Moriya Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in the Kawagishi-Higashi Hashihara district of Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture. It has long been closely connected with the religious traditions of the Suwa region.
The shrine was formerly classified as a village shrine under Japan’s prewar shrine ranking system and was revered as the guardian shrine of the former Hashihara Village. Even today, it remains an important place of local worship.
The shrine’s principal deity, Moriya-no-Kami, is a figure in the mythology of the Suwa region and has a particularly important connection with Takeminakata-no-Kami, the principal deity of Suwa Taisha.
According to the traditional legend known as the “Suwa Myojin’s Arrival in Suwa”, Moriya-no-Kami was a local deity who ruled the area before the arrival of Takeminakata-no-Kami from elsewhere.
The two deities are said to have fought for control of the land. Moriya-no-Kami was ultimately defeated and submitted to Takeminakata-no-Kami, becoming his subordinate.
This story is regarded as an important tradition reflecting the transformation and coexistence of ancient religious beliefs in the Suwa region. Moriya Shrine is one of the places where this remarkable mythology continues to be remembered.
The exact date when Moriya Shrine was founded is unknown. However, several archaeological sites dating back to the Jomon period have been identified in the surrounding area, indicating that this has been a place of human activity and belief since ancient times.
Today, the shrine stands approximately 200 meters from the Tenryu River. According to local tradition, however, the shrine was once located directly beside the river.
To the southwest is the Kyodzuka-hara Site, which was traditionally believed to have been the former residence of Moriya-no-Kami. The area therefore preserves an important connection between the landscape and the ancient legends of Suwa.
A quiet forest extends behind the shrine grounds, creating a peaceful and sacred atmosphere. Standing among the trees and listening to the sounds of nature, visitors can sense why this riverside landscape became associated with ancient religious traditions.
Moriya-no-Kami is traditionally regarded as one of the Kunitsukami, or “gods of the land,” associated with the indigenous religious traditions of Suwa. When Takeminakata-no-Kami is said to have entered the region, Moriya-no-Kami confronted him.
The battle was fierce, but Moriya-no-Kami eventually surrendered and is said to have entered the service of Takeminakata-no-Kami.
This tradition also appears in medieval sources such as the Suwa Daimyojin Ekotoba. According to the tradition, the foothills of Mount Moriya and the basin of the Tenryu River were among the places associated with the conflict.
Moriya Shrine and Fujishima Shrine on the opposite bank are traditionally said to represent the positions occupied by the two sides. The relationship between the two shrines continues to be remembered as part of the mythology of the Suwa region.
Moriya-no-Kami is also traditionally regarded as the ancestor of the Moriya clan. From ancient times, the Moriya family served as Jinchokan, the chief ritual officials of the Upper Shrine of Suwa Taisha, and played an important role in religious ceremonies.
For this reason, Moriya Shrine has a particularly deep connection with Suwa Taisha, both in terms of religious tradition and ancestral lineage. Visiting the shrine provides an opportunity to explore one of the stories underlying the distinctive spiritual culture of Suwa.
One of the best-known legends associated with Moriya Shrine is the story of the “Wisteria of the Tenryu River.”
According to the legend, Moriya Shrine once stood beside the Tenryu River. A great wisteria vine growing within the shrine grounds is said to have intertwined with the wisteria at Fujishima Shrine on the opposite bank, growing so extensively that the vines appeared to form a bridge across the river.
During the Kanbun era (1661–1673), the lord of the Suwa domain reportedly ordered the wisteria to be cut down so that he could enjoy firefly viewing along the river.
The local people were afraid of divine retribution and refused to cut the sacred vine. Eventually, a man named Koishi Kaemon agreed to undertake the work in exchange for money. According to the story, he soon suffered a severe disturbance of mind and later collapsed and died at a place known as Hannoki.
The lord of the domain is also said to have experienced a series of misfortunes after the incident. As an act of apology to Moriya-no-Kami, he ordered a small shrine to be built and dedicated within the castle grounds.
