It's interesting to know! Introducing the charm of the carvings at Chichibu Shrine, one of the three major shrines in Chichibu♪

• Table of Contents
• What is Chichibu Shrine?
• Chichibu Shrine building completed in 1592
• 5 Sculptures at Chichibu Shrine
• The sculptures at Chichibu Shrine are interesting!
• Illuminated at night until 8pm
• The sculpture guide is easier to understand if you listen to the story while walking around.

What is Chichibu Shrine?

Chichibu Shrine, located in Bambacho, Chichibu City, is a shrine with a history of 2100 years. It is said to have originated when Chichibuhiko no Mikoto enshrined the god of Mt. Bukō together with Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto, his ancestral deity 10 years ago.

Chichibu Shrine is located at the end of the stone-paved Bamba Street, with a large stone torii gate welcoming visitors.

Chichibu Shrine

1-3 Banbamachi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture 368-0041

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In addition, the regular festival ``Chichibu Night Festival'' held on December 3rd every year has been designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property and an important tangible folk cultural property, and is considered one of Japan's three major Hikiyama festivals. In 2016, it was registered as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage as one of the ``Yama, Hoko, and Yatai Festivals,'' which are comprised of 33 festivals nationwide.

Chichibu Shrine building completed in 1592

The shrine was donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The current shrine building was donated in 1592 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Edo Shogunate. (The old shrine building was burned down by Takeda Shingen's invasion)

The carvings on the shrine building are painted using natural pigments, so they are repainted periodically every 50 years. This time we would like to introduce some of the sculptures that have just been repainted in 2023.

Before looking at the sculptures, bow twice, clap once, and bow before going around.

5 Sculptures at Chichibu Shrine

1. “Ebisu-sama” who will make your wish for health come true and “Daikoku-sama” who will make your wish for wealth come true

Ebisu and Daikoku-sama welcome you with their rich expressions in front of the worship hall. Every detail on his face, including his beard and teeth, is carefully painted. When you see them, Ebisu-sama is holding a sea bream in his left hand, and Daikoku-sama is swinging a hammer.

This has already given wealth to those who come to worship. It seems to express that your wish has already come true.

2. Is the mother tiger wearing leopard print? “Tiger of child rearing”

There are many tiger sculptures in front of the shrine building, on the south side. It is said that this is because Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, who donated Chichibu Shrine, was born in the Year of the Tiger, on the Day of the Tiger, and in the Time of the Tiger, and it is also said to be a messenger of the gods that protects the dignity of Lord Ieyasu and the enshrined deity. A sign next to a sculpture of a tiger playing with a family reads, ``Never let go of your baby's skin, never let go of your infant, never let go of your child, and never let go of your heart toward a young person.'' The guidelines are written. However, if you look closely at the mother tiger, only the mother has a leopard print.There are various theories about this, but one theory is that leopards were thought to be female tigers.

3. “Three Genki Monkeys” who look carefully, listen carefully, and speak well

On the west side of the shrine building, there is a sculpture of the ``Ogenki Three Monkeys'' who look carefully, listen carefully, and speak well. Speaking of the Three Monkeys, Nikko Toshogu Shrine, also connected to the Tokugawa clan, is famous for its ``see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil'' expression, but the three monkeys at Chichibu Shrine have expressions that are the exact opposite of Nikko. In addition, there are sculptures of a pheasant, a dog, and a peach hermit next to the monkey, creating an interesting composition reminiscent of the folktale ``Momotaro.''

4. “Hokushin Owl”, a symbol of peace and wisdom

The Hokushin owl on the north side of the shrine building. Owls are intelligent animals and are said to be messengers of the gods.

Owls are nocturnal birds of prey. Owls are a threat to small birds, but they are said to be blind during the day, and because they sit still in the trees, small birds also gather around them. This is because snakes and rats are afraid of their natural enemy, owls, and do not approach them. There are many birds gathered around the Hokushin Owl.

However, the owl opened its eyes and did not attack the small birds around it. Because of this, it may represent a symbol of peace at all times.

Also, the owl's body faces south, and only its face faces north. This is done so that one does not turn their back towards the god, so as not to disrespect the god who is enshrined in the main shrine on the south side. Also, the person looking to the north is watching over Myoken-sama, who appears from the Hagun star at the tail of the Big Dipper. The male god Myoken is the god of war. It is said that the Kanto samurai group spread the word, ``If you believe in Myoken-sama, you will definitely win.''

5. “Tsunagi Dragon” created by sculptor Jingoro Hidashi

On the east side of the shrine building, there is a sculpture of a ``Tsunagi Dragon'' said to have been created by Hidari Jingoro. As the name suggests, if you look closely you can see that the sculpture is connected to a chain.

The reason why the sculptures were connected is that because they were so well carved, it is said that a soul dwells in them.A long time ago, there was a pond called Tengaike near Chichibu Temple No. 15 Shaolin Temple. A dragon with a soul in it would escape every night and go on a rampage, and when the pond was flooded, a puddle of water would always form under this sculpture. Legend has it that when the carved dragon was tied up with a chain, the dragon stopped appearing. Since the dragon is the god of water, it also symbolizes the hope that by connecting the dragon, the flood disaster will subside. 2024 is the year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. If you visit Chichibu Shrine, please take a look at the dragon, which is also the guardian deity of the year.

Please enter about 2 to 3 lines of spot description.

The sculptures at Chichibu Shrine are interesting!

The sculptures at Chichibu Shrine hide various stories.

The carving on the right has a plum branch on a pine trunk, and the carving on the left has bamboo. In Japan, ``Sho, Chiku, and Plum'' are symbols of lucky charms, and they are also engraved into the carvings at Chichibu Shrine. The more you learn about Chichibu Shrine's sculptures, the more interesting they become, so be sure to take a look around.

Illuminated at night until 8pm

Chichibu Shrine's main building is lit up until 8pm. You can enjoy the sculptures in a completely different atmosphere than during the day.

The sculpture guide is easier to understand if you listen to the story while walking around.

The sculptures can be enjoyed just by looking at them, but you can also request a guide to guide you through the sculptures. Chichibu's only rickshaw, ``Kachofuugetsu~Chichibu~'', takes you around Chichibu's shrines and towns.

(The driver will use a translation app to guide you.)

Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon ~Chichibu~ (Google Maps)