HAKONE SHRINE

Hakone Shrine is a very popular shrine in the Hakone region. Part of Hakone Shrine complex is on the summit of Mt Komagatake and the other part is on the edge of Lake Ashi.

Hakone Jinja Shrine (commonly referred to as Hakone Shrine) is located on the eastern side of Lake Ashi (Hakone) and at the base of Mt Komagatake. Hakone Jinja Shrine is dedicated to . Hakone Jinja Shrine is a very popular attraction with more than 20 millions visitors a year. It is particularly popular for New Year celebrations.

Hakone Jinja Shrine has three distinctive features and three different routes of entry.

Torii on Lake Ashi - The torri (gate) on the lake's edge appears to be floating in the water. In theory you could reach Hakone Jinja Shrine by going through this gate from a small boat. In practice you normally walk down the heavily forested path from the shrine to the edge of Lake Ashi.

Torii in Moto-Hakone - There are two large torii in the main street of Moto-Hakone. The path to Hakone Jinja Shrine is from the Moto-Hakone pier via the main street following the path to the shrine

Hakone Komagatake Ropeway - On the summit of Mt Komagatake is the Hakone Shrine Motomiya, the original shrine. You can also reach this shrine via a hiking trails.

In 506 AD, Jozen Shonin opened the site of Hakone Jinja Shrine as a location to worship Mt Komagatake. In 757, Priest Mangan established the Kanto Sochinju Hakone Daigongen (shrine), which was later renamed Hakone Jinja (Hakone Shrine). When Shogun Yoritomo Minamoto lost the battle at Ishibashi Mountain in 12th century, he was saved by the priest of Hakone Jinja Shrine. Since then, the shrine attracted many samurai in Kanto area. Hakone Jinja Shrine was burned down during the attack by Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 16th century, it was rebuilt by Ieyasu Tokugawa in the same century.