For over 20 years, I've driven past this shrine on the Ohnojima-Koshigaya Line, but the narrowness of the road visible from the street always made me hesitate to visit. However, a large parking lot for visitors has been built on the site of the former Kiwai-ya along the road, so I decided to go.
The shrine was far smaller than I had imagined for the past 20 years ('◇')ゞ
The main hall was beautiful, and the grounds were well-maintained, making for a pleasant visit.
The Moto-Arakawa River is adjacent to the shrine, and behind the grounds there is a small grove of trees and a walking path leading to Eitai Bridge.
At this time of year, the river is dammed up by the Sueta-Suga Weir at the adjacent Eitai Bridge, raising the water level to its maximum, which is a little scary for me since I can't swim ('◇')ゞ
A tour of shrines in the Kanto region ⛩️.
I visited this shrine for the first time, as there's one in Iwatsuki, Saitama City, my hometown. I remembered attending a funeral near this shrine, conducted by a Shinto priest, a long time ago.
The shrine grounds are well-maintained and surrounded by forest, creating a peaceful atmosphere. However, when there's heavy rain, the river behind the shrine rises to a frighteningly high level, presenting an eerie sight.
I was also guided on a tour of Saitama Prefecture's tourist attractions; if you have a car, visiting this shrine along with places like the Hikawa Nyotai Shrine in Minuma would allow for a relaxing and peaceful visit.
There were many colorful goshuin (temple/shrine stamps). I chose one with a picture of cherry blossoms blooming along the river.
Behind the temple, wisteria flowers were blooming with the Moto-Arakawa River in the background, creating a lovely atmosphere.
Bumblebees were buzzing around, looking for nectar, but they generally won't sting you unless you bother them.
