Jozan Inari Jinja

Jozan Inari Jinja is yet another shrine located on the grounds of Matue Castle. Though many visitors might miss it if they’re not careful, this shrine is known not only for an abundance of fox figurines of varying sizes, but also for the Shikinen Shinkôsai Matsuri, a festival including close to one hundred boats, dancers, prayers, and it’s only once every ten years.

For the casual: 6. For the educated: 6.

If you like foxes then this is a shrine for you. Many Inari shrines are adorned with multiple fox figures, but very few have such an impressive collection. Some figures, like Agyo and Ngyo, are quite large, but some of the smaller shrines have dozens of small white ceramic figures. Apparently this shrine was also a personal favorite location of Lefcadio Hern, a noted author born in Greece but raised in Ireland, England, and France. He arrived in Japan at the age of 40 and fell in love with the country and most importantly with mystical folk tales about yokai. When he wasn’t teaching English at a number of schools in Matsue, he documented the vivid and wonderfully frightening folk tales of rural Japan.

When I visited I had an encounter with a yokai in a way that I can’t properly make heads of tales of, and to be honest I don’t really want to. Let me first say that I am a fan of yokai stories and folklore and though there isn’t much on the island where I live, there is a great deal to be found in the various country towns around Japan. Shimane is known for having a strong connection with the spiritual realm since from ancient times Shimane, and in particular Izumo, is known for being the land where the gods first step foot in the realm of mortals once created by Izanagi and Izanami. So with this in mind, I was already jazzed about where I was, the temples and shrines I was visiting, and I also had my eye out for references to folklore. When I arrived at Jozan Inari, I was alone. I had passed the other visitors on the way in and the cars parked at the bottom of the stairs were gone once I reached the top of the stairs. So I felt like I had this moment to really enjoy this lovely shrine and all that was there. Though the shrine was open to visitors, the offices were closed so I couldn’t get a goshuin, and just at that moment it started to rain. Thinking the entire scenario was rather silly and ill-timed, I just laughed and started having a conversation in Japanese with myself, but also thinking I was talking to the foxes themselves. If you don’t know, foxes can be yokai and as yokai they are known for shape-shifting and pulling pranks on people. So with that in mind, I enjoyed encouraging the idea that this was all the work of some foxes having some fun, so I decided to enjoy it as well. When the rain finally began to die down, I made my way over to the gate at the top of the stairs to leave. When I turned back around to bow, thanking the gods for letting me enter, I saw what I can only assume was a ghost or at least an illusion: I saw a Noh performer with a woman’s face mask dressed in white with a black obi standing in the office space I was just standing at. Feeling a bit shocked, I bowed, and then left. I’m not sure what I saw was real, but it seemed real enough to me in the moment. All the same, I walked away feeling that I had been pranked by a fox, an idea that made me smile all the way home.

 

Matsue Gokoku Jinja

Founded in the early 20th century, Matsue Gokoku Jinja, like its siblings in Hiroshima and Shiga, is a shrine dedicated to soldiers from Matsue who gave their lives defending Japan in its wars. The shrine is said to be home to close to 23,000 souls.

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

There really isn’t much to do at this shrine other than pray. I think the sprawling landscape of the shrine mixed with the solidarity of its building makes it a rather boring place to visit. I do think that the shrine itself is lovely and well maintained, but apart from praying there’s not really much else to do. I’m also not sure if they have a goshuin. You have to go to the office building on the right to check, but when I was there it was in the middle of COVID19 and I wasn’t sure anyone was there.

