Shinto shrine
Togakushi Jinja
戸隠神社（とがくしじんじゃ）
Nagano, Nagano Prefecture
A shrine whose five shrines—Okusha, Chūsha, Hōkōsha, Kuzuryūsha and Hinomikosha—are scattered at the foot of the sacred mountain Togakushiyama. It enshrines kami connected with the myth of the Heavenly Rock Cave (Ama no Iwato) and the local guardian kami Kuzuryū no Ōkami.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Enshrined kami: Ame no Tajikarao no Mikoto (Okusha), Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto (Chūsha), Ame no Uwaharu no Mikoto (Hōkōsha), Kuzuryū no Ōkami (Kuzuryūsha), Ame no Uzume no Mikoto (Hinomikosha) and others
History and things to know
According to the official guide, the Okusha began when Ame no Tajikarao no Mikoto, who opened the Rock Cave, was enshrined at the foot of the mountain, and it is said that Kuzuryū no Ōkami had been worshipped as the local guardian kami even before that. Later, along with Tendai esoteric Buddhism, Kenkō-ji, a temple of Shinto–Buddhist syncretism, was built, and it flourished as a training place of Shugen. Since the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the early Meiji years, it has continued as a shrine.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Related kami and buddhas
Before you visit
The five shrines stand apart from one another at the foot of the mountain; the Okusha is about a 40-minute walk from the entrance of the approach (not accessible by car). The Okusha is closed in winter (January 7 to late April).
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 戸隠神社「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」（2026-10-22 確認）
This site is independent of the shrines, temples, and other websites mentioned. No partnership or endorsement is implied.