Chichibu area · History
Chichibu Shrine
Colourful carvings and the home of the Chichibu Night Festival.
With more than 2,000 years of history, this shrine watches over the Chichibu region. Its main sanctuary, donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu, features vivid dragon and tiger carvings attributed to Hidari Jingoro. The December 2–3 Chichibu Night Festival belongs to Japan’s UNESCO-listed float festival tradition.
Plan your visit
- Getting there
- About 3 min on foot from Chichibu Station, or 15 min from Seibu-Chichibu Station
- From Tokyo Station
- About 125–155 minTokyo → Ikebukuro (Marunouchi Line) → Seibu-Chichibu by limited express → 15-minute walk
An estimate for the transport shown, including transfers and walking. Waiting times and congestion vary; check a route for your departure time.
Public transport routeAccess and booking checked
- Opening hours
- The gate opens between 05:00 and 06:00 depending on the season, and closes at 20:00. Prayer-service reception is daily 09:00–16:30. Check official notices for festival changes.
- Admission
- Ordinary visits are free. Prayer services, shrine seals and amulets cost extra.
- Time to enjoy
- 45 minutes
- Best time
- Year-round; Chichibu Night Festival in December
Hours and fees checked
Opening hours and events may change. Please check the latest details before visiting.
Reference photo and illustration
AI-generated illustration based on a photograph, with reinterpreted colors and details.
Chichibu-jinja ac (4).jpg — Asturio Cantabrio · CC BY-SA 4.0
The illustration adapted from this photo is also provided under CC BY-SA 4.0.
