Myōjin Pond 明神池

Official explanation

This gourd-shaped pond lies within the precincts of Hotaka Shrine’s inner shrine (okunomiya), at the northern end of Kamikōchi. It is also called “Mirror Pond” (Kagami Ike) in reference to its pure waters and reflective surface, and “Pond of the Gods” (Kami Ike), which relates to the area’s role in Shinto mythology.

According to legend, when the world was still young, Hotakami no Mikoto—son of the sea god Watatsumi and uncle to Japan’s legendary first ruler, Emperor Jinmu (r. 660–585 BCE)—descended from heaven and landed on the peak of Mt. Oku-Hotaka. A shrine was built for Hotakami on the mountain, and he has long been regarded as a protector of the region and guardian of the Japanese Alps. Myōjin Pond, isolated and pristine, lies at the foot of Mt. Oku-Hotaka’s ridgeline and has likewise acquired divine associations.

Read the full explanation

Each year on October 8, the Myōjin Pond Boat Festival (Myōjin Ike Ofune Matsuri) is held on the water. Priests and shrine maidens (miko) dressed in brightly colored Heian-period (794–1185) robes board two festival boats, one with a prow shaped like a dragon’s head, the other like a mythical bird. The boats circle the pond in a solemn progress accompanied by the music of a “dragon flute” (ryūteki) and other traditional instruments. Afterward, rites are held at the shrine to honor the spirits of those who have lost their lives in the mountains.

Myōjin Pond is fed by underground springs. It remains remarkably clear, with fish clearly visible beneath the surface. Visitors can also view the festival boats moored at a small dock beside the path that leads around the pond.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.