A Spiritual Sanctuary with Over 1,200 Years of History – Visiting Iwakiyama Shrine
This is a travel blog from my journey around Japan, featuring a stop at the powerful spiritual site: Iwakiyama Shrine.
Just across from Onsen Ryokan Nakano lies Iwakiyama Shrine, one of Hirosaki’s most renowned power spots. I paid a visit early in the morning, before other worshippers had arrived, to pray for a safe journey.
Founded in 780 at the summit of Mount Iwaki, this shrine has long been revered as a guardian for agriculture and fishing, a deity of development for the Tsugaru region, and a resting place for ancestral spirits.
One of the highlights is the pair of guardian lion-dog statues (komainu) located up the stairs along the approach path. The one looking upward is believed to bring good fortune in wealth, while the one looking downward is said to bless your love life.
This smiling guardian statue just makes you smile back!
About Iwakiyama Shrine
Nestled at the foot of the beautiful Mt. Iwaki—also known as “Tsugaru Fuji”—Iwakiyama Shrine boasts over 1,200 years of history.
Some shrine structures are made with Hiba cypress wood from the region and have withstood nearly 390 years of harsh northern weather.
The long approach from the torii gate to the main hall is lined with towering cedar trees, creating a sacred and tranquil atmosphere.
Iwakiyama Shrine – A Spiritual Power Spot
As Tsugaru’s Ichinomiya (the highest-ranking shrine in the region), Iwakiyama Shrine is known for bestowing blessings of good fortune and success. The sacred Mt. Iwaki behind the shrine is believed to possess a spiritual “water energy.”
This energy is associated with love, trust, wealth, and abundance, and it’s also believed to promote fertility.
**Access:** 40 minutes by bus from Hirosaki Station