Hie Shrine — Attraction in Takayama

This is one of the two Takayama's festivals main Shrines. Hie Shrine is the one used during the spring Takayama Matsuri (14-15 April every year, except when bad weather) The location per se is beautiful. The Taisha type of shrine is also very nice especially with it's one thousand years old cedar Sacred tree on the left. you can reach this Shrine in 15 minutes walk from the old town. If you are coming here to enjoy peace, culture and how the light works between the trees and the architecture, and much more you came to the right place. This small site really has something very natural and ancestral.

The down is that this shrine is kept really rough, poor maintenance, you can see old uneeded tools everywhere around the shrines instead of a proper place storage like others, unsightly snow scaffolding. Also you can arrive there with your car or bike using the Sandō path between the Torii entrance and the Shrine which is really a shame. People in cars leaving the cars engines on for ages, watching tv in the car or phones, while cars are making such noises, thinking only of themselves and ignoring common sense and disturbing the public peace.

Lastly they have only Japanese info and is the first time I had to pay a plain normal pamphlet 100 JPY! No one sells common pamphlets! The problem is who manages this space... Definitely...

Hie Shrine (Hie Jinja), also known as Sannō-sama, is a historic Shinto shrine. Established in 1141, it is dedicated to the deity Sannō Gongen (Oyamakui no Kami), revered as the protector of mountains and a guardian of the region. Hie Shrine is renowned for hosting the annual Takayama Spring Festival on April 14–15. This event features ornate floats (yatai) adorned with mechanical dolls (karakuri ningyō), paraded through the streets in a vibrant celebration of spring. A prominent feature of the shrine is a majestic cedar tree over 1,000 years old, standing as a natural monument and symbolizing the shrine's...

Good place to appreciate the tranquility of Japanese shrine. Famous for the thousand years old cedar. Fans of the Japanese animation movie "your name" shall not miss this place. Be reminded to prepare 5yen coins if you plan to make a wish.

Getting and Leaving : not well connected by public transportation. There are infrequent bus running with stop here. Visitors who plan to travel by taxi would better download apps to call one. You're lucky if you see a taxi available for hire passing by...

It is a 30mins walk to town...