 

Iya Jinja

Iya Jinja is a very old small shrine on the southern edge of Matsue in Shimane Prefecture. Though it’s appearance is rather lacking, the shrine is actually a very widely renowned. Considered one of the six most important shrines of the Nara Period (710-784 C.E.), Iya Jinja is a shrine explicitly for the worship of Izanami-no-Kami, goddess of creation, wife of Izanagi-no-Kami, and goddess of death. She, who died in childbirth to the fire god, was burned alive until she finally passed away and entered the underworld. When Izanagi-no-Kami attempted to bring her back, he was tasked to make his way out and not look at Izanami-no-Kami until he was outside. In his impatience, he turned to look too early and saw the walking decomposing corpse of his sister/wife standing before him. In her rage, she send the agents of the underworld to chase him out. Izanagi-no-Kami placed a boulder over the entrance to the underworld trapping Izanami-no-Kami inside. Her final act was to curse their mortal creations with a limited lifespan. Iya Jinja is therefore a shrine built to honor her for what she created and to apease her endless rage.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 10.

If you have no interest in Japan’s origin myth, then there’s isn’t much of a reason for visiting outside of just seeing a nice shrine. But if you’re like me and you love this kind of stuff, then you’re in luck. The shrine is a small one, so it only needs to be a stop along your day, but the staff there were amazingly kind and welcoming to everyone there. The main building is build of dark brown wood with an oxidated copper roof and above the front steps hangs a large woven shimenawa, a kind of rope usually made from rice or wheat grasses which demarks a sacred or holy area. There’s not much to say about the shrine besides that it’s a single building with several small shrines in the surrounding area, but for me the highlight was actually down the road.

There is a reason why the primary shrine to Izanami-no-Kami is where it is, because down the road is the Yomotsu Hirasaka, the blocked entrance to the underworld. Genuinly this location is very small, off the beaten path, and is practically devoid of any visitors, but for those who know about the genesis story, this is where the mortality of humans was founded. A small pond and a cluster of stones is all that’s really there to see, but there is a fun feeling knowing that this is the spot. It’s like knowing where some famous person died. Sure there may not be any pomp and circumstance regarding the event, but there’s a fun feeling knowing that you know where you are, that you know what you can see. There is a separate goshuin for Yomotsu Hirasaka but it’s at the building at the base of the street and not at the boulders themselves. The man who was there when I visited was also amazingly kind and seemed so excited that someone would stop by and talk to him.

Yomotsu Hirasaka, the blocked entrance to the underworld.

 

The stop map is for Iya Jinja, with the bottom map being Yomotsu Hirasaka.

 

Matsue Jinja

Matsue Jinja is a shrine dedicated to the protection of the city from it’s home on the grounds of Matsue Castle. I had trouble finding any information regarding the shrine. With a generic name, all search engines turned up lists of shrines in the Matsue area. I will continue to look for information to update here, but until then, there’s not much I can say for now.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 6.

The main appeal of this shrine is due to its placement along the path leading to the castle keep, so there’s little chance that visitors will miss it. The appearance of the shrine is subtle yet detailed with a cleanly maintained landscape as well as several beautifully decorated buildings.

 

Oyamazumi Jinja

Hidden on Omishima in the Seto Inland Sea, Oyamazumi Jinja is a far more decorated shrine than many might give it credit for. It’s not known exactly when the shrine was first established, but it is a shrine that has been present on the island as long as people have been living there. Its main enshrined deity is Oyamazumi-no-kami, older brother to Amaterasu-Omikami, and a god of mountains, seas, and warfare. Because of that last point, Oyamazumi Jinja had been a favorite shrine for warriors to pray at for vistory in battle, and to pay their respects in gratitude for a victory, these warriors would donate weapons and armor to the shrine. As a result, the shrine is home to a large number of swords, bows, arrows, spears, and armor, many of which are registered as National Treasures by the Japanese government.

For the casual: 10. For the educated: 11.

