Akiba Shrine

Akiba Shrine in the Ogimachi district of Shirakawa-go was founded in the wake of two major fires, in 1718 and 1749, that repeatedly gutted the western part of the village. Residents of that neighborhood established the sanctuary hoping to protect their community, and it remained a small place of worship until the Taisho era, when it was reconstructed and formally dedicated to Kagutsuchi, the Shinto god of fire. The shrine was renamed Akiba at that time to align it with the main Kagutsuchi sanctuary in Shizuoka. It is now considered the protector of all of Ogimachi and remains a respected presence in the community.