Asazawa-sha 浅澤社

Official explanation

Asazawa-sha is the third stop in the Hattatsu Mairi prosperity rite. This shrine is dedicated to the water goddess Ichikishimahime no Mikoto, a guardian deity of beauty and the performing arts. Ichikishimahime and the Buddhist goddess Benzaiten are often seen as being the same deity—an example of the centuries-long fusion of Shinto and Buddhism in Japan before the late 1800s. Today, Asazawa-sha is popular with women, especially actors, dancers, musicians, and other performing artists who are seeking to improve their skills and advance their careers.

Shrine Three: Asazawa-sha

Read the full explanation

Asazawa-sha is the third stop in the Hattatsu Mairi. It is located on what was once a large, marshy pond—Asazawa means “shallow marsh.” The shrine is dedicated to the water goddess Ichikishimahime no Mikoto. This guardian deity of beauty and performing arts is especially popular with female actors, dancers, musicians, and other performing artists seeking greater success.

Every May, rabbit-ear irises bloom in the pond that surrounds the shrine. The purple flowers have attracted visitors since ancient times; they are described in the eighth-century Man’yōshū, the oldest extant collection of Japanese poetry. The flowers were commonly used to make dye.

Asazawa-sha is open to Hattatsu Mairi practitioners from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The offering for the rite is included in the offering made at Ōtoshi-sha.

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.