Fifty minutes from Tokyo by bullet train, then a fifteen-minute walk through a city fed by Mt. Fuji’s underground springs — and you arrive at one of the most important shrines in eastern Japan. Mishima Taisha is the Ichinomiya of old Izu Province, meaning it held the highest spiritual rank in the region. But what […]
A 15-minute drive from central Naha leads you to a quiet residential neighborhood in Hantakawa—and to one of Okinawa’s most mysterious sacred sites. Shikina-gū is one of the Ryukyu Hassya (Eight Official Shrines) designated by the Ryukyu Kingdom, and behind its modest main hall lies a limestone cave (gama) that has been the center of
Just 3 minutes on foot from Monzen-Nakacho Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, Tomioka Hachimangu stands as “Edo’s Greatest Hachimangu” — a shrine founded in 1627 that has served as the spiritual heart of Tokyo’s Fukagawa district for nearly 400 years. Under the patronage of the Tokugawa shoguns, this shrine became one of the
A 15-minute walk from JR Hofu Station brings you to the stone steps of Japan’s very first Tenmangu shrine. Founded in 904 AD, Hofu Tenmangu was established to honor Sugawara no Michizane — the deified “God of Learning” — making it older than both Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto (947) and Dazaifu Tenmangu in Fukuoka (919).
Step off the train at Chichibu Station, walk just three minutes, and you’ll find yourself before the magnificent gate of one of Saitama Prefecture’s most sacred sites. Chichibu Shrine, the guardian deity of the Chichibu region, boasts a history spanning over 2,100 years and a main hall donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself in 1592. What
The grand torii gate of Usa Jingu — head shrine of all Hachiman shrines in Japan (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA) Of Japan’s approximately 44,000 Hachiman shrines, one stands above them all — and it’s not in Tokyo or Kyoto. Usa Jingu in Oita Prefecture is the supreme head shrine (sohongu) of every Hachiman shrine
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Cherry blossoms frame the Kunozan Toshogu grounds (Photo: Motokoka / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) Before Nikko Toshogu became famous worldwide, there was Kunozan Toshogu — the very first shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the warlord who unified Japan and established the Tokugawa shogunate. Perched atop Mount Kuno at 216 meters above sea level in
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine | Complete Guide to Japan’s Original Tokugawa Shrine in Shizuoka Read More »
Udo Jingu perched on the Pacific Ocean cliffs (Photo: JKT-c / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0) A shrine built inside a sea cave on the Pacific coast — Udo Jingu in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture is one of Japan’s most extraordinary sacred sites. Unlike most shrines where you climb steps to reach the main hall, Udo
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Yasaka Shrine’s iconic West Gate at the end of Shijo Street (Photo: Natalie Maguire / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0) “Is Yasaka Shrine just a quick stop on a Kyoto sightseeing tour?” Far from it. Yasaka Shrine is one of Kyoto’s oldest and most important shrines, with over 1,400 years of history. It’s the headquarters
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The stone torii gate of Tamaki Shrine, deep in the mountain forest (Photo: Tokiwokakeru / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) “Is it true that only those who are ‘called’ can reach Tamaki Shrine?” The short answer: anyone can visit Tamaki Shrine. However, perched near the summit of Mount Tamaki at 1,076 meters elevation, this ancient