熊野三山

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (上色見熊野座神社)

I tend to be rather easy-going, so while we were planning our trip to Kyushu, one of our ideas was to stop in Kumamoto City (熊本市) for a night so that we could check out the city’s famous castle, and some of its other sights. After doing a bit of research, however, we found out that the castle was undergoing a massive restoration project as a result of the damage caused by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. With that souring our plans a bit, my partner suggested we spend a little more time in the Mount Aso (阿蘇山) region, which would include a trip to the top of the volcano, a beautiful gorge, and a couple historic Shinto Shrines.

I thought hey, why not, I mean, I’ve been to Europe and seen my fair share of castles, and I’m not all that impressed by them anymore. Being a bit of a nerd, I had known about Mount Aso for quite a while as it is the home of Godzilla’s frienemy, Rodan (ラドン), the winged fire-demon!

Once in the countryside in the midst of the famed volcano, my partner decided enough was enough and that it was my turn to drive the car. I’ve never actually driven on the ‘right’ side before, so we stopped off in an empty parking lot, and I circled around a few times before I felt confident enough to get on the road. Fortunately, drivers in Japan drive really slowly and really politely, so I was able to get the hang of it in no time.

Unfortunately, as we approached the caldera of the volcano, which is apparently quite beautiful, an incredibly thick fog surrounded us, and although we kept making our way to the parking lot in the hope that it would clear up, once we arrived and made our way to the viewing area, visibility was pretty non-existent.

Feeling somewhat defeated, my partner said to me - “Don’t worry! We have a backup destination. Something I think you’ll enjoy.”

We got back in the car and she input the address of our next destination into the GPS and we were on our way - About an hour later we pulled into an empty parking lot with a food truck that was selling gourmet hotdogs. I scratched my head and wondered if she knew something about these hot dogs that I didn’t, but she laughed and we started walking down the road. About two minutes later we arrived at a set of stairs that featured a shrine gate, and a set of stone lion-dog guardians, so I felt a bit of relief.

I’m not a big fan of hot dogs.

Walking up the stairs to the shrine, it took us about two minutes before we realized that this ‘backup’ destination was likely to become the highlight of our entire trip to Japan. I would later discover that the shrine was the inspiration for a recent Japanese movie, but that was something we were both completely unaware of before arriving.

The thing about Shinto Shrines in Japan is that they’re pretty much everywhere you go, but when you’re able to find one deep in the forest on a mountain like this, they’re a lot more special as they blend so effortlessly in the nature that surrounds them, and this was exactly the experience that I was looking forward to the most.

Link: Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light 蛍火の杜へ (Wiki)

Poster for the Film.

If you’ve seen the film, "Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light” (蛍火の杜へ / ほたるびのもりへ), you may have an idea of what I’m talking about when I try to describe how beautiful this shine is, but if you haven’t, let me take a minute to try to set the scene: At an elevation of about 670 meters on the slopes of Mount Aso, you’ll find a narrow stone path with around three hundred stone steps that climbs a hill in a thick forest of Japanese cedar.

The stone path features nearly one-hundred stone lanterns on either side, each of which has progressively been reclaimed by nature, with thick green moss growing on them. Walking up the stairs, the path is dark, with a mixture of fog and sunlight battling to make their way through the thick forest.

The shrine is eerily quiet, with only the sound of woodpeckers and other animals going about their business. At times you might hear bells ringing, or the chattering of visitors, but if you’re lucky enough to visit when no one else is there, it’s an almost zen-like experience where you’ll feel incredibly relaxed as you make your way up the hill to the shrine.

I wish I could say that the photos I took of the shrine did it justice, but having visited the shrine, the experience of enjoying its peace and quiet is something that probably doesn’t translate as well as I’d like.

The ‘Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine’ has become a popular destination for travelers in recent years, likely thanks to being featured in the anime, but it is a place of worship that has been around for a very long time. Although although most of what you see at the shrine today is a product of the last century, the shrine has a history of human activity that dates back to the 4th and 5th centuries with the shrine itself possibly dating back to the Kamakura (1185–1333) or Muromachi Periods (1336 to 1573).

Unfortunately there is very little information as to when the shrine was actually established, it’s safe to say that whether its more than a thousand years old or not, it’s probably never been as popular as it is today with visitors from all over the world coming to experience it’s beauty.

As I move on below, I’m going to introduce the origin of the shrine and the kami worshiped there. I’ll then move on to explaining each of the important aspects of the shrine that visitors should pay attention to.

Sadly, there isn’t much written about the shrine apart from simple introductions, so I hope this article helps more people understand what they’ll see when the visit.

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (上色見熊野座神社)

To start introducing the shrine, I think it’s probably a good idea to first break down it’s official name, which actually tells us a lot about its history, and its affiliations.

English: Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine

Kanji: 上色見熊野座神社

Hiragana: かみしきみくまのざじんじゃ

So let’s start out by breaking down the first part, ‘Kamishikimi’ (上色見)

In the Japanese language, certain Kanji can have a number of pronunciations, so it’s important to note that the ‘Kami’ in the name here isn’t actually referring to Shinto deities - Instead, ‘kami’ (上 / かみ) refers to the ‘upper' reaches of a mountain or a stream. Or, at least, the upper area of ‘Shikimi Village’ (上色村 / しきみむら). In fact, this shrine isn’t the only ‘Shikimi-Kumanoimasu’ Shrine in town, so the ‘kami’ in this case helps to differentiate the two. The second part of the first word, ‘Shikimi’ was once a village within Kumomoto’s Aso County (阿蘇郡) until 1955, when the village was amalgamated into Takamori District (高森町). Situated on the South-Eastern slopes of Mount Aso, the village has traditionally been an agricultural area, with only a small number of residents.

The second part of the name is quite important as it points to the shrine’s affiliation, as it is part of a network of 3,000 shrines that have a relationship with the Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山) shrines in Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県) on the Main Island’s Southern Kansai Region (関西地方).

