NY066 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

One of Japan's oldest shrines, tracing its founding back over 2,100 years. Its main hall carries intricate Edo-period carvings attributed to the legendary sculptor Hidari Jingoro, including an elephant panel and a version of his famous "sleeping cat" motif. The shrine is the ceremonial home of the Chichibu Yomatsuri (Night Festival), a UNESCO-listed hikiyama float festival held every December 2-3, one of Japan's three great float festivals alongside Kyoto's Gion and Takayama's festivals.

Crowd level

Moderate

Website

chichibu-jinja.or.jp

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