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Moriya Shrine

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守矢神社 (もりやじんじゃ)
Moriya Shrine
mo̞ɾija̠d͡ʑĩnd͡ʑʲa̠
The Moriya Shrine
The Moriya Shrine as seen in Touhou Hisoutensoku
Location

On top of the Youkai Mountain

Residents
Appearances
Official Games

The Moriya Shrine (守矢神社 Moriya Jinja) is a Shinto shrine, originally from the Outside World, that was transported to Gensokyo by the god Kanako Yasaka during the start of the events of Mountain of Faith. It is now located somewhere near the top of Youkai Mountain beside a neighboring Divine Lake that was brought with it.

This shrine is home to the priestess Sanae Kochiya and its resident gods Kanako Yasaka and Suwako Moriya. Both the kappa and tengu have come to accept Kanako as a resident god and now live in peace. As the shrine gets few visitors, its primary source of income comes from selling bits of outside-world technology to the kappa.[1]

Background Information

The autumn shrine building of the real-life Suwa Grand Shrine, on which Moriya Shrine is based.

As noted in Silent Sinner in Blue, a distinctively thick shimenawa is hung across the entrance of the shrine building, bigger than the one at the Hakurei Shrine. As an aside, we can see the same design at Suwa Grand Shrine, the original inspiration of Moriya Shrine. The Outside World Moriya Shrine (with a different kanji, 矢神社) also exists near the Suwa Grand Shrine.

In chapter 19 of Silent Sinner in Blue, Yukari Yakumo accuses Watatsuki no Toyohime that the Lunarians placed the two thick shimenawa at the front of the Moriya Shrine to seal in the war god, Take-Minakata, because they feared his retribution after conquering his father Daikoku's lands. According to Shinto legend, Amaterasu (generally implied in the Touhou Project to be sister of Lord Tsukuyomi, founder of the Lunar Capital) sent Take-Mikazuchi to conquer Take-Minakata while trying to unite Japan. After a sumo match, Take-minakata's arms were cut and he fled to Lake Suwa, where he married a Suwa goddess, Yasakatome. The conversation is interrupted before Yukari's claim can be confirmed. However, the fact that Toyohime decided to leave Yukari behind on Earth as opposed to taking Yukari prisoner to the Moon like she initially planned to do could imply there is some truth to Yukari's claim.

Moriya Shrine has a tiny branch shrine on the grounds of the Hakurei Shrine[2], and a number of roadside shrines around the outskirts of the Human Village.[3]

After years of negotiation with the tengu,[4][5] an aerial tramway was opened in the spring of 2017,[6] directly connecting the shrine to the foot of the mountain and making it accessible to even normal humans.

Moriya Shrine's Appearances

Games

Mountain of Faith

When a mysterious shrine maiden attempts to convince Reimu to shut down the Hakurei Shrine, Reimu and Marisa climb Youkai Mountain to investigate. Along the way they learn that a new god has recently arrived from the Outside World with an entire shrine and lake in tow, and her ambition has brought her into conflict with the native kappa and tengu. The shrine itself is the setting for stages 5, 6 and Extra.

Subterranean Animism

In the Extra stage of Subterranean Animism, Reimu and Marisa travel to Moriya Shrine after learning that Utsuho Reiuji received her nuclear powers from "two gods who came down from a mountain". Kanako and Suwako are not present at the time, but they do encounter Sanae Kochiya and Koishi Komeiji.

Spin-offs

Touhou Hisoutensoku

Moriya Shrine is Sanae Kochiya's home stage in Touhou Hisoutensoku, set on a plain at the base of a hill with the shrine itself at its peak. While the shrine does not appear in Story Mode, it is where Sanae first saw the mysterious giant figure, and where Suwako Moriya explains its true nature in her scenario ending.

Impossible Spell Card

The ninth day of Impossible Spell Card takes place at Moriya Shrine, where Kanako Yasaka, Suwako Moriya, Mononobe no Futo and Suika Ibuki try to capture Seija Kijin with their "impossible" spell cards. There are 8 scenes total in the day. The previous day was located at the Shining Needle Castle, whilst the next day is located at the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Gallery

References