The ‘Kumano Sanzan’ are three shrines, which act as the spiritual headquarters for a sect of that is known for its syncretism of Shintoism and Buddhism, known as ‘shinbutsu-shūgō’ (神仏習合 / しんぶつしゅうごう). The Kumano region has been known since ancient times as a place of physical healing, and has become the site of one of the world’s largest religious pilgrimages as people from all walks of life from all over Japan come together to traverse the mountains on a pilgrimage to visit the three shrines.

For a shrine to become affiliated with the Kumano sect, it needs to take part in a ‘divinity-sharing’ pilgrimage in which the power of the Kumano deities are divided up and shared with new members.

Now that we know what the name of the shrine is referring to, let’s talk a bit about it’s history, which unfortunately isn’t very well documented.

It’s unclear as to when the shrine was officially established, but it’s important to keep in mind that even though much of what you’ll see there today is relatively new, people have been coming to this location for a long, long time. As I mentioned earlier, quite a few burial mounds dating back to the 4th and 5th century have been discovered on-site, so it’s safe to say that human activity in the area has been taking place for more than 1500 years.

Ugeto-iwa Cave (穿戸岩)

One of the main reasons why the area became an important religious space was thanks to the rare Ugeto-iwa Cave (穿戸岩) that sits high above where the shrine is located today - Given that one of the core aspects of Shintoism is that ‘kami’ are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations, it’s understandable that the rock would become a place of interest, especially for people living in the area more than a thousand years ago. As an important aspect of the shrine’s precinct, the cave also lends to regional legends, which have helped to determine the ‘kami’ who are worshiped at the shrine.

That being said, as I mentioned earlier, it is thought that the shrine may have been established sometime between 1185–1573. Officially, what we do know is that at some point during the 16th century, much of the original shrine was burnt to the ground during the Sengoku Period (戦国時代), otherwise known as Japan’s Warring States Period.

Estimated to have been burnt down sometime between 1573 and 1593, the shrine would have been reconstructed shortly thereafter, nevertheless, it was rebuilt again in 1722, and then again in 1979.

Obviously, as a Kumano Shrine, one of the key things to remember is that the shrine shares a special relationship with the natural environment that surrounds it. With that in mind, it’s important to point out that there are legends told in both the Kojiki (故事書) and Nihon Shoki (日本書紀), which play an important role with regard to the origin of the shrine, and to that extent, the formation of human settlements in the Mount Aso region.

To explain that though, let me first introduce the three ‘kami’ who call the shrine home:

There are three kami enshrined at the shrine, the first two of which are important figures within the Shinto creation myth. The third deity is a much more regional figure, but also hails from the same ‘lineage’ as the other two deities, and the creation of Japan as a landmass and a nation.

The first two kami pretty much go hand-in-hand with each other as they are the central figures in the Japanese creation myth - Brother Izanagi (伊邪那岐命 / いさなき の みこと) and sister Izanami (伊邪那美命 / いざなみのみこと), whose names can be translated as “He Who Invites” and “She Who Invites,” respectively. As important figures in Japan’s creation myth, they are responsible for not only the formation of the islands that make up the Japanese nation, but also a number of other important Shinto deities.

Tales of their exploits are told as myths in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and as the Japanese Imperial Family claims ancestry from their daughter, Amaterasu (天照大神), who it is said sent her own son to earth to rule over Japan as its first emperor.

The important thing to keep in mind about the Izanami and Izanagi enshrined here is that they are connected to a network of over 3,000 shrines in Japan where their divinity has been shared by a process of propagation called bunrei (分霊) or kanjō (勧請). Basically, it’s a process of ‘dividing’ the power of a deity. Shared directly from the Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山) shrines mentioned earlier.

Now, let’s get into some specifics about the third kami, which is a figure that is closely related to the Mount Aso region in addition to being someone who could is considered a distant relative of Izanagi and Izanami.

General Ishikun (石君大将軍 / たけいわたつのみこと)

One of the more confusing aspects with regard to my research about the shrine was when it came to identifying who ‘General Ishikun’ actually was. With the title ‘Seii Taishōgun’ (征夷大将軍 / せいいたいしょうぐん), or what we would refer to as a ‘Shogun’ in the west, one might come to the conclusion that the ‘Ishikun’ enshrined here might have been a historic army commander, who shared a relationship with the Shikimi region.

After an hour or so of searching for information about the shogun, I discovered that he wasn’t actually a ‘shogun' at all, it is just another name for ‘Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto’ (健磐龍命 / たけいわたつのみこと), a legendary figure known in the region as the god of agriculture.

Japanese cedar forest

Considered to be the grandson of Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇 / じんむてんのう), the first emperor of Japan, myths of his life are told in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, but given how incredible the stories are, it’s debated whether or not he ever existed. Suffice to say, legends explain that Takeiwatatsu was sent to the region of Kyushu we know as ‘Aso’ (阿蘇) today to assist in the creation of an agricultural community there.

With divine abilities thanks to his great grandmother, the Goddess Amaterasu, it is said that he traversed Aso Mountain (阿蘇山) and forcibly kicked down part of the caldera’s rim, which drained its volcanic lake, allowing the local people to become incredibly successful farmers.

Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto is today the primary deity enshrined within the Aso Shrine (阿蘇神社), the highest-ranking shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本縣), and many of the other Shinto Shrines in the region worship him as well, including this shrine.

How Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto relates to this shrine in particular, however, is an interesting part of the region’s folklore, thanks to the legends told in the Kojiki. Essentially the story goes a little like this - While Takeiwatatsu was doing his ‘work’ on Mount Aso, helping to shape the land, allowing for the volcanic water to help with irrigation, he often took breaks to practice shooting his bow as he was also a gifted archer.

With his assistant Kihachi (鬼八) by his side, he shot ninety-nine arrows from the peak of Mount Aso, with his assistant running off into the distance to retrieve them. By the time he shot the one-hundredth arrow however, Kihachi was exhausted. So, instead of carrying the arrow back, he kicked it toward Takeiwatatsu, who got angry and pursued him around the mountain. Kihachi fled for his life, but he found himself blocked by a rock and couldn’t escape, so he used his last bit of strength to kick it in.

Unfortunately, he was eventually caught and Takeiwatatsu cut his head off.

The giant hole in the mountain thus is part of legends that date back as far as the Kojiki, which was written between 711-712.

