Hakuja Shrine: A Shrine of Good Fortune Honoring Uedas White Serpent

Located in Ueda City, Matsuo Uja Shrine honors the spirit of a white serpent said to have been the master of the second-bailey moat of Ueda Castle and a guardian deity of the castle. It takes its origin from the enshrining of the spirit of a white serpent said to have lived in the moat since the Sanada clan built the castle, given the name Matsuo Uja, and locals affectionately call it Hakuja-san or Hakuja Shrine. Known for a wide range of blessings such as good fortune, success, prosperous business, and recovery from illness, it is a small but deeply revered power spot known to those in the know.

Highlights

• A storied shrine that preserves the white-serpent legend tied to Ueda Castle, with a plain-wood white serpent enshrined in the rear sanctuary.
• A wide range of blessings, including good fortune, success, prosperous business, and recovery from illness.
• Grounds rich in things to see, lined with an Inari shrine, a Koyasu shrine, Benzaiten, and Kuzuryu Daigongen.
• Charms and goshuin seal stamps themed on the white serpent, nice mementos of a visit.

Enjoying the Seasons

In the fresh-green season when the surroundings are lovely, and in autumn when the trees turn color, worship in the quiet grounds feels all the more pleasant. Visitor numbers rise at milestones connected to the Year of the Snake or the white serpent, but on ordinary days you can pray in calm, which is part of its appeal. Pairing a visit with a walk through Uedas history, such as Ueda Castle Park, is also recommended.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: Ueda City, Nagano (on the hillside to the northwest of Ueda Castle)
• Access: About 10 minutes by car from Ueda Station on the JR and Shinano Railway lines; up the hillside from the Ueda Medical Center-mae junction on the Route 18 Ueda Bypass
• Hours: Grounds open at all times
• Admission: Free
• Parking: Parking beside the grounds (the approach road is narrow, so drive with care)

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: The bright hours of the day are reassuring, and the grounds feel especially fine in the fresh-green and foliage seasons.
• Avoiding crowds: Apart from New Year and Year-of-the-Snake periods it is generally quiet, and on weekdays you can usually worship with little to no wait.
• Rough time needed: About 30 minutes to an hour for worship and looking around the grounds; allow a little more if receiving a goshuin.
• Real spots nearby: A few minutes by car brings you to Ueda Castle Park, historic sites tied to the Sanada clan, and the shopping street in front of Ueda Station.
• Budget sense: Worship is free, and even with a charm or goshuin fee you can enjoy it for a few hundred to about a thousand-something yen.

A Quick Tip

The road leading to the shrine narrows in places to barely the width of one car, so drive carefully. Watch for oncoming cars and proceed slowly. Since it is close to central Ueda, it is convenient to drop by while touring the old castle town.

📚 Sources

The information about Matsuo Uja Shrine was compiled by our editorial team from Ueda City tourism information, local guidance, and interpretive signs on the grounds. The account of enshrining the spirit of a white serpent said to be the master of the Ueda Castle Ninomaru moat and a guardian of the castle follows these public references. Because worship hours and shrine-office services may change, please confirm the latest information from local sources or Ueda City before your visit.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Allow about 15 to 30 minutes to worship at the hall.
• What to prepare: You will walk the grounds, so comfortable shoes make the visit pleasant.
• Getting around: It sits near Ueda Castle, so it is convenient to worship on foot together with the castle ruins.
• Worship manners: Worship quietly at the hall and be considerate of other visitors.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Parking: According to the official access guide, there are three car parks at the top of the slope.
• Access (by car): About 10 minutes by private car from the Ueda-Sugadaira Interchange.
• Prayer services: At the monthly festival held on the 3rd, 13th and 23rd of every month, a goma fire prayer ritual takes place from 11:00. Applications for purification rites and ceremonies are accepted at any time by telephone reservation.
• Main festivals: 3 February, Setsubun Festival (reception from 10:00, with a bean-throwing ceremony following the goma prayer ritual); 3 May, Spring Grand Festival (fire-walking ceremony from 12:30); 3 August, Festival Reporting the Descent from the Sacred Mountain (goma prayer ritual from 10:30, followed by the Osunafumi sacred-sand ceremony); 3 November, Autumn Grand Festival (from 10:00). The times of festivals other than the monthly festival may shift earlier or later.
• Note for worshippers: The Kaiun Benten Fudo Waterfall at the very back of the precincts is an important place where Ontake ascetics perform their purification rites, and the shrine officially asks visitors not to step inside the sacred boundary (a rope hung with white paper).
• Enquiries: 0268-22-5303 (Matsuo Uja Shrine / Shinshu Ueda Hakuja Shrine)
• Official information: The official website of Shinshu Ueda Hakuja Shrine (its annual events, access and enquiries pages)

* The above is a guide based on information published by each facility and local authority. Times and prices are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.