Hokkaido-jingu Shrine 北海道神宮

It is said that one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in northern Japan is at Hokkaido-jingu. This shrine is also the resting place of four deities.

You can get to the shrine by train and then a walk or taxi.

Catch a two-minute subway train to Odori from Sapporo Station and then a seven-minute Tozai subway train to Maruyama-koen Station. After that, it is a 15-minute walk to the shrine.

In 1871, the government abolished the feudal system, replacing it with a prefectural system and taking control of the land.

By the imperial decree of Emperor Meiji, three gods were selected to watch over the reclamation of Hokkaido. Okunitama, Onamuchi, and Sukunahikona were enshrined in a place called Sapporo-jinja, which later became known as Hokkaido-jingu Shrine.

The fourth god enshrined here was Emperor Meiji himself. The shrine burned down in 1974, but it was restored in 1978.

When walking toward the shrine, you will pass through a torii gate. Avoid walking through the center because that is called the causeway of the gods. This also applies when you take photographs of the torii—avoid shooting from this central path.