The mountains behind the cave, presumably from which the legends came from.

Interestingly, there is a shrine nearby that is dedicated to Kihachi, who was thought to have turned into an ‘evil spirit’ after being murdered by Takeiwatatsu. Seeking revenge for his murder, he destroyed all of the crops that were planted in the area. So, to appease Kihachi’s tormented soul, Takeiwatatsu had his head enshrined at the Shimomiya Shrine.

Read more about the shrine, and its unique annual event in the link below:

Link: Shimomiya Shrine - A small shrine that holds an interesting yearly event (Japan Travel)

As to the reason why the name ‘General Ishikun’ was used instead of the title that more people are familiar with, I still haven’t figured that out - If anyone has any idea, feel free to let me know in the comments below!

Architectural Design

As mentioned earlier, there isn’t particularly a lot for tourists to see and do in the Takamori area, but in recent years thanks to it’s likeness appearing in a popular Japanese anime, the shrine attracts a fair number of tourists, who stop by to enjoy its beauty - and its architectural design is one of the main reasons why it has become so popular. It goes without saying that the main attraction for most tourists is the mixture of the mountain’s natural beauty, and the stone path that leads up to the shrine - while the shrine itself might just be an added bonus.

The walk up the hill makes for a perfectly ‘instagrammable' experience, but its still important to understand the purpose of each part of the shrine. Unfortunately, due to there being so little information available, most tourists might have difficulty understanding what’s actually going on, and why things are the way they are, which is something that I’ll hopefully be able to clear up as I break down the shrine below.

The Visiting Path (參道 / さんどう)

The Visiting Path, otherwise known as the “sando” (さんどう), is an important aspect of the design of any Shinto Shrine, and in most cases is essentially just a long pathway that leads visitors to the shrine. While these paths serve a functional purpose, they are also quite symbolic in that the “road” is the path that one takes on the road to spiritual purification. Shintoism itself is literally translated as the “Pathway to the Gods” (神道), so having a physical pathway that leads the worshiper from the realm of the profane to that of the sacred is quite important. 

In this case, the Visiting Path is the most iconic part of the shrine, consisting of a stone set of stairs that leads visitors up the mountain to where the sacred space of the shrine is located. Covered entirely by a thick green forest, the path tends to be dark, damp and quiet, often covered in mist or decorated with beams of sunlight that pierce their way through the thick forest.

Starting at the entrance to the Visiting path, you’ll find the first of the two Shrine Gates (鳥居 / とりい), which mark the entrance to where you start your journey into the ‘sacred space’ of the shrine. The first Shrine Gate dates back to 1955 (昭和30年), and was constructed in the classic shinmei-style (神明鳥居 / しんめいとりい). Hanging from the gate, you’ll find a ‘shimenawa’ (標縄 / しめなわ) sacred rope and a plaque in the center that reads “Kumano Shrine” (熊野宮) in Kanji.

Note: In most cases these name plaques on the gates demarcates the name of the shrine, but in this case, it only displays “Kumano Shrine,” which gives people an indication of what to expect within.

Halfway up the Visiting Path, you’ll find the second Shrine Gate, which dates back to 1973 (昭和48年), and is almost identical to the first, but most notably, it has started being taken over by nature.

After passing through the first Shrine Gate, you’ll find two sets of stone guardians. The so-called ‘Lion-Dogs’ are prominent features of any Shinto Shrine, and are similar to the stone lions that act as temple guardians at other temples across Asia. Known in Japan as ‘komainu’ (狛犬 / こまいぬ), the word translates as “Korean Dog” (高麗犬), referring to the ancient Korean Kingdom of “Koguryo” (高麗國), where it is thought that the tradition was passed on to Japan. The interesting thing about the lion-dogs at the shrine is that the newer set appears to be quite traditional, only dating back to 1966 (昭和41年) while the other set doesn’t appear like any of the stone guardians that you’ll find at other shrines. The date of their donation is unknown, but they do appear to be quite old.

Although there can be exceptions to the rule, the lion-dogs generally appear as a pair and are placed on either side of a visiting path or at the entrance to a shrine. Often appearing as a male and female, they are only distinguishable only by their facial expressions, with the male “a-gyo” (阿型) having an open mouth and the female “un-gyo” (吽形) having a closed mouth. The male komainu in the traditional set has its mouth open with a stone ball between its teeth while the other set looks as if he’s smiling awkwardly with its mouth open.

Link: Komainu Lion Dogs (Japan Visitor)

Further up the Visiting Path, as you approach the level where the Worship Hall is located, you’ll find another set of stone guardians. Interestingly, these guardians are somewhat of a fusion of the two sets below in that they’re shaped like traditional lion-dogs, but their mouths appear more similar to the the other set with one clenching its teeth and the other barely opening its mouth. This set dates back to 1967 (昭和42年) and have been there long enough for nature to start taking over with moss growing all over them, making the inscriptions on the base a bit difficult to see.

The Visiting Path is about 200 meters in length, with about 260 stone steps from ground level up the side of the mountain to the base where the Worship Hall is located. As mentioned earlier, for almost every visitor, the highlight of any visit to this shrine are the Stone Lanterns (石燈籠 / しゃむしょ) that are lined symmetrically on both sides of the path.

While I didn’t count the number of lanterns, there are about a hundred of them. For those of you who don’t know, on the front side of each of the lanterns you’ll find the Kanji for ‘donated’ (奉納 / ほうのう). Donations like this are common at Shinto Shrines, and you’ll often find that sections of the shrine were paid for through the generosity of private individuals or companies. On the rear side of the lanterns, you’ll find more details about the donation, so it’s always important to check out some of the finer details.

In this case, the lanterns were part of a very generous donation by a local entrepreneurs who gave thanks to the shrine for their financial successes. With so many lanterns, I didn’t check every single one of them, but it seems like most of them were donated between 1969 and 1980.

Note: The rear of the lanterns don’t list dates from the western calendar, instead making use of the Japanese calendar, which is based off of the year of the reign of the emperor. In this case, most of the lanterns at the shrine list the years “昭和44” and “昭和55”, which are the 44th and 55th year of the reign of Emperor Showa (昭和皇帝), known to most in the west as Hirohito, or 1969 and 1980, respectively.