I need to start this review by pouring my tears into a bowl for you to bare witness. When I visited, it was during the coronavirus pandemic which meant that many of the shrine’s facilities were either closed or reduced in staff. That means that the museum with all the swords and armor that I was dreaming of seeing was closed to the public in an effort to reduce the chance of transmission. So I’m very sad to say that this review of the shrine is going to be limited to the shrine grounds only and I cannot be of any help or guidance when addressing armor from the 10th century, the breastplate of Tsuruhime, or the countless swords encased in lacquer and gold sheaths. Ugh, I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

The shrine itself has a wonderful air of grandeur, largely befitting a shrine of such renown over the course of history. Buildings of import often influence the layout of the city that surrounds it. European cities will have churches in the center, castle towns of olden times in Japan still dictate extremely confusing street systems today which would have been used to confuse invading forces, and some cities are formed on an axis dictated by a single influential structure. Oyamazumi Jinja is the latter with its central axis from torii to prayer hall also indicating the center road through town. Times have changed and the roads with them, but there is still an unmistakable presence established by the shrine.

Walking to the prayer hall there is a massive sacred tree with a little stone fence marking a minimum distance for viewing. This tree is said to be 3,000 years old and is the sacred heart of the complex while the second one, slightly off to the side, is estimated to be around 2,600 years old. The prayer hall itslef is magnificent with a humble layout but austentacious decorations. Silk banners, gold-plated metal fittings, and intricate wood carvings can be found all throughout the complex.

The last part I wish to speak about is a figure named Tsuruhime. Many people hear her story and liken her to Joan of Arc. She was a teenager and the daughter of the head monk at the shrine. During the Sengoku Period in the 16th century, the shrine was under attack from the Ouchi clan and during this conflict Tsuruhime lost both of her elder brothers followed by her father. Faced with the onslaught from the Ouchi clan, she rallied the island’s forces and led the charge. She established herself not only as the head priest of the shrine, but also claimed to be an avatar of Oyamazumi-no-kami. She was able to successfully repel the invasion and when they tried again later, she stabbed general Takakoto Ohara in the chest. The story goes that his insults were sharp, but not as sharp as the blade she thrust into his chest. Unfortunately her time came to an end not long afterwards; when she learned that her fiance fell in battle, she committed ritual suicide by walking into the sea and drowning. There are several accounts of her deeds, and many contradict the other, but what we do know is that Tsuruhime was a real person who saved her island and the shrine and all while only a teenager. Statues of her are not only located throughout the shrine complex, but you can also find her throughout the town.

 

Yuzuruha Jinja

Yuzuruha Jinja is a mountain shrine to the tallest mountain on Awaji Island standing at 608m (1,994 ft.) tall. Though it is more like the tallest peak in a mountain chain, the summit is home to several communication towers which service the southern side of Awaji Island and Nushima.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 1.

This time I think I’ll start with the good news first.
It’s a lovely mountain shrine. Just below the summit, this shrine has stairs of stone, walls woven with little green vines, and a healthy covering of pine trees. It really gives you a chance to enjoy the air and the day. Because this shrine is rather remote, the staff is really only there to take care of the foundations and perform minor rituals, so although goshuin are available, they are written beforehand on individual sheets to be added to you goshuinchô later. The remoteness of this shrine only proves that this structure is traditionally authentic with all the decor necessary for a shrine, but lacking of unnecessary stylings. In addition to the building, a short hike to the summit will give visitors a 360 view of Awaji Island, Tokushima Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, and the Pacific Ocean.

On the downside of things, this is not an easy shrine to get to, especially if you intend to visit from a major city. A 40 minute drive from the center of town or a steep 90 minute hike are the only two ways to get there. The road is single lane with spots of uneven gravel road, but if you just go straight you’ll reach your destination. To this end, I recommend visiting the shrine only if you’re already in the area. It’s too far out of the way for a casual visitor, but it is an ideal vantage point for all those already visiting any number of other locations on Awaji Island.

All in all, the shrine itself is very lovely with great views, downside is that it’s a very remote location. However, the shrine has been visited by well known people throughout the years, most recently with Yuzuru Hanyu, an olympic gold medalist in men’s figure skating. Before and after the olympics, he has visited Yuzuruha Jinja to pray for good luck in his competitions.

With that in mind, I believe this shrine is a reminder that all things have value, especially the ones that most seem to take for granted. I enjoyed my visit, and I encourage all of you to find a similar spot, maybe off the beaten path, that you can enjoy regardless of notoriety or substance.