Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-07 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Saruka Shrine, sometimes written Saruga, is in the city of Hirakawa, Aomori. It is said to have been founded in 807, when Sakanoue no Tamuramaro came north in the campaigns against the Ezo, and its main kami is Kamitsukenokimitaji-no-mikoto. The main hall, of 1826, is a prefectural Important Cultural Property, and its preserved building records are a city cultural property. The shrine holds a rice-planting festival every year and has a pond of pink lotuses.
Tsugaru-Onoe Station on the Kōnan Line is about 1.2 km away in a straight line.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Saruga Shrine haiden — nnh · Public domain · source · resized
- Saruga Shrine torii — nnh · Public domain · source · resized
- Saruga Shrine kagamigaike — nnh · Public domain · source · resized
- Munakata Shrine (Hirakawa, Aomori) — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Miharashigaike in Saruka Park — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Kagamigaike and Munakata Shrine — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Saruka Park (猿賀公園) - panoramio — Feri88 · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Saruka Park (猿賀公園) - panoramio (1) — Feri88 · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Haiden of Saruga Shrine 20220821a — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Haiden of Saruga Shrine 20220821b — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Saruka Jinja (猿賀神社), sometimes rendered Saruga, is a Shinto shrine in Hirakawa, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is said to have been founded in 807, when Sakanoue no Tamuramaro came north during the campaigns against the Ezo. The Honden, dating to 1826, is a Prefecturally-designated Important Cultural Property. Preserved building records (棟札) are a City-designated Important Cultural Property (Historic Materials). There is an annual rice-planting festival and a pond of pink lotus. The main kami enshrined here is Kamitsukenokimitaji no mikoto (上毛野君田道命).
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-07 · Official visitor information
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Shrine
Nearby station
Nearby station: Tsugaru-Onoe (Kōnan Line), about 1.2 km from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
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