When you start walking up the Visiting Path, the distance between the lanterns seems a little more spread out, but as it becomes narrower, the distance between them becomes much shorter. Keeping that in mind, most of the photos that you’ll see of the shrine are from the areas where the Visiting Path becomes narrow and the lanterns are squeezed together, but the other areas of the path are just as beautiful.

The Purification Fountain (手水舍 / ちょうずしゃ)

Located along the Visiting Path, between the first Shrine Gate and the second, you’ll find what is known as the Purification Fountain, an essential addition to any Shinto Shrine. One of the key aspects of a Shinto Shrine’s Visiting Path is that it symbolizes the journey that visitors take from the realm of the profane to that of the sacred, known as “hare and ke” (ハレとケ), or the "sacred-profane dichotomy."

As part of that symbolic journey, it is important for visitors who are crossing the barrier into the sacred realm to do so in the cleanliest possible manner by performing a symbolic purification at the Purification Fountain, known either as a chozuya (ちょうずしゃ) or temizuya (てみずしゃ).

Purification Fountains at Shinto Shrines come in all shapes and sizes, but as a small shrine on the side of a mountain, this one is pretty basic. You’ll get to purify yourself with mountain spring water in the fountain provided.

Amazingly, you can also relieve yourself in the restrooms provided directly opposite the fountain. While the fountain itself is quite basic, the restroom is fully equipped and is comparable to the facilities you’d find in a department store in Fukuoka!

Hall of Worship (拜殿 / はいでん)

Once you’ve reached the end of the Visiting Path, you’ll find the ‘Hall of Worship’ directly in front of you. Known as the “haiden” (拜殿 /はいでん), for the vast majority of locals who visit, this building is regarded as the spiritual heart of the shrine - It’s also the largest building on site, providing an ample amount of space in the interior for any of the annual ceremonies that take place there.

It’s unclear as to when the shrine’s first Hall of Worship was constructed, but it was apparently destroyed by fire sometime between 1573 and 1593. It was rebuilt again at some point shortly thereafter, and then reconstructed again in 1722 (享保7年).

The current Hall of Worship was reconstructed in 1979 (昭和54年).

The Hall of Worship was constructed using the ubiquitous irimoya-zukuri (入母造 / いりもやづくり) architectural style, one of the most common of Japan’s traditional architectural designs. Constructed almost entirely of wood, the building is elevated off of the ground using thick wooden pillars that also help to support the weight of the roof.

With twelve pillars used to prop up the core of the building, known as the ‘moya’ (母屋 / もや), and a network of trusses within the interior, the roof is able to extend well-beyond the base, eclipsing the lower section in size.

Given that the building falls under the irimoya style of architectural design, it goes without saying that the roof is going to be constructed with what is known as a hip-and-gable (歇山頂) design. Within Japanese architectural design, there are a number of styles of roof that fall under this category, but the two that are most often associated with irimoya are a combination of the two-sided kirizuma-zukuri (切妻造 / きりづまづくり), and the four-sided yosemune-zukuri (寄棟造 / よせむねづくり) styles, which work together to create a curvy 3D-like design.

To explain what this means in simple terms, the lower ‘yosumune’ section is the four-sided ‘hip’ part of the roof that both covers and extends beyond the base. The upper ‘kirizuma’ portion is a two-sided sloping ‘gable’, which is likened to the shape of an open book. The combination of both styles of the roof is probably better explained in the diagram below:

Most people might miss this while visiting the shrine, but if we take into consideration that the Hall of Worship ‘connects’ to the Main Hall of the shrine at the rear of the building, an extension has been constructed at the rear where the people in charge of the shrine are able to make their way up the set of stairs to the building where the kami make their home.

If you continue walking up the hill towards the cave, you may notice this extension at the rear from the side of the building as you make your way up the path. The reason I mention the extension is because it is covered by a two-sided roof of its own that connects to the main roof of the building.

As is the case with most Shinto Shrines, the Hall of Worship isn’t actually ‘open’ to the general public, so most people just approach the front of the building to announce their arrival. To help out with that announcement, the front of the building features three large ropes that are attached to bells, so when you’re getting close to the shrine, it’s likely that you’ll hear the bells ringing as visitors are showing their respect at the front of the shrine.

Similar to the two Shrine Gates on the Visiting Path below, there is a plaque just above the front door that reads ‘Kumano Shrine’ (熊野宮). Also, for those familiar with these things, there is a donation box at the entrance where people throw coins as offerings. On the front of the box, you’ll be able to see the ‘Leaf Emblem’ (梛紋 / 違い梛の葉 / ちがいなぎのは), a kamon (家紋 / かもん) that is emblematic of the sacred tree of the Kumano Shrines in Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山縣), and is another way to help identify the relationship this shrine shares with the Kumano sect.

Link: Kamon Symbols of Japan (Encyclopedia of Japan)

Main Hall (本殿 / ほんでん)

Located to the rear of the Hall of Worship, you’ll find the Main Hall, otherwise known as the “honden” (本殿/ほんでん), the most sacred part of any Shinto Shrine as it is the home of the kami. As mentioned earlier, from the rear extension of the larger building, there is a set of stairs that’ll brings you up another flattened section of the mountain where the Main Hall is located. In most cases, these Main Halls are off limits to the general public, especially at larger shrines where you might only be able to catch a quick glimpse of the building. In this case however, you can walk up to the building to check it out while on your way up the path to the cave above.

At the top of the stairs, in front of the building, you’ll find the fourth set of Stone Guardian Lion-Dogs. The smallest set at the shrine, the lion dogs are facing each other and are meant to add a bit of extra ‘protection’ to the unmanned shrine. This particular set was donated to the shrine in 1968 (昭和43年), which is interesting because the Main Hall was reconstructed alongside the Hall of Worship in 1979, which means that they’re older than the building they protect, but presumably they were placed there before the original building was torn down.

Like the Hall of Worship, the Main Hall is elevated off of the ground on a cement base, and is a much smaller building than the one in front of it. The architectural style of the building remains quite traditional given that it only serves as a repository, or a home for the kami. Appearing quite similar to many of it contemporaries across the country, it was constructed using the nagare-zukuri (流造 / ながれづくり) style.

