Hokumon Shrine

Hokumon Shrine stands on a small hill overlooking Wakkanai Port and holds the distinction of being Japan's northernmost shrine with a resident Shinto priest. The shrine's origins trace back to 1785, when Murayama Denbee, a Matsumae Domain trader, founded a small shrine called Sōya Daijingū. He established it after witnessing people worshipping the sun on the beach, enshrining Amaterasu, the sun goddess, as guardian of the north gate to protect safe voyages and bountiful catches. In 1896, the shrine was relocated to its present location and renamed Hokumon Jinja, with additional deities Takemikazuchi and Kotoshironushi enshrined alongside Amaterasu.

The shrine's history includes periods of destruction and reconstruction. On May 17, 1911, the entire complex was destroyed by wildfire, but rebuilding efforts began immediately with the main hall and worship hall completed in 1913. Today, the shrine remains an important spiritual site for locals and attracts visitors seeking blessings for safe voyages, business prosperity, matchmaking, safe childbirth, and fertility. The shrine is particularly noted for a unique feature: a guardian lion statue on the left side has a small child sitting at its feet, making it especially popular with families seeking blessings for children.

Visitors to Hokumon Shrine can experience several distinctive attractions. The shrine offers goshuin (red stamp) marked as Japan's northernmost, making it popular with collectors. A unique feature is the Ezo Mikuji fortune slip, which comes in the form of a papier-mâché crab called "I-Kani mo Ii Mikuji" (priced at 400 yen), one of 12 Hokkaido shrines offering these regional fortune slips with Hokkaido dialect messages.

The shrine grounds feature traditional Shinto architecture and provide panoramic views of Wakkanai Port and the city below. Behind the shrine, a maintained walking path leads upward to Wakkanai Park, offering an extended nature walk with spectacular views. The annual Hokumon Shrine Grand Festival takes place every year on July 5, drawing both locals and visitors.

The shrine is located approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Wakkanai Station. Visitors can also take a bus and alight at the "Jinja-mae" (Shrine-mae) bus stop, from where the shrine is a 3-minute walk. Parking is available, with about 20 spaces near the main hall in summer and around 10 spaces in front of the shrine office year-round. English descriptions are available for charms, and a brief English-language history is provided for international visitors requesting goshuin.