Tsukuba San Shrine

Tsukubasan Shrine is an ancient shrine that reveres Mount Tsukuba, the sacred peak of Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, as its deity. It is said to have been founded more than 3,000 years ago and is known as one of the most historic shrines in the Kanto region. Mount Tsukuba is a twin-peaked mountain standing 877 meters above sea level, with Tsukuba-no-Ōkami (Izanagi-no-Mikoto) enshrined on the western peak and Tsukuba-me-no-Ōkami (Izanami-no-Mikoto) on the eastern peak. As a pair of deities husband and wife, they have long been worshiped. The main hall on the mountainside was built as a place to worship the two peaks from afar, and the shrine precincts extend over a vast area of about 370 hectares, including the summit. From the summit, visitors can take in a sweeping view of the Kanto Plain, and its beautiful scenery has captivated people since ancient times.

Faith and Divine Blessings
Because Tsukubasan Shrine enshrines the married deities Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, it is widely known for blessings of matchmaking, marital harmony, and family safety. Since ancient times, “Tsukubane” has been celebrated in the Manyoshu as a mountain symbolizing the bond between man and woman, and worshippers continue to visit in hopes of success in love and marriage. Prayers are also offered for traffic safety, protection from misfortune, and prosperous business, and many people visit throughout the year. Shinto weddings are also popular, with ceremonies held in a sacred atmosphere surrounded by nature and history.

History
The faith surrounding Mount Tsukuba dates back to ancient times, when people revered mountains and nature as divine. It is said that, because of its beautiful twin peaks, the mountain came to enshrine two deities as a pair. Its name appears in the Hitachi Fudoki and the Nihon Shoki, and during the reign of Emperor Sujin, the 10th emperor (about 2,000 years ago), Tsukuba no Mikoto, of the Mononobe clan, was appointed Tsukuba no Kuni no Miyatsuko, after which the Tsukuba clan served the shrine in a union of ritual and government.

There is also a tradition that Prince Yamato Takeru, son of Emperor Keiko, the 12th emperor, climbed the mountain on his return from the eastern expedition; it is said that the name “Rengadake” (Landedake) derives from a poem he offered at that time. In the Nara period, as many as 25 poems about Mount Tsukuba were included in the Manyoshu, and the mountain was widely cherished as the sacred peak representing Hitachi Province. In the Engishiki Jinmyocho compiled in the Heian period (927), the shrine to the male deity, “Tsukuba-no-Ō no Jinja,” was listed as a Myojin Taisha, while the shrine to the female deity, “Tsukuba-no-Me no Jinja,” was listed as a smaller shrine. The current Tsukubasan Shrine continues this tradition by enshrining the two together.

In the medieval period, with the rise of Buddhism, halls and pagodas stood throughout Mount Tsukuba, and the mountain flourished as a sacred place of syncretic Shinto and Buddhism. During the Kamakura period, Hachiro Tameuji, the youngest son of Hatta Tomoie, lord of Odajo, oversaw shrine affairs and devoted himself to its maintenance. In the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu revered Mount Tsukuba as a sacred mountain protecting Edo from the northeast (the demon gate) and established a prayer site there. Thereafter, it received deep devotion from successive shoguns, and the shogunate donated 1,500 koku of shrine territory. A sword donated by Tokugawa Iemitsu (made by swordsmith Yoshimune) has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

At the end of the Edo period, it became the site of the “Tsukuba-san Uprising,” a sonnō jōi movement led by Fujita Koshirō and others. After the Meiji Restoration, many Buddhist structures were lost due to the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, but Tsukubasan Shrine survived as a shrine and was ranked as a prefectural shrine in 1873.

Precincts and Architecture
The main hall of Tsukubasan Shrine is located in the Miyanagi area on the mountainside, from which visitors worship the two peaks of Mount Nantai and Mount Nyotai from afar. The precincts contain many subordinate shrines and branch shrines, each with historical and artistic value.

- Shinkyō Bridge
A beautiful taikobashi bridge with a gabled roof, it may be crossed only during the Ozagawari Festival in spring (April 1) and autumn (November 1). In 2019, restoration work completed after about two years.

- Hie Shrine and Kasuga Shrine
They share one worship hall and are enshrined on the east and west sides respectively. The main hall of Hie Shrine is decorated with carvings of the “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil” three monkeys, and it is said to predate those at Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

- Itsukushima Shrine
A shrine building that appears to float on the pond within the precincts, notable for its vivid carvings and elegant design.

With its vermilion-lacquered worship halls, stone steps, and paths lined with cedar trees, the precincts preserve many structures from the Edo period and exude a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

Annual Events and Culture
The shrine’s signature festival is the Ozagawari Festival, held in spring and autumn.

This ancient rite reflects the changing seats of the two deities with the seasons and is held on April 1 and November 1. It has long been known as a festival praying for abundant harvests and marital harmony, and it continues to attract many worshippers today.

Also held is the Gama Festival, inspired by the famous “toad oil sales pitch” of Mount Tsukuba, and it is cherished as a lively event featuring stage performances and food stalls. In addition, various ceremonies are held throughout the year, including a great purification rite for warding off misfortune and a New Year festival.

Tsukubasan Shrine Today
Today, Tsukubasan Shrine is a center of nature worship with the entire Mount Tsukuba range as its sacred precinct, and it is also beloved by many as a base for sightseeing and mountain climbing. Easily accessible by cable car and ropeway, it offers breathtaking views of the Kanto Plain from the worship hall.

From cherry blossoms in spring, fresh greenery in summer, autumn foliage, to snowy landscapes in winter, Mount Tsukuba displays different beauties throughout the seasons and has continued to captivate people from ancient times to the present. Tsukubasan Shrine is one of the Kanto region’s most spiritually powerful and renowned shrines, where nature, faith, history, and culture come together.

With a history and traditions spanning 3,000 years, Tsukubasan Shrine is one of Japan’s representative ancient shrines, harmonizing mythology, culture, and natural beauty. Because it enshrines married deities, it is deeply associated with blessings for matchmaking and family safety, and it is also known as a prestigious shrine revered by the Tokugawa shogunate. Celebrated in ancient poetry, reflecting the culture of Edo, and preserved into the present day, Tsukubasan Shrine is truly a symbol of Japan’s faith and nature.