About the Hitachinokuni
Soshagu Shrine

Hitachinokuni Soshagu Shrine is a venerable shrine dating back about a thousand years. Its origins go back to when all the deities in the province of Hitachi (now Ibaraki Prefecture) were enshrined in what is now Ishioka City, the heart of the province. The Main Sanctuary was built in 1627, making it the oldest building in the grounds.

The deities enshrined here are deifications of the glorious natural landscapes such as Mt. Tsukuba and Lake Kasumigaura. People come here to pray for many different things, including health, relationships, commercial prosperity, and warding off evil.

The present form of prayer to these deities is the Reitaisai annual major festival, popularly known as the Ishioka Festival, every September. Thirty shishi-mai lion dances, twelve floats, and two mikoshi portable shrines parade around town. More than 500,000 spectators come to see the festival, making it one of the prefecture’s most famous.

Visitors from all over the country travel to the Shrine, thanks to its famous Omamori charms, Goshuuin seal stamps, and Ema votive tablets.These goods feature designs based on the works of Tezuka Osamu, a renowned manga artist with his family roots in Ishioka.With very easy access from both Ibaraki Airport and JR Ishioka Station, the surrounding area offers orchards for year-round fruit picking and restaurants featuring local ingredients.

A number of experience-focused programs are available for visitors from overseas. For example, you can try worshiping or dancing wearing the robes of a Shinto priest or shrine maiden, or try your hand at copying out prayers. The Soshagu is one of the few places in Japan where such activities are offered.