However, according to the legend, the structure was so large that it could not pass through the castle gate. It therefore had to be reduced in size before it could be installed.
This shrine is said to have become the present-day main sanctuary of Moriya Shrine. From that time onward, the lord of the domain is said to have held Moriya Shrine in particularly high regard.
Moriya-no-Kami has traditionally been revered as a deity with powerful spiritual benefits. In particular, the deity is associated with safe childbirth.
According to local belief, women preparing to give birth would dedicate a bottomless ladle to the shrine as a prayer for an easy delivery. The symbolic meaning was that the “bottom” of a difficult childbirth would be removed, making the ladle a powerful expression of hope and prayer.
Moriya-no-Kami is also traditionally associated with protection from disasters, bringing good fortune, and abundant harvests. These beliefs have helped make the deity an important guardian of the local community.
Various Shinto ceremonies are held at Moriya Shrine throughout the year, reflecting the continuing religious traditions of the local community.
The Genshi Festival is a solemn ceremony held to mark the beginning of the new year.
The Joshō Festival is a traditional ceremony praying for protection from agricultural pests and for healthy crops.
The shrine’s Annual Grand Festival is held on the third Sunday of October and brings together people from the surrounding community.
Ninen-mairi is the traditional practice of visiting the shrine around New Year’s Eve and the beginning of the new year to pray for happiness and good fortune.
The Onbashira Festival is a distinctive tradition of the Suwa region held in the Years of the Tiger and Monkey according to the traditional zodiac cycle. Moriya Shrine also holds its own Onbashira ceremonies on a large scale.
The festival demonstrates the shrine’s close connection with Suwa Taisha. Moriya Shrine is even permitted to use ceremonial flags of the same dimensions as those used at Suwa Taisha, reflecting the special relationship between the two religious traditions.
Approximately 300 meters from Moriya Shrine stands a stone monument known as the Monument to the Former Site of Moriya-no-Okami. It marks a location traditionally associated with the deity’s former residence.
The inscription was written by Moriya Jikken, who served as Jinchokan of Suwa Taisha. The monument was originally located at the Kyodzuka archaeological site but was moved to its present location during construction of the Chuo Expressway.
About 1.3 kilometers from the shrine, in the Minato area of Okaya, is a small shrine known as Ryugen Yamanokami, also called Hidari Yamanokami.
According to tradition, Moriya-no-Kami was once worshiped at this location. When the Hanaoka family later moved to Hashihara, the deity was said to have been transferred there as well.
A pine tree was planted at the site, and the spreading shape of its branches gave rise to another name, Shidare Yamanokami, meaning “the drooping-branch Yamanokami.”
Moriya Shrine is about a 15-minute walk from JR Okaya Station on the Chuo Main Line.
Visitors can also take the city’s Silky Bus on the Kawagishi-Hashihara Line and get off at the Moriya-sha-mae stop. The shrine is only about a one-minute walk from the bus stop.
Although the shrine is close to the urban area, its grounds are quiet and surrounded by a peaceful natural environment. It is an accessible place to experience the mythology, history, and spiritual traditions of the Suwa region.
Moriya Shrine is more than a local guardian shrine. It preserves traditions connected with the ancient religious landscape of Suwa and the stories surrounding the relationship between Moriya-no-Kami and Takeminakata-no-Kami.
The legend of their conflict can be understood as one of the traditional stories reflecting encounters between different local and incoming religious traditions in ancient Japan. Over generations, these stories became intertwined with the worship practiced at Suwa Taisha and throughout the surrounding region.
For travelers interested in Japanese mythology and Shinto traditions, Moriya Shrine offers a quieter and more intimate experience than the region’s major tourist destinations. The forest, river landscape, historic traditions, and legends preserved here come together to create a place where the ancient spiritual world of Suwa still feels remarkably close.
When exploring Okaya and the wider Suwa area, a visit to Moriya Shrine provides an opportunity to step into one of the region’s oldest layers of history and discover the stories that continue to shape its cultural identity.