Hioka Jinja

Hioka Shrine is located at the southern foot of the hills in Hioka, Kakogawa, Hyogo, on the left bank of the Kakogawa River. Its name appears in the Harima no Kuni Fudoki (around 715) as "the god of Hioka," and it is listed in the Engishiki Jinmyocho as the Shikinaisha "Hioka-ni-imasu Ame-no-Isasahiko-jinja." The principal deity, Ame-no-Isasahiko-no-mikoto, is said to have prayed for the safe delivery of Emperor Keiko's consort, Princess Harima-Inadaihime-no-mikoto, giving rise to deep faith throughout eastern Harima as the god of safe childbirth. All historical records were lost in the fires of 1578, but the shrine buildings were rebuilt by surrounding villagers in 1764. Designated a village shrine (gōsha) in 1874, the current shrine buildings were rebuilt in 1971.