More specifically, the building is a ‘ichiken’ (一間社流造) style of building, which means that the roof is modest in size and features a sloping two-sided kirizuma-zukuri (切妻造 / きりづまづくり) roof similar to the Hall of Worship. The biggest difference with this building however, is that the front side slopes a bit further and extends well-beyond the front steps of the building.

One might think that the roof of the building appears a lot more basic than the Hall of Worship, but there are actually quite a few elements that have been added that make it stand out as it is decorated with katsuogi (鰹木/かつおぎ) and chigi (千木 / ちぎ) ornaments on it’s ridge. To the naked eye, they may just seem like unimportant decorations, but they have traditionally been used to assist in differentiating Shinto Shrines from Buddhist Temples as well as giving an indication as to the ‘kami’ that are enshrined within.

Katsuogi are long timber-like pieces of wood that rest atop the flat base of a roof. While they serve a decorative purpose, they are also functional in that an even number of them indicates that a female divinity resides within the building, while an odd number signifies a male. In this case, there are three of them, which indicates that the kami enshrined within are male. On the other hand, the chigi, which are located on the two ends of the roof are also used as a method for identifying the kami enshrined within the building depending on the direction they’re facing. In this case, I found it interesting that they identify that the kami within are female.

One might hypothesize that the katsuogi and chigi were constructed in this conflicting way because there are both male and female kami within, but I have seen others suggested that it indicates that the kami are androgynous.

Moving on, located on the gables of both sides of the roof, you’ll find decorative ‘hanging fish’, known as gegyo (懸魚 / げぎょ). Unlike the two elements mentioned above, they don’t serve any relation to the kami housed within the building, but they are placed there as ‘protective’ elements to help prevent the building from burning down.

It is highly unlikely that the doors to the Main Hall will ever be open during your visit, unless you happen to go on a day when there is an event taking place. Nevertheless, located within the building there are what’s called ‘shintai’ (神体 / しんたい) for each of the three kami that are worshiped at the shrine. For those who are unaware, ‘shintai’ basically translates as the ‘sacred body of a kami’, but unlike in other places of worship around Asia, doesn’t feature a statue, instead, the ‘shintai’ is essentially a ‘repository’ that most often appears in the form of a mirror.

Ugeto-iwa Cave (穿戸岩 / うげといわ)

If you continue to follow the path up the mountain, you’ll eventually reach the Ugetoiwa Cave, which is quite important with regard to the origin of the shrine. I’m going to throw this out here and say that ‘cave’ is probably not the best word usage for this spot. Basically, it’s a massive rock at at the top of the ridge on the mountain where the shrine is located.

The rock has a giant hole in the middle, which is about ten meters in depth and looks almost as if its providing a window to the other side of the valley.

As part of the legends mentioned earlier as to the origin of the shrine, if you find yourself visiting the area, you should probably make sure to take a few minutes to walk to the top of the hill to check it out.

There is a small shrine nestled within the rock, and it is said that if you pay respect at the shrine, you’re likely to receive some help with regard to success in life and business ventures.

Getting There

 

Address: 2619 Kamishikimi, Takamori, Aso, Kumamoto (阿蘇郡高森町上色見2619)

GPS: 32.853848,131.158438

Telephone: 0967-62-1111

Unfortunately, this is where I have to let you in on a bit of bad news about the shrine. As I mentioned earlier, it’s located on the southern slopes of Mount Aso, in the countryside of Kumamoto Prefecture. Travel websites will say that it is a ten minute drive from Takamori Station (高森駅), but what they don’t tell you is that most of the stations along the Minami-Aso Railway (南阿蘇鉄道高森線) were damaged and shut down as a result of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes, and are yet to re-open.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that the five stations that are (currently) operating on the line are yet to be re-connected to the Hohi Main Line (豊肥本線), which is accessible from Kumamoto and the other major cities in Kyushu.

Note: It is likely that the Minami-Aso Railway will re-open in its entirety in July 2023, so the railway from Kumamoto may once again become an option for getting to the shrine. Not a great one, though.

Yours truly.

The next problem you’ll face with the train is that even if you find yourself at Takamori Station, it’s not a highly trafficked station, so it might not be very easy to find a taxi to take you to the shrine. The more important issue in this regard isn’t getting the taxi to the shrine, it’s getting back that’ll cause the most difficulty. There is a taxi station located across from the train station, so you may be able to find a driver and negotiate a reasonable price, but it likely won’t be very cheap if you want them to wait for you while you check out the shrine.

The next issue travelers will face if that even though it’s not impossible to take a bus to the shrine, the buses only come a few times a day, so unless you plan on spending three or four hours at the shrine, public transport isn’t really a very good option.

Local travel sites often provide some public transport options to the shrine, but most of these are pre-pandemic, and in some cases, pre-earthquake, which means that they don’t take into consideration that many of these routes have been shut down due to a lack of tourists in the area.

My best suggestion would be to ignore anything you see on travel sites and simply open up Google Maps on your phone, map out your route to the shrine, and it’ll list the best options and the times that the buses will arrive.

Reminder: You’ll want to make sure that you’ve checked ‘Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine’ and not the nearby ‘Shikimi-Kumanoimasu Shrine’, which is another Kumano Shrine a short distance away.

For most travelers, the easiest way to get to the shrine is to take part in a Mount Aso day-trip tour, which is likely to include a stop at the shrine as part of the itinerary, or renting a car and getting there on your own.

Renting a vehicle in Japan is (surprisingly) inexpensive, and driving in this area in specific is quite leisurely as people drive quite slowly and politely.

If you have your own means of transportation, simply input the telephone number listed above into your vehicle’s navigation system and it’ll map out your route for you. One thing that is important to remember is that there is a large parking lot that is available for visitors free of charge, a short distance from the entrance. If you plan on visiting, don’t park on the side of the road, the parking lot is spacious enough that you won’t have any issue finding a spot.



Naminoue Shinto Shrine (波上宮)

How much do you know about Okinawa? If you’re like most people, you probably learned in history books that it was the location of one of the most devastating battles of the Second World War. That unfortunately might be the extent of your knowledge about this small, yet extremely beautiful archipelago of islands known as the Ryukyus.

