Hotaka Shrine
穂高神社
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Head Shrine of the Azumi Clan
Hotaka Shrine is a historic shrine and temple in Azumino, Nagano. We've gathered 5 videos so you can explore it across the seasons on screen.
Hotaka Shrine is the head shrine of the Azumino region, dedicated to Hotaka-mi-no-mikoto, ancestral deity of the ancient Azumi clan—a seafaring people said to have settled this inland basin long ago. Set among towering cedars at the foot of the Northern Alps, the shrine is revered as a guardian of mountains and safe travel, and its inner shrine lies high on Mount Hotaka. Known for the dynamic Ofune Matsuri, in which great boat-shaped floats are paraded and collided, it blends maritime heritage with alpine scenery in a uniquely Azumino way.
History & Culture
The Seafaring Azumi Clan
The Azumi, a powerful clan of seafarers based in northern Kyushu, are said to have migrated to this basin in antiquity, bringing their ancestral deity Hotaka-mi-no-mikoto and giving the region its name, Azumino.
The Ofune Matsuri
Each September the shrine's Ofune Matsuri sees massive boat-shaped floats, decorated with figures, paraded and dramatically struck together—an echo of the Azumi clan's seafaring origins preserved deep in the mountains.
6079 Hotaka, Azumino City, Nagano 399-8303
- 3 min from Hotaka Stn
Open at all times (shrine office in daytime)
Free
Hours and fees are a guide and may change — please check official information before your visit.
