Nara City Tourism Association

The name of this shrine, “Himuro,” literally means “ice room,” a reference to the god enshrined therein: the guardian of artificial ice and refrigeration. On the first of each month, “ice lanterns” (koori kentou) are lit: votive candols are lit within ice vessels, which shine exquisitely around the shrine. Visitors in the springtime can also see an extraordinary weeping cherry tree reknowned as the most beautiful cherry blossom tree in Nara. In recent years, an event called “Himuro Shirayuki Festival” has brought together many varieties of shaved ice from around Nara and Japan.