Myoken Shrine, located in Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, is known for its beautiful scenery, where a tunnel of cherry blossoms meets majestic cedar trees that are more than 700 years old. Some of these ancient trees are traditionally known as the Kami-mukae-sugi (Welcoming-the-Gods Cedar) and Kami-gaeri-sugi (Returning-the-Gods Cedar).
Along the approximately 250-meter approach to the shrine, more than 100 cherry trees of various sizes bloom in spring. Mountain cherry trees and Somei Yoshino cherry trees flower at almost the same time, creating a spectacular display of blossoms.
The shrine is located next to the Kokin Denju no Sato Field Museum, a cultural facility dedicated to Japanese waka poetry and its traditions.
The shrine’s sacred grove has been designated a Natural Monument by Gifu Prefecture. Its cherry blossom-lined approach has also been selected for the Gifu: One Hundred Scenic Places of Water and Greenery and the Hida-Mino 33 Cherry Blossom Spots.
The shrine’s origins date back to 1221, when Tō no Taneyuki, a member of the Tō clan, received the Yamada Estate in Mino Province, in present-day Gujo City, as a reward for his service during the Jōkyū War.
Taneyuki established his base at Achiba in the Yamada Estate, now part of Tsurugi in Yamato Town, Gujo City. He then invited the worship of Myōken Bosatsu, the guardian deity of the main Chiba clan, from which the Tō clan descended, and established a shrine known as Myōken-gu.
Around 1310, toward the end of the Kamakura period, Tō Ujimura built Shinowaki Castle, and Myōken-gu was moved to its present location.
The Tō clan was renowned for its mastery of Kokin Denju, the secret teachings and oral transmission associated with the classical waka poetry anthology Kokin Wakashū. Lectures on these poetic traditions were sometimes held at Myōken-gu.
A historical record from 1471 states that Tō Tsuneyori instructed the celebrated renga poet Sōgi in the teachings of Kokin Denju. This connection highlights the shrine’s importance not only as a place of worship but also as a center of classical Japanese literary culture.
In 1541, the Tō clan moved its principal base from Shinowaki Castle to Akatanigashira Castle. Shinowaki Castle was subsequently abandoned, but Myōken-gu remained at its existing location.
The shrine continued to receive protection from successive local rulers, preserving its religious traditions and historical significance through periods of political change.
During the early Meiji period, government policies separating Shinto and Buddhism led to the shrine being renamed Myoken Shrine. Its officially designated Shinto deity became Kuninotokotachi-no-Mikoto, although the actual sacred object of worship is said to remain Myōken Bosatsu, a Buddhist figure.
In 1873, the shrine was designated a Gōsha, a recognized category of local shrine. The present shrine buildings were reconstructed in 1722, during the Edo period.
Kuninotokotachi-no-Mikoto: The deity officially designated as the shrine’s principal deity following the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji period.
Myōken Bosatsu: The Buddhist figure traditionally associated with the shrine’s original object of worship and its historical origins.
The Nanuka Festival is held every year on August 7. It preserves traditional performing arts dating back to the Muromachi period, including agricultural ritual dances known as dengaku.
Highlights include the sacred dance performed before the deities, the Kine-furi dance featuring a pestle, and the Shishi-okoshi dance, associated with awakening a lion. These performances offer a glimpse into centuries-old local religious customs and performing arts.
In the evening, the shrine hosts Takigi Noh, traditional Noh theater performed by firelight. The program includes Takigi Noh Kurusu-zakura, a performance associated with the shrine’s historical and cultural traditions.
The traditional performing arts associated with this festival have been designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture.
With its ancient cedar trees, seasonal cherry blossoms, and enduring connections to Japanese poetry and traditional performing arts, Myoken Shrine offers visitors a peaceful place to experience the natural and cultural heritage of the Gujo region.