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Happy New Year!
I went to Fukui Shrine for the first visit of the year.

 

The Fukui Shrine is in a good location that is by the moat of Fukui Castle Ruins. However, the shrine doesn’t look luxurious unlike typical shrines and doesn’t advertise, so it seems like not so many people visit there.

 

In fact, the Fukui Shrine is ranked as a special government shrine that there are only 28 ones in Japan. The shrine’s main deity is Shungaku Matsudaira, who was the lord of Fukui domain. Also, in its auxiliary shrine, Sanai Hashimoto, who was executed at the Ansei Purge when he was only 25 years old, is enshrined. So residents of Fukui Prefecture may feel something familiar to the shrine.

 

The shrine is run by its patronage group, doesn’t operate a profit-making business, and doesn’t depend donations from shrine parishioners, so they cover the least cost by their own. I hope that the number of visitors will increase from now on. (H.S)

 

Fukui Shrine’s special goshuin (stamp given at shrines or temples) for New Year

 

The torii gate of the Fukui Shrine is called shinmei style that is the upper is straight, which is the same one at Ise Shrine. On the other hand, the upswept upper one is called myojin style.

 

The main hall is also shinmei style.

 

I prayed at the auxiliary shrine as well.

 

Sanai Hashimoto is depicted on a picture displayed in the precinct. He taught at a domain school that founded by Shungaku Matsudaira.