experience making soba noodles. In addition to soba, at a Japanese restaurant called "Tamago no Eki" in Hidakashi Kashiwabara, you can use a lunch coupon to get a great deal of all-you-can-eat eggs with a 500 yen omelet.