Akagi Shrine — Lake Ōnuma

photo by Koichi Shibata · CC BY-SA 3.0

photo by xe zna · CC BY-SA 3.0

Ritual mirrors from 1372 that resurfaced from the lake: the shrine only moved here in 1970.

The shrine stands on the islet of Kotori-ga-shima, in Ōnuma, a crater lake, at the foot of Mount Akagi's highest peak, Kurobisan (1,828 m). It only moved here in 1970, to the site of an earlier shrine, the Itsukushima-jinja; before that it stood on the shore. Mirrors and other ritual objects dated to 1372, in the Muromachi period, have been found in the lake, evidence of rites that were already practised here six hundred years ago. The original founding is uncertain: tradition dates it to when Toyokiirihiko no Mikoto governed Kōzuke Province, and a relocation is documented in 806.

赤城神社 venerates Ōnamuchi and Sukunahikona, deities associated with the building of the land and, in the case of the second, with hot springs and medicine. Mount Akagi, by tradition one of the three sacred mountains of Kōzuke together with Haruna and Myōgi, has as its divine body the two crater lakes on its summit, Ōnuma and Konuma. The present shrine stands on an islet in the Ōnuma, reached by a short footbridge from the shore, and settled there in 1970, after standing on the lake shore for centuries. Ritual mirrors from 1372 found on the lake bed are evidence that offerings were already being made to the lake in the Muromachi period.

ℹ️ The shrine is in the open air and can be visited at any time, with no ticket. Check the opening hours of the omamori and goshuin office. From JR Maebashi Station, about 85 minutes by regular bus to the Akagi Hiroba-mae bus stop (about 60 minutes on the direct bus at weekends and on public holidays), then 10 minutes' walk. ⚠️ The mountain road may close in winter because of snow: this is not confirmed by an official source and should be checked before a winter trip.

🚉 あかぎ広場前 · 9 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · gunma-kanko.jp

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