Last Updated: Apr 6, 2023

Mitsumine Shrine

A Shrine in Chichibu that Honors Wolves

Today we’ll be taking a look at one of my all-time favorite hidden gems that is rarely, if ever, featured in the English language media. Known as Mitsumine Shrine, this mountaintop sanctuary can be found in the densely forested ridges of western Saitama Prefecture. Situated atop the summit of the sacred Mt. Mitsumine in the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, Mitsumine Shrine has long been associated with the practice of mountain aestheticism. Whether you’re an intrepid adventurer who is itching for a good hike or are otherwise in search of some quiet solitude, Mitsumine Shrine is certainly well worth the effort it takes to get there.

As with most centers of mountain worship, Mitsumine Shrine predates written history. Documentation from the early mists of time can be found in the Kojiki, Japan’s ancient record of mythohistory. First compiled in the year 712, the Kojiki asserts that Mitsumine Shrine dates all the way back to around the year 150. Supposedly, the shrine was founded by Yamato Takeru, the son of an emperor in the second century. Allegedly, Takeru had a terrible violent streak and killed one of his brothers. Thereafter, the rambunctious youth was sent off to the empire’s budding frontier where his penchant for bloodshed could be put to better use.