What happened before the war? What happened after the war? 

These are questions that anyone planning a visit should be asking. 

Okinawa’s history is an extremely complex one and if you’re not well-versed, don’t worry, if you visit, you’re going to get a crash course. 

The Okinawa of today has developed into a modern, yet beautiful tropical island with excellent infrastructure and public transportation that provides easy access to all the other outlying islands and amazing beaches.

Its hard to fathom while walking down the clean, well-organized streets that half a century ago, the entirety of the island was reduced to a festering pile of rubble and human misery. 

In the aftermath of the war, Okinawa redeveloped at an amazing pace, but while homes and businesses can be rebuilt, something that the people of Okinawa continue to struggle with today is that they’ve lost so much of their culture, language and identity through all of the chaos.. 

This is something that the people of Okinawa have worked tirelessly at rectifying over the past few decades and now the fruits of their labor are taking shape as there has been a cultural revival of sorts when it comes to the local language, culture and customs, which the local people have become so very proud of.

What this revival also shows quite clearly is that there is a stark contrast between the Ryukyuan people and their Japanese compatriots and that while they might have a shared history, they’re not one in the same.

Link: Battle of Okinawa’s legacy lives on 70 years later as locals chase against Japanese rule, US arms (The Conversation) 

In the aftermath of the war, reconstruction efforts focused primarily on building modern infrastructure and homes for all of the people who were displaced. Suffice to say that many of the buildings of cultural or religious significance that were lost weren’t really high in priority.

This meant that the various Ryukyuan castles like Shuri Castle, Nakagusuku Castle and Zakimi Castle as well as various tombs and places or worship weren’t rebuilt.

The Eight Ryukyuan Shrines (琉球八社) for example, which were (for the most part) places of worship created for the Ryukyuan folk religion (and later converted into Shinto Shrines) were eventually rebuilt, but it would take until the 1990s (or later) Or for most of them to reappear in some shape or form. 

Links: Ryukyu Eight Shrines 琉球八社 (Samurai Archives)  | 琉球八社 (Wiki)

When reconstruction efforts on these shrines finally began, priority was given to the largest and most significant of them, namely, Futenma Shrine (普天滿宮) just outside of the capital. Next came Naminoue Shrine (波上宮), Okinawa’s “ichinomiya” (一宮), the highest-ranking shrine in the prefecture.

Naminoue Shrine, known simply to the locals as ‘Nanminsan’ has a long history dating back to at least the 1300s and today is the most widely-visited place of worship in all of Okinawa.

The shrine is not only one of the most important religious sites in the capital city, but is also a place of worship that is uniquely ‘Okinawan.’ Even though it maintains many of Japan’s traditional design elements, it is unmistakably something that you’re only going to see in Okinawa which makes it stand out from the 80,000 other shrines across the country.  

Naminoue Shrine (波上宮)

Literally, the “Above the Waves Shrine”, Naminoue Shrine, pronounced [Na-mi-new-oh-eh], sits high on its perch above the Naha Harbour. 

The internet is full of claims that the history of the shrine dates back almost a thousand years, but that is actually a bit misleading. There isn’t actually any recorded information or evidence that gives an exact date as to when a shrine was first constructed in this location. 

What we do know about the origins of the shrine are from local legends. The story goes a little like this: A shrine was constructed by a fishermen who one day came across a mysterious stone and, (as one does), began to pray to it, which caused the stone to start glowing. Soon after the fisherman started taking in record hauls which eventually caught the attention of the local gods who stole the rock. From that time on though, an oracle took up residence in the area and people started visiting for spiritual guidance. 

The first documented information about a shrine in the area comes from the “Ryukyu-Koku-Yurai-Ki” (琉球國由來記) or “the Record of Origin of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” which tells of a Buddhist Temple, the “Naminoue-san Gokoku-ji” (波上山護國寺), which was constructed in 1367 and would later burn to the ground in 1633.    

The shrine would then return to its folk-religious roots and as its reputation for spiritual greatness spread throughout the land, it became habit for the sailors coming in and out of Naha harbour to look up and say a prayer for protection on their journey. Lending credence to the claims of Naminsan’s spiritual power, the Ryukyuan Kings also made a yearly ritual of visiting the area to formally pray on behalf of the nation for peace and prosperity.

Note: The local folk religion, known as “Nirai Kanai” (ニライカナイ信仰) or simply as “Ryukyuan Shinto” (琉球神道) is similar in a lot of ways to Japanese Shintoism. The religion honours the relationship between the living and the dead as well as the gods and spirits of the natural world, but is also predominately a medium of ancestral worship. 

Nanminsan was dedicated to the local religion for hundreds of years, but that came to an end when the Japanese annexed the Ryukyuan Islands and formally put an end to the Ryukyuan Kingdom in 1879. From the outset, the Japanese treated the Ryukyuan people as second-class citizens and attempted to erase their culture and language. The local folk religion became one of the colonial powers first targets and Nanminsan being one of the most sacred spaces in the land was replaced by the “Naminoue Shinto Shrine” in 1890. 

The newly established Naminoue Shinto Shrine was classified at the time as the “Okinawa Sochinju” (沖繩總鎮守社), which mean that it was dedicated to the “protection and tranquility” of the entire prefecture. The problem for the Japanese however was that the local people resisted, so they capitulated and enshrined several of the Ryukyuan Kings as gods at the shrine in an attempt to appease the locals.

This in turn also helped the Japanese integrate the royal family into the Japanese Imperial structure. 

In 1923, the shrine was completely rebuilt and all of the traditional Okinawan design elements were replaced by traditional Japanese design. That version of the shrine however only lasted for a few decades though as it was completely destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. 

In the years following the war, the shrine was slowly rebuilt with initial construction focusing on the Shamusho (社務所) and Honden (本殿), which were completed in 1953. It would take another four decades to raise enough money to complete the rest of the shrine (which is something I think in retrospect that we can be thankful for) as the Haiden (拜殿) and several other parts of the complex were completed and opened to the public in 1993. 

