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.

 

Kanayama Jinja (NSFW)

Kanayama Jinja is a shrine in Kawasaki, a little south of Tokyo. Though the date of its founding is largely unknown, the practices that made this shrine well known began in the Edo Period and continue to this day. The shrine was originally founded to honor blacksmiths, but it changed over time to protect issues related to business, fertile harvests, and, well, let’s just say “love” for now. Every year there is the Kanamara Matsuri in early April which brings visitors from all over Japan and the world.

For the casual: 10. For the educated: 1.

Before I keep going, I want to stress the NSFW aspect of the following review and the related vocabulary. If you are not of age (18 years+), please don’t read.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Well, let’s get real. The Kanamara Matsuri is also known as the Penis Festival. On any given day, visitors are welcome to the visual cornucopia of phalluses adorning, decorating, and inscribing everything from stones and anvils to flags and prayer boards. Visitors to shrines are welcome to buy small wooden placards upon which they write their wishes and dreams. At this shrine, many of the placards have adult imagery with some very very racey content from young anime girls fawning over a great big dick, jacked men jerking off, and so much more on every single placard.

Whatever the shrine is on a normal day, the festival amplifies it exponentially. A parade of enormous phalluses makes its way through the street, vendors sell penis lollipops, and souvenirs adorning the male genitalia are sold on shirts, towels, hats, and so much more. Often visitors feel the need to enhance their own lives with the contents of this festival and will make/wear their own festival-inspired attire. To say the least, the festival is a very popular occasion. Admitance to the shrine itself requires waiting in line for several hours, and this is the line you have to wait in if you want any of the penis sourvenirs from hats and towels to carved raddishes and carrots.

The parade itself I missed so I won’t be able to say much, but it’s like most any shinto parade except that the mikoshi, the portable shrines, are large penises instead of ornate lacquer boxes. Mascot-style vaginas will also march with the parade because firtility is not always about dicks. The parade is usually in the late morning and can be quite the rockous event with large crowds in attendance.

I’ll finish this with some quick thoughts. This event is really a foreigner party with lots and lots of dicks. My favorite part of the festival: the proceeds go to HIV research, so not only can you have a fun time, you can also support a good cause.

 

Minatogawa Jinja

Just outside of the busy shopping and entertainment districts of Kobe sits Minatogawa Jinja, a shrine built in 1872 dedicated to Kusunoki Masashige. Kusunoki was a noted samurai lord in the 14th century and was renowned for his loyalty to Emperor Go-Daigo, the emperor who orchestrated the fall of the Kamakura warrior government in 1333. Following his successful role in returning the emperor to a seat of political power, he was named lord of larger areas of land. However, only a few years later war returned when the Ashikaga family saw an opportunity to turn against the emperor and seize control themselves. In the battle of Minatogawa, near modern Kobe, Kusunoki commanded a large force, but unwise orders from the emperor forced Kusunoki forward into a disadvantagous conflict and his forces were wiped out. Rather than suffer dishonor at the hands of the Ashikaga forces, Kusunoki took his own life where the shrine stands today. As an added honor, a statue of him on horseback stands outside the Emperor’s Palace in Tokyo.

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

This shrine really hit me as a nice shrine. Ok, I admit that that’s a bland and mundane review, but bare with me for a moment. It’s not old, it doesn’t have that storied history that many others do, but the design of the buildings and the layout of the complex just made it really nice and relaxing. In every way the shrine is very beautiful with a grand traditional front gate which opens to a long central path lined with trees. A small Inari shrine with vibrant red gates on the right gives a brief accent change with color and style. Komainu (lion dogs) stand guard as Agyô and Ngyô before the steps up to the main shrine and are often cited in other reviews as a highlight of the complex. Because this shrine is so young, it is constructed with modern architecture to resemble a more traditional structure, but it manages to walk that line to satisfy both styles. Gold fittings draw the eye and its contrast to the dark browns and beiges makes it pop even more. It won’t dazzle you with glitz, but it won’t bore you either. All in all the shrine fits into the term “nice” very well. A welcome reprieve from other bustles, I can see myself going there when I’m in the area just to get a breath of air, hopefully hear a ceremony, and practice my photography skills.

Minatogawa Jinja is a popular location for traditional ceremonies like Shichi Go San and weddings, but on a typical day there are few others there, so large crowds are rare except on special occasions like New Years. As an added bonus, a subway station is just outside the front gate and it’s also just a few minutes walk from JR Kobe Station, so it’s easy to get to as well from larger stations like Sannomiya, Osaka, and Himeji.