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Shrine and temple at the foot of Mt. Myokou (Faith in Mt. Myokou)、妙高山麓の社寺（妙高山信仰）


Mt. Myokou (2454m) in central Japan (Niigata pref.) has been worshipped since the ancient era. Sekiyama Shrine and Houzouin Temple were the center of the worship; we can know the prosperity in the old days. Those locate by Hokkoku-kaidou (highway). The article was written based on guide boards at the site. Traces of the syncretism and subsequent separation of Shinto and Buddhism can be seen.

妙高山（2454m、新潟県）は古代から信仰を集めてきました。北国街道沿いの関山神社と別当の宝蔵院は妙高山信仰の拠点。江戸時代には大いに栄えました（本記事は、妙高市教育委員会の案内板をもとに作成しています）。神仏習合と神仏分離の跡が見えます。

 

 

Sekiyama Shrine、関山神社

Mt. Myokou has been considered as the deity dwelling mountain. The shrine is dedicated to the deity.

妙高山を神体山としてまつる神社（里宮）とされています。


The main building above was rebuilt in 1818.

1818年に再建された社殿。本殿・幣殿・拝殿が一体化し、最奥部に宮殿があります。


View of Mt. Myokou. I visited several times, but I unfortunately have not seen the summit (photo at lower rignt. It is a panel of “Myoko-Kogen Visitor Center” in 2025). The shape of the mountain resembles the Amida Triad (Amida Buddha, flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas).

妙高山へは、何度か足を運びましたが、山頂はなかなか見ず（7月30日撮影、右下は妙高高原ビジターセンター展示パネル）。山容は阿弥陀三尊に見えますね。

 

 

Houzouin Temple site、宝蔵院跡

After the introduction of Buddhism to Japan in the 6th century, Shinto and Buddhism gradually merged. In consequence, Houzouin Temple, which was next to Sekiyama Shrine, managed rituals including a festival at the site.

The temple was attacked and burned by the powerful feudal lord (Oda Nobunaga) in 1582, however, the temple was restored by the shogunate afterward.

仏教伝来後は神仏が習合し、隣接する宝蔵院が、関山権現の祭礼などを担う別当となりました。1582年、寺院群は織田信長の軍勢に焼き払われましたが、江戸幕府の支援によって東叡山寛永寺（天台宗）の末寺として再興。

祭礼も復活し、“現在に続く関山神社大祭（通称火祭り）では、その頃からの仏教的な次第の一部が「仮山伏の棒遣い」や「松引き」などの民俗芸能として継承されています”と案内板に書かれています。

院主は世襲でなく寛永寺から任命され、彼らの墓所も残っています。


The relic of the temple site. The temple buildings were dismantled in 1878 because of “The Order to Separate Shinto and Buddhism” in 1868; the shrine (Shinto facility) remains. The temple’s lodging facility was in front of the rock-garden.

宝蔵院は、神仏分離令をうけて廃寺になり明治11年に撤去されました。平坦地の奥に本坊の跡地、更に奥には池泉庭園の石組みが残ります。


A chief priest probably went down to the garden via the stones in front. Mt. Myokou would appear behind the pond in a fine day.

院主は庭の向こうの妙高山（この日は見えず）を見ていたのでしょうね。手前の石は「要石（沓脱石）」です。本坊から庭へ降りるときの石でしょうか。


The banner on the left is the exhibit in Kijimadaira Village museum, which is 20 km to the east. Villagers, who worshipped Mt. Myokou, went west and climbed the mountain on the 23rd of June. The Houzouin Temple approved them to climb, and permitted to bring the banner. Surprisingly enough, the exhibit was used in 1765. It is easy to guess that climbing the mountain was an important and proud event for them. It is said that the mountain was worshipped by villagers as the Western Pure Land.

約20km東にある木島平村ふるさと資料館に、妙高山登拝の旗印（1765年）が展示されていました。旗は宝蔵院の許可を示します。登拝日は６月23日と決まっていて、明治時代まで盛んに行われていました。よく残してくれました。妙高山は西国浄土とされていたようです。

 

 

Myokou-dou (hall)、妙高堂

The hall is next to Sekiyama Shrine. It has the Amida Triad, which were at the top of Mt. Myokou. At the beginning of the modern era (Meiji period, 1868-1912), The new government ordered to separate Shinto and Buddhism, and prioritized on Shinto. Mt. Myokou is considered as the deity dwelling mountain, so the Amida Triad moved to the hall at the foot.

関山神社に隣接しています。妙高山頂にあった阿弥陀三尊像は、明治の神仏分離で山頂から降り、新たに建立された妙高堂に安置されました。


Buddha statues：That were made from volcanic rocks from Mt. Myokou in the medieval era. It is said that the statues were placed along the mountain trail up to Mt. Myokou.

関山石仏群：妙高山から噴出した安山石を使用した石仏です（平安時代末から鎌倉時代）。地元では、かつて妙高山の参詣道に沿って置かれていたと伝えられています。


Buddha footprint: Buddha’s foot was carved on the rock from Mt. Myokou. It is accompanied with Buddha’s bone reliquary (left) and his seal (right). Three-precious-symbol Buddha carving is unique in Japan; it is considered to have been carved in the 14th century. The stone monument has been worshipped.

仏足石：釈迦の足形と彫った石です。安山岩の中央に仏足、左に釈迦の実印、右に舎利塔が彫られていて、国内唯一の作例で南北朝時代の制作と考えられています。長く信仰されてきたのですね。

 

 

Map of the site、周辺地図



The approach to the shrine goes down to Sekiyama post-town at Hokkoku-kaidou (highway). Although there is almost no relics in the town, the road that seems to go on forever is a testimony of the main traffic.

参道は、北国街道・関山宿へと下っていきます。関山宿には昔の名残はほぼありませんが、どこまでも続いていきそうな旧北国街道（県道360号線）が旅情を誘います。

 


 

 

Visited in July, 2025

参考サイト: 関山神社 - myokotourism.jp (in Japanese)

 

 

Previous post (museum on the same highway): Sekigawa checkpoint and museum、関川関所・道の歴史館（新潟県）

Next post (museum in the same city): Hida history and folklore museum、斐太歴史民俗資料館（新潟県）(Coming soon)

 


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