Koizumi Shrine, located in Shironouchi, Oizumi Town, Ora District, Gunma Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrine that has been deeply revered by the local community for centuries.
The shrine is traditionally said to have been founded in 883, during the Heian period, giving it a history of more than 1,000 years. It has long served as a guardian shrine for the local area and is now one of Oizumi’s best-known places of worship.
The grounds feature a stately main shrine building, traditional religious ceremonies, and a sacred zelkova tree believed to be around 300 years old. History, religious tradition, and nature come together to create a peaceful and atmospheric shrine precinct.
Koizumi Shrine enshrines a total of 24 deities, including its principal deities, Fujiwara no Nagayoshi and Sugawara no Michizane.
Fujiwara no Nagayoshi is traditionally regarded as one of the ancestors of the Fujiwara clan and is associated with efforts to develop and manage the eastern regions of Japan. Sugawara no Michizane is widely revered in Japan as the deity of learning, and many visitors come to pray for academic success and success in examinations.
The shrine is traditionally associated with blessings including family safety, protection from misfortune, protection in all directions, success in examinations, traffic safety, business prosperity, and good health.
Many people visit for New Year’s prayers and to mark important milestones in their lives.
The history of Koizumi Shrine dates back to the Heian period. The shrine is traditionally said to have been founded by Tsukihi Ji Yoshimoto, the second son of Sanuki Danjo Yoshitsuna, who served as a local official in Sanuki Estate, Ora District.
It is said that Yoshimoto established a shrine at Tsukihi-Miyahara to pray for peace and safety in the region, enshrining the spirit of Fujiwara no Nagayoshi. The shrine was originally known as Nagara Myojin.
In 1489, Tomioka Chikara-no-suke Naomitsu, the lord of Koizumi Castle, rebuilt the shrine buildings and helped establish its foundations.
However, in 1590, during Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s campaign against the Hojo clan at Odawara, warfare reached the area. The shrine buildings, sacred treasures, and many historical records were destroyed by fire.
Later, the local lord Sugiyama San’emon donated land for the shrine. In 1611, the shrine was relocated to its present site and rebuilt.
Koizumi Shrine subsequently regained its position as a guardian shrine of the community and became widely revered as the principal shrine of the western Ora region.
The present main shrine building was constructed between 1848 and 1854, during the final years of the Edo period.
After the beginning of the Meiji era, the shrine was designated as the village shrine of Kami-Koizumi in 1872, further establishing its importance as a religious center for the local community.
The worship hall and offering hall were rebuilt between 1874 and 1877, giving the shrine much of its present appearance.
In 1912, several local shrines, including Sugawara Shrine, which was dedicated to the deity of learning, were merged with Koizumi Shrine. At this time, the shrine was renamed Sosha Koizumi Shrine, reflecting its role as a major guardian shrine enshrining numerous deities of the surrounding area.
One of the greatest highlights of Koizumi Shrine is its beautifully carved main shrine building.
The building was constructed by Uchiyama Yamashiro-no-sho, a master shrine carpenter from Ageo-juku in Adachi District, Musashi Province. Built entirely of Japanese zelkova wood, the impressive structure features a copper-sheet roof and measures one bay in width and one and a half bays in depth.
The intricate carvings on the exterior walls and columns of the entrance porch are particularly noteworthy. They are regarded as outstanding examples of decorative shrine architecture in the eastern part of Gunma.
The main shrine and its carvings were designated an Important Cultural Property of Oizumi Town on December 1, 1983.
The grounds of Koizumi Shrine are also home to Shajitsu Inari Shrine.
This shrine is traditionally said to have been founded in 1816, when Shajitsu Okami was enshrined following a divine oracle from Nagara Daimyojin.
Later, a sacred spirit was transferred from Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, giving rise to the present Shajitsu Inari Shrine.
The shrine enshrines deities including Ukemochi-no-Okami, Ukanomitama-no-Okami, and Sarutahiko-no-Okami. They are revered as protective deities associated with food, clothing, shelter, and everyday life.
The shrine is traditionally associated with blessings for good harvests, business prosperity, successful enterprises, and traffic safety. It has long attracted worshippers from Gunma, Saitama, and Tochigi prefectures.
Near the center of the shrine grounds stands a magnificent sacred zelkova tree believed to be approximately 300 years old.
It is known as one of the largest trees in Oizumi and the wider western Ora region. Its remarkably straight and imposing form makes it an impressive sight for visitors.
The tree has traditionally been regarded as a spiritual power spot associated with longevity and prosperity for future generations. Many worshippers pause before the sacred tree to offer a prayer.
Shajitsu Inari Shrine is home to a particularly rare traditional ceremony known as the Kugatachi Ritual.
During the ritual, small bamboo leaves are dipped into boiling water in a large cauldron placed before the deity. The hot water is then sprinkled over the body as participants pledge their sincerity before the deity and seek divine guidance.
The ritual originally served as a way of asking the gods to determine whether a person was truthful or at fault. Today, it continues as a religious ceremony for praying for family safety, protection from misfortune, and freedom from illness.
The tradition is said to have continued since 1816 and was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Oizumi Town in 1979.
Every spring and autumn around the equinoxes, Shajitsu Festival is held at Shajitsu Inari Shrine.
Shajitsu refers to a traditional festival dedicated to deities associated with the earth. The custom has long been closely connected with agriculture and the farming cycle.
Many worshippers, including farmers from neighboring communities, visit the festival. It is considered a rare surviving tradition, with similar festivals remaining in only a limited number of locations in places such as Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kyushu.
The festival continues to be carefully preserved as an important part of the region’s traditional culture.
Koizumi Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine with roots stretching back to the Heian period. For more than a millennium, it has remained closely connected with the lives and beliefs of people in the local community.
Its beautifully decorated historic architecture, designated cultural properties, unusual traditional rituals, and tranquil natural surroundings make the shrine a fascinating place to explore.
When visiting Oizumi Town, take time to stop at Koizumi Shrine and experience the atmosphere of a place where more than 1,000 years of history, faith, and local tradition continue to live on.
A peaceful walk through the shrine grounds offers a chance to appreciate both the cultural heritage preserved by generations of local residents and the serene atmosphere of this sacred place.