Iwanai Shrine has long been cherished by the locals of Iwanai Town. Beyond its rich history, the shrine offers many attractions, including the seasonal beauty of its long approach and monthly Goshuin seal stamp designs. Plus, they have a fun Ezo-mikuji fortune-telling experience!

Visitors to Iwanai Shrine are first struck by the seemingly endless sando, or approach to the shrine. The path winds up and down hills, passing through several torii gates.

When you finally reach the top and look back, you'll be amazed once again by the length of the path.

During cherry blossom season, the path becomes a beautiful pink arch, creating a truly festive atmosphere for all who walk it.

Photo courtesy of Iwanai Shrine

The enshrined deities of Iwanai Shrine are Emperor Ōjin, Ichikishimahime-no-kami, and Ukemochi-no-kami. The shrine's origins date back to 1789 (Kansei 1), when a shrine was built to worship Ichikishimahime-no-kami. In 1862 (Bunkyu 2), by order of the Hakodate Magistrate's Office, Emperor Ōjin was enshrined alongside, and the shrine was named Hachiman Shrine. It was renamed Iwanai Shrine in 1898 (Meiji 31), designated as a kensha (prefectural shrine) in 1928 (Showa 3), and celebrated its 230th anniversary in 2019 (Reiwa 1).

You can learn more about the history of Iwanai Shrine at its historical archives. It's located inside the shrine office, so if you're interested, you can ask for a tour.

The mikoshi (portable shrine) enshrined in the center of the archives was crafted in 1896 (Meiji 29) and was used in the annual grand festival's portable shrine procession for about 100 years. This mikoshi has truly journeyed alongside the development of Iwanai Town.

Photo courtesy of Iwanai Shrine

On the grounds, you'll also find a splendid Kaguraden (Kagura hall), separate from the main hall. It is used as a stage for dedicating performances like Kagura (sacred music and dance) and Gagaku (ancient court music) to the deities, and is also considered a "place where the gods dwell."

Collecting Goshuin (shrine/temple seal stamps) has become popular recently, and Iwanai Shrine offers special monthly designs. The top right of the photo shows the standard design. The bottom three are the monthly designs for November, May, and February, from left to right. How fun! It makes you want to collect them all.

Another enjoyable part of visiting a shrine is drawing an omikuji (paper fortune). Iwanai Shrine has an Ezo-mikuji. Ezo-mikuji is a series of unique, entertaining local omikuji from around Hokkaido, often themed after local specialties.

At Iwanai Shrine, you use a fishing rod to catch your fortune. Just the act of drawing the omikuji is exciting! Here's what we caught.

Photo courtesy of Iwanai Shrine

The Ezo-mikuji at Iwanai Shrine is the "Tarafuku-mikuji," featuring a cute papier-mâché walleye pollock (sukesoudara). The key point is that the folded paper fortune itself is designed to look like tarako (pollock roe). The fortunes are also written in the Hokkaido dialect, which adds to the fun.

Iwanai Shrine moved to its current location in 1920 (Taisho 9). Since then, it has watched over Iwanai Town and carved out its history. By incorporating modern fun like the unique Goshuin and Ezo-mikuji, it will surely continue to be a spiritual anchor for the local community for years to come.