Hotaka Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in the Hanasaku area of Katashina Village, Tone District, Gunma Prefecture. The shrine enshrines 23 deities, including Yamato Takeru, and was formerly classified as a village shrine under Japan’s old shrine ranking system.
The shrine is particularly well known for the Katashina Saruoi Festival, a traditional agricultural ritual designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The shrine remains an important cultural site preserving the history, beliefs, and traditions of the local community.
The origins of Hotaka Shrine are believed to date back to ancient forms of mountain worship. The Ueno Province Shimmeicho, a Heian-period register of Shinto deities, contains names such as Shō-ichii Jitsu Takami no Myōjin in its section on Tone District. These names are traditionally believed to refer to the deity worshipped at this shrine.
The original faith is thought to have centered on the sacred mountain Mount Hotaka as a divine presence in nature. Over time, this tradition became associated with legends of Yamato Takeru, the legendary prince known for his eastern campaigns, and the shrine developed into a place of worship dedicated to him as a heroic deity.
More than a dozen Hotaka Shrines are found throughout Tone District, making it difficult to identify a single original head shrine. However, historical records such as the Tōgō Kyūka Eimei describe the Hanasaku Hotaka Shrine as the general guardian shrine of Tone District and a center of Mount Hotaka worship.
This history reflects the important spiritual role the shrine has played in the lives of local residents for generations.
The shrine is traditionally said to have been founded in 1276, although another tradition attributes its foundation to Numata Kageyasu, the first head of the Numata clan, in 1256.
During the Warring States period, records indicate that Takeda Shingen donated a bronze temple bell, known as a waniguchi, to the shrine. This suggests that Hotaka Shrine had already attracted widespread religious devotion during this period.
The shrine buildings are said to have been reconstructed in 1691. The present main sanctuary is built in the nagare-zukuri style, featuring a single bay and a flowing gabled roof. Its construction is estimated to date from the late 17th to early 18th century.
The main sanctuary is designated as a Katashina Village Important Cultural Property and is carefully preserved as a building of considerable historical value.
The most famous event associated with Hotaka Shrine is the Katashina Saruoi Festival, held each year on the Day of the Monkey in the ninth month of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar.
The festival is believed to have a history of approximately 300 years and was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 2000.
According to local tradition, a large white-haired monkey once lived in a rocky shelter on Mount Hotaka and descended into the villages to damage crops.
The villagers prayed to the deity of Mount Hotaka for protection. After the monkey was driven away and a successful harvest followed, the ritual that became the Saruoi Festival is said to have been established.
During the festival, “Hitsuban” and “Sakaban”, representatives selected from six settlements in the village, take central roles in the ceremony. Sake and red bean rice are first offered before the shrine.
The participants then divide into eastern and western groups and call out “Ecchō!” and “Mocchō!” while throwing red bean rice at one another using rice paddles.
This ritual expresses gratitude for a good harvest and is also associated with the belief that offering red bean rice to the monkey will encourage it to protect the fields and crops.
Eventually, a performer dressed in white clothing and representing the monkey emerges from the main sanctuary. The Hitsuban and Sakaban then chase the monkey around the shrine grounds.
The monkey and those pursuing it circle the shrine three times. There is a strict rule that the pursuers must never overtake the monkey. According to tradition, overtaking it would result in a poor harvest.
Every movement in the ceremony reflects the hopes and prayers of an agricultural community, making the festival a valuable example of traditional Japanese folk culture.
Hotaka Shrines dedicated to Yamato Takeru can be found throughout Katashina Village and neighboring areas, including Tone District, Numata City, Kawaba Village, Showa Village, and Midori City.
These shrines demonstrate how the worship of Mount Hotaka spread throughout the region. Each community has preserved its own festivals and traditions, creating a diverse network of local religious practices.
Related festivals, including the “Saru Festival” of Hataya and the “Hotaka Festival” of Koshimoto, have also been passed down through generations. Together, these traditions form an important part of the cultural character of the Tone-Numata region.
Hotaka Shrine stands in the Hanasaku area of Katashina Village, surrounded by the beautiful natural scenery of the mountains. Visitors can experience a different atmosphere in every season, from fresh green foliage in spring and deep summer greenery to colorful autumn leaves and snow-covered winter landscapes.
The historic shrine buildings and peaceful grounds provide a quiet place for reflection. During the Saruoi Festival, the entire local community becomes lively, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience traditional folk culture at close range.
Combining a visit to Hotaka Shrine with hiking on Mount Hotaka or sightseeing in the surrounding area provides an opportunity to discover the distinctive connection between nature worship, local history, and traditional culture in Katashina.
Hotaka Shrine preserves a long history of worship that began with reverence for Mount Hotaka and later developed into the worship of Yamato Takeru.
The nationally designated Katashina Saruoi Festival remains an important traditional event symbolizing the prayers, agricultural heritage, and community bonds of local residents.
When visiting Katashina Village, a stop at Hotaka Shrine offers a chance to experience the area’s ancient beliefs, historic architecture, and living folk traditions while surrounded by the beautiful natural landscape of Gunma.