The reason why I suggest that we’re fortunate is because the completed structure that we see today is a beautiful fusion of Japanese and Okinawan traditional design that might not have been possible if it were completed sooner. The resurgence of the Ryukyuan cultural identity has fueled a need for local places of worship to better represent the local population, so the end result is a unique shrine that pays home age to the beautiful Ryukyuan islands. 

Link: Naminoue Shrine (The Samurai Archives) | Origin of Naminoue Shrine (波上宮) 

Kumano Worship (熊野三山)

Before we get into some of the different design elements of the shrine, I’d like to take a few minutes to explain Kumano Worship, which is something most people might find a bit a confusing about Okinawa’s Shinto Shrines. It is rare that you’ll find an article that touches on the subject, so I’ll try to explain it as best as I can, but it’s important to note that a lack of recorded history makes this stuff a little difficult to explain. 

One of the common features of all of Okinawa’s Shinto Shrines is that they are dedicated to Kumano Worship - which is a Shinto tradition that hails from the mountainous Kumano (熊野) region that spans the prefectures of Wakayama (和歌山縣) and Mie (三重), about 100 kilometres south of Osaka (大阪) on Japan’s main island. 

Kumano Worship might not attract as many followers as some of Japan’s other Shinto sects, but it is thought to predate all of Japan’s modern religions. Centered around the three UNESCO World Heritage Shinto Shrines: Hongu Taisha (本宮大社), Hayatama Taisha (速玉大社) and Nachi Taisha (那智大社) the area is considered to be a place of physical healing and is often mentioned in the mythology surrounding Japan’s founding.  

Today there are more than three-thousand shrines throughout Japan dedicated to Kumano worship, each of which goes through a special propagation process known as “bunrei” (分霊) where the spiritual power of the Kumano deities are shared with a new shrine. Over the past thousand years as Kumano worship spread throughout Japan, followers including Emperors, Samurai and commoners alike have all been attracted to the area to take part in the Kumano Kodo (熊野古道), one of the worlds most important religious pilgrimages.

There are numerous legends that deal with the origin of Kumano Worship, which all deal with the power of nature. Not only is the Kumano area credited with being the mythological birthplace of Japan, it is also known as the “land of the dead” where various kami retire in death - including the gravesite of Izanami (伊邪那美), the deity who created the earth together with her husband Izanagi (伊邪那歧).

Link: Finding the roots of Japan (BBC Travel) 

So how did Kumano Worship become such a big thing in Okinawa? 

That is actually quite a difficult question to answer due to the lack of recorded history. What we do know is that the Ryukyu Kingdom was a major player in the East Asian trade networks and that they learned a lot from foreigners, especially those from China, Japan and Korea. 

The influence these other nations had over the Ryukyus not only involved international trade but the sharing of technology, education, governance, religion, etc. 

What little we know about Kumano’s arrival in the kingdom comes from the Ryūkyū Shintō-ki (琉球神道記), a book authored by a Buddhist monk that documented the Ryukyuan religious experience in the early 1600s. We also know that the Futenma Shinto Shrine (普天滿宮), which was established in the 14th Century was one of the first shrines in the Ryukyus dedicated to Kumano worship, so its likely that Kumano worship spread to Okinawa well before the kingdom was established.  

In the book, monk Taichū Ryōtei (袋中良定) explains that the propagation of Kumano Worship in Okinawa was likely the result of traveling Buddhist monks who visited the islands. At that time, Buddhism and Shintoism were considered to be synchronized with each other, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Japanese monks spreading Buddhism also helped to spread Shinto beliefs as well.  

In one story, Monk Nisshu (日秀), who is credited with the establishment of the Kin Kannon Temple (金武觀音寺), used his supernatural powers to save the local village from a rowdy bunch of venomous snakes and from there stayed in Okinawa to spread Buddhism and Kumano Worship. 

Likewise there are several other stories of monks becoming shipwrecked or traveling specifically to Okinawa on exchange to spread Buddhism. None of these stories however fully explain why Kumano Worship in particular was so heavily promoted - It is safe to assume though that as Kumano was home to one of the more established Shinto sects in Japan as well being home to what many people considered to be the “Pure Land”, it was a major centre for Buddhist training which meant that many of the monks who later became missionaries would have trained in the area. 

Link: 沖縄の熊野信仰霊場を訪ねて (Japanese)

Points of Interest

There are quite a few small details to take note of when you’re visiting this little shrine and each of them serves a very specific and important purpose. Below, I’ll introduce some of the most important points of interest at the shrine that you’ll want to pay attention to, but if you’d like a more detailed introduction to Shinto Shrines, their history and architecture, I recommend checking  the link below to learn more about Japan’s traditional places of worship. 

Link: Shinto Shrine: History, Architecture, and Functions (Patternz) 

Shrine Gate (鳥居)

The gate to the shrine is known in Japan as a "Torii" gate, which simply translated into English as a ‘bird perch’. These gates are typically found at the entrance of a shrine and their purpose is to demarcate the transition from the outside profane realm to that of a sacred one. This means that once you pass through the gate, it is time to stop joking around and to be respectful. 

The Torii at Naminoue Shrine is known as a Myojin Torii (明神鳥居) which is one of the most common styles in Japan and simply means that its upper beam is curved while the lower beam is straight. Between the two beams there is a plaque that reads “Naminoue Shrine” (波上宮) and on either side of the gate you’ll find two large stone lanterns that light up the gate beautifully at night.

The gate is the largest of its kind in Okinawa and not only is it quite tall, its also wide enough to allow a lane for cars to enter on one side with pedestrian traffic on the other.  

Once you reach the top of the hill there is a second Torii gate that you have to pass through before reaching the interior section of the shrine. This gate is situated a level above the parking lot, so it allows people who have driven their cars into the shrine and parked their cars to also walk through a part of the visiting path to the shrine. This stone gate is much smaller than the first one and hung from the lower beam of the gate you’ll notice something known as the “sacred rope” or the “shimenawa” (標縄). The rope is thick and is decorated with “shide” (紙垂), which are beautifully cut paper streamers that are used in Shinto rituals. These sacred ropes are found all over Japan and have many different uses but here at the Shinto shrine it is used to help ward away evil spirits 

Visiting Path (參道)

The “Sando” (參道) or “Visiting Path” is a common feature with Japanese Shinto and Buddhist places of worship and acts as a path that leads to the Hall of Worship. The length of the path varies between shrine with some being quite short while others are several kilometers long.

