Wakaichiooji Jinja

Wakaichiooji Jinja is an esteemed shrine dedicated to Wakaichiooji, the young prince deity of Kumano Gongen. Kumano worship was transmitted to the foot of the Northern Alps during the Heian period and took root in this place, marking the shrine's beginning. During the Sengoku period, it was fervently venerated as the tutelary shrine of the Nishina clan and has continuously watched over the Omachi region, which became a battlefield of intense conflict with the Takeda clan. The annual autumn grand festival features horseback archery that is designated as a prefectural intangible cultural property and draws many worshippers. The sanctuary nestled against the backdrop of the Northern Alps truly possesses a divine atmosphere.