ABOUT
About this spot
On the first Day of the Rooster in December, Washinomiya Shrine in Kuki, Saitama, fills with stalls selling lucky charms. It calls itself the head shrine of the "Otori-sama" fairs and the oldest major shrine in Kanto, with legends of deities arriving in the age of the gods.
The first firm record is an entry in the Azuma Kagami from 1251. In the Middle Ages it was the chief shrine of the Ota estate and was supported by warrior families such as the Oyama. Tokugawa Ieyasu granted it land in 1591. The enshrined deities are Ame-no-hohi, Takehinadori and Onamuchi.
The shrine's Saibara Kagura is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, performed in the kagura hall six times a year. Since the anime Lucky Star, broadcast in April 2007, featured it as a shrine in the story, many fans have visited. From Washinomiya Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line it is about a 7 to 8 minute walk.
Last updated November 1, 2026