The path at Naminoue Shrine is a short one that winds up a small hill and consists simply of a set of cement stairs with stone lanterns on the left and a small barrier fence on the right. As I mentioned above, the path is split into two with pedestrian traffic on the right and a road for cars to reach the shrines small parking lot. 

Once you’re at the top of the hill, you’ll pass through another Torii gate and the path to the main hall will come into view with the Purification Fountain on your left and the Administration Office on your right.    

Purification Fountain (手水舍)

An important aspect of Shintoism is something known as the "sacred-profane dichotomy". In terms of this temple, the Torii gate at the entrance of a temple separates the world of the 'sin' from that of the 'sacred'. When you walk through the gate you are leaving the world of the profane which means that you should do so in the cleanest possible manner. So in order to ready yourself for entrance into the sacred realm you would have to do so with a purified body and mind. 

As you approach the Purification Mountain or “chozuya”, you’ll notice a handy guide next to it that indicates the proper method of purifying yourself with a ceremony known as “temizu” (手水). The simple ceremony includes a few gestures that you’ll probably want to take part in if not just as a sign of respect, but because its hot in Okinawa and washing yourself with cold water is quite refreshing. 

  1. Pick up a ladle with your right hand, fill it with water and clean your left hand.

  2. Swap the ladle to your left hand and then wash your right hand.

  3. Swap hands again and pour some water into your left hand and take a drink.

  4. Wash your left hand again and then tilt the ladle vertically so that the remaining water runs down the handle.

What I really like about the Purification Fountain at this shrine is that it is situated within a tree covered area that offers visitors some respite from the sun. The fountain itself is beautifully decorated with the water spouts appearing in the shapes of dragons and the fountain itself made of a dark black coloured stone. 

Administration Office (社務所)

The “Shamusho” (社務所) is opposite the Purification Fountain and reaches as far as the Hall of Worship. The building is traditionally used to conduct the business of running the shrine and also acts as a place to allow the shrine personnel to rest. 

It is also where you’ll go if the shrine is holding a lecture or if the priests are holding special events or prayer ceremonies that aren’t held in the Hall of Worship. You’re likely to notice a long line of visitors at a window at the building as this is where you’re able to purchase good luck charms, amulets, ema, etc. from the shrine.

In the case of this shrine though, I gather that most of these public events are likely held at the Shrine Association building (神宮會館) which is directly across the street from the main gate. While not officially within the shrine area, the association building is frequently used for large public events and weddings and is where you’ll want to go if you want to rent a traditional Japanese yukata to get photos of yourself for your shrine visit.

Stone Guardians (狛犬)

One of the common features that you’ll find in the many of the places of worship throughout East Asia is that the temples and shrines are usually guarded by stone lion-dogs known in Japan as “Komainu” (狛犬). Thought to have originated in Korea, they typically appear in front of a temple and are meant to help ward off evil spirits.

Okinawa being Okinawa though, the traditional stone lion-dogs that guard the shrine have been replaced with the local version, the Shisa (シーサー), or “Shi-Shi” (獅子) in the local Ryukyuan language. The Shisa lions, I guess you could say are a distant cousin of the Komainu and are prevalent throughout the Ryukyuan islands acting as not only the guardians of temples and shrines, but also homes and businesses as well. 

The Shisa first appeared in Okinawa in the 15th Century and in the years since the lion has transformed into an image that symbolises the cultural identity of the people of the Ryukyuan islands and there are many legends in the area that tell of how they arrived.   

Link: Shisa: The Guardian Lions of Okinawa (Kampai) 

Hall of Worship (拜殿)

Shinto Shrines are renowned for their impressive ability to blend in harmoniously with the natural environment around them, which shouldn’t really be all that surprising considering that it is a religion that worships deities related to nature. 

If you weren’t already aware, the Shinto deities, or “kami” are almost always objects found in the natural environment such as animals, birds, rivers, mountains, trees, etc. For outsiders this can be a bit confusing, especially since there are eight million different kami - a number that is synonymous with infinity. 

For the Shinto, the relationship with the natural environment is extremely important given that the earth can bring both blessing and disaster. It is thought that if the kami are worshipped adequately and in a responsible way, then they will bring good fortune to the world. If on the other hand they are disrespected or neglected, they will react violently or bring misfortune. 

Essentially, respect for the environment is one of the main tenets of Shintoism and the construction of these shrines never fails to keep that in mind. With over 80,000 shrines in Japan, Shintoism contributes to society providing ecological sanctuaries that can be enjoyed by all. 

The thing is though, the natural environment in Okinawa is considerably different than what you’ll come across in other parts of the Japan. This means that what you’re going to experience at Naminoue Shrine is going to be a lot different than what you’d see anywhere else in Japan. The shrine of course keeps with tradition and is surrounded by nature, but as it is situated atop a cliff that overlooks a pristine beach, the area around the shrine is covered with palm trees and tropical plants.

The design of the Hall of Worship, or the “Haiden” likewise is unique to Okinawa as it was constructed according to Japanese tradition but designed in a way that pays homage to the Ryukyuan people, especially with with its usage of the colour red and the beautiful red tiled “Aka-Gawara” (沖繩赤瓦) roof that has become synonymous with the architecture found all over Okinawa.

The combination of the three primary colour with the red on the shrine, the green palm trees and the beautiful blue Okinawan sky makes the shrine appealing to the eye and allows it to stand out in the sunlight. 

Link: Ryukyuan Architecture in Zamami: Red Tile Roofs (The Zamami Times)

As you approach the Hall of Worship, the first thing that will stand out to you is the beautiful red roof and pillars mixed with the painted white walls. The closer you get though, the smaller details become much more apparent. 

The first thing you’ll want to take note of are the three plaques placed just below the roof - The middle plaque reads “Naminoue Shrine” (波上宮) while the plaque to its left reads: “Peace reigns over the land” (