Motoise Kono Jinja, or simply Kono Jinja, is an imperial shrine just north of a sand bar Amanohashidate in northern Kyoto Prefecture. The shrine was the original home of Toyo’uke Ômikami, the goddess of agriculture and the companion of Amaterasu Ômikami, sun goddess and matriarch of the imperial family. Toyo’uke Ômikami was moved from Kono Jinja to her current residence at Ise at Gekû.

For the casual: 3. For the educated: 4.

If your plan is to travel out of Kyoto or Osaka to see some of the most holy shrines in the country, you may as well make the trip to Ise to see the real ones instead of the holy sites where the gods USED to live. I’m aware that I’m being harsh, but I just don’t see a casual or an educated visitor making the trip to this shrine without being drawn by the far more enjoyable activities offered in the Amanohashidate area.

That being said, the shrine is nice and clean. It’s styled in the traditional architecture you’d see at Ise. The grounds were recently refurbished, so the stone baths are clean cut and bright, the gold leaf flickers in the sunlight, and the refreshing scent of cedar hangs in the air.

Located in the middle of Amanohashidate, a long sandbar dividing a bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture, this shrine of the same name is not only dedicated to the unique landmass, but also the heavenly bridge for which it’s named. It was said that the god Izanagi-no-kami would cross the bridge to heaven every day between the mortal world that he and his wife made, and the realms of heaven where his wife waited for him.

For the casual: 3. For the educated: 4.

There really isn’t much reason to visit this shrine despite the mythology it represents. It’s far from any real city, it’s not manned by any staff or priests, and it’s very small in size that despite standing in the middle of the trail along the sandbar, there’s still a chance to miss it. All of that being said, it’s very beautiful and has weathered very nicely. Dark wood, spots of moss, and shaded by gorgeous cypress trees bring out the natural beauty of the shrine.