Hibita Shrine is located in Sannomiya, Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is regarded as one of the oldest shrines in the former Sagami Province and has a history extending back to ancient times.
Today, it is recognized by the Kanagawa Prefectural Association of Shinto Shrines as a shrine to which an imperial offering envoy is dispatched. In the past, it was also known as Kanmuri Daimyojin, a name that reflects its distinguished standing.
Hibita Shrine is listed in the Engishiki Jinmyocho, a register of shrines compiled in 927, during the Engi era. It is recognized as one of the 13 shrines in Sagami Province listed in that register, classified as a minor shrine.
There are, however, other shrines that claim to be the same ancient shrine recorded as “Hihita Shrine” in the Engishiki. One such candidate is Koyasu Myojin Shrine in the former Kamikasuya Village, now part of Kamikasuya in Isehara City.
Hibita Shrine is also one of the Sagami Five Shrines that participate in the traditional Konomachi Festival, held every year on May 5 at Mount Kamiyama in Kokufuhongo, Oiso Town. It holds the rank of the Third Shrine of Sagami Province.
The principal deities enshrined at Hibita Shrine are Toyokuninushi-no-Mikoto, Ame-no-Akariya-no-Mikoto, Miyabi-hime-no-Mikoto, and Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto.
The accompanying deities are Oosakewake-no-Kami, identified with Oyama-tsumi-no-Kami, and Kosakewake-no-Kami, identified with Konohanasakuya-hime.
These are the deities currently recognized as being enshrined at the shrine. In the past, however, different explanations of the shrine’s deities existed. For example, Volume 50 of the historical gazetteer Shinpen Sagami-no-Kuni Fudoki-ko mentions an inscription on a temple bell that once stood at the shrine entrance. According to the inscription, the spirit of Someya Taro Dayu Tokitada was enshrined there.
According to the Hihita Denki, a record written in 1834, the origins of Hibita Shrine date back to the age of Emperor Jimmu. The account says that the shrine was established to protect the people during the pacification of the country. It states that a shrine was built in the sixth year of Emperor Jimmu’s reign, traditionally dated to 655 BC, at a place where religious ceremonies had already been performed since ancient times.
Within the shrine grounds and in the surrounding area, standing stones have been found in the center of a circular stone arrangement dating from the Middle Jomon period. These remains are thought to be part of an ancient ritual site. The area’s religious history is therefore believed to reach back to the early forms of mountain worship practiced during the Jomon period, more than 10,000 years ago.
In the seventh year of Emperor Sujin’s reign, traditionally dated to 91 BC, sacred land and households were donated to the shrine.
In the 27th year of Emperor Suinin’s reign, traditionally dated to 3 BC, the Department of Divinities presented a bow and arrows as offerings in accordance with an imperial order.
In 645, during the Taika era, Oosakewake-no-Kami and Kosakewake-no-Kami were added to the shrine’s pantheon. In 692, during the reign of Empress Jito, the provincial governor Fuse no Ason Irobochi repaired the shrine buildings and dedicated a pair of guardian komainu lion-dog statues.
In 743, during the Tenpyo era, K紀 no Ason Masumaro was appointed as the shrine’s first chief priest. The shrine also received a manor estate from Emperor Shomu.
In 1184, during the Genryaku era, Minamoto no Yoritomo carried out a major reconstruction of the shrine buildings. The following year, in 1185, he dedicated a formal prayer document seeking peace throughout the country.
The Azuma Kagami, a historical chronicle of the Kamakura shogunate, also records that Yoritomo prayed for the safe delivery of his wife, Hojo Masako, and dedicated a sacred horse to the shrine.
According to Volume 50 of the Shinpen Sagami-no-Kuni Fudoki-ko, Hibita Shrine lost its shrine estates during warfare in the Meio era (1492–1501) and fell into serious decline.
At the beginning of the Tensho era (1573–1593), the shrine was relocated to its present site. In 1591, Tokugawa Ieyasu issued a vermilion-seal charter and donated land yielding 10 koku of rice. This support finally enabled the shrine to recover.
In 1873, Hibita Shrine was classified as a village shrine and became the principal guardian shrine for 16 villages. In 1908, it was designated a shrine entitled to receive offerings of food and cloth from the government.
Today, it continues to attract worshippers as a shrine to which an imperial offering envoy is dispatched under the system of the Kanagawa Prefectural Association of Shinto Shrines.
During the Pacific War, the shrine’s bell was surrendered for wartime metal collection and was lost. A replacement bell was made in 1950.
In 1953, Sanmiya Local History Museum was established alongside the shrine by Nagai Sanji, a former chief priest of Hibita Shrine.
Hibita Shrine holds a variety of traditional Shinto ceremonies and festivals throughout the year. Its principal annual events include the following:
January 1: New Year’s Festival and major New Year’s prayers.
January 2: Memorial service at the Shrine for the War Dead.
January 14: Dondo-yaki, a traditional ceremony in which New Year’s decorations are burned.
February 3: Setsubun Tsuina Festival, a ceremony to drive away evil spirits.
February 17: Kinen-sai, the spring prayer festival for a good harvest.
March 17: Ningyo Kanshasai, a ceremony expressing gratitude for dolls.
April 21–22: Annual Grand Festival. The ceremony on April 21 is the moving ceremony for the deity, while April 22 features the main festival ceremony and the sacred procession.
May 5: Konomachi Festival, the traditional festival of Sagami Province.
Third Saturday and Sunday of May: Magatama Festival, celebrating the ancient curved jewel known as magatama.
June 30: Nagoshi no O-harae, the midyear purification ceremony.
October 17: Main Festival and Memorial Service.
Late November: Sake Festival.
November 23: New Grain and Labor Thanksgiving Festival.
December 20: Year-end purification ceremony.
Hibita Shrine can be reached by bus from the north exit of Isehara Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line.
Bus route I-16: Take a Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Nishi bus bound for Kurihara and get off at the Hibita Jinja bus stop. The shrine is approximately a two-minute walk from the stop.
Bus route I-41: Take a bus bound for Isehara Shako and get off at the Sannomiya bus stop. The shrine is approximately a seven-minute walk from there.