Hokumon Shrine
Hokumon Shrine stands on an elevated spot overlooking Wakkanai Port and holds the distinction of being the northernmost shrine in Japan with a resident priest. Its origins trace back to 1785, when Denbei Murayama, a contractor of the Matsumae domain, enshrined Amaterasu Omikami as a guardian deity for the northern gate while stationed in Sōya. He established a small shrine and named it Sōya Daijingu. Today, the enshrined deities are Amaterasu Omikami, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami, and Kotoshironushi-no-Kami, and the shrine is known for bringing blessings such as a good harvest, safe voyages, business prosperity, matchmaking, and safe childbirth.
Coming to pay my respects in this kind of weather, my mind just quiets down without me even realizing it. My feet were so cold they went numb, but somehow I actually felt pretty calm.
