Written by Chris Kirkland
Mitsumine Shrine is both a famous “power spot” and a gateway to hiking Mt. Kumotori. It’s also one of Chichibu’s most well-known spots. A long and winding bus ride (1 hour 15 min, ¥950 one way) from Seibu-Chichibu Station delivers you to an altitude of about 1,100 m and the entrance to the shrine.
Wolf statues stand in place of the usual guardian lion-dogs — the wolf is the shrine’s messenger animal — and the gate and main hall are covered in brightly painted carvings. From Tokyo, the Laview limited express runs Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu in about 80 minutes; our Chichibu day trip guide covers the full route.
The shrine buildings have beautifully intricate awnings with most being well-preserved wooden structures. Adding to the enchanting atmosphere of this secluded mountain shrine are the many towering cedar trees all around—including those that allegedly exude power to people who touch them (and who perhaps also donate a few yen).
There’s a hot spring (great if you’re a hiker returning from Mt. Kumotori) and, to top the experience off, there’s even an old-school Japanese coffee house with black-trousered, bow-tie-clad waiters—a cultural phenomenon in itself (don’t expect to get a single origin flat white).
Check the return bus timetable before you set out — the last bus back leaves mid-afternoon on weekdays, a little later on weekends.
