Hakusan Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the mountain deity Shirayama-hime-no-mikoto. As part of the Hakusan shrine network found throughout Japan, it serves as a local center for worship of the sacred Mount Hakusan deities and provides spiritual protection for the surrounding community.
- Denomination
- Hakusan
- Religion
- shinto
- Enshrined kami
- Shirayama-hime-no-mikoto
- Kami enshrined
- Shirayama-hime-no-mikoto
- Coordinates
- 35.1768808, 139.6525168
Visitor tip
Look for the distinctive white and mountain motifs often associated with Hakusan shrines, reflecting the connection to the sacred white mountain.
Cultural notes
Shirayama-hime-no-mikoto is revered as a goddess of the sacred mountain and is associated with purification, protection, and feminine divine power. Hakusan worship combines ancient mountain reverence with agricultural prayers, making these shrines important community gathering places.
Historical note
Hakusan shrines were established throughout Japan as part of the mountain worship tradition centered on Mount Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture. The Hakusan cult spread during the Heian period through the efforts of mountain ascetics and became deeply integrated with local communities seeking protection from natural disasters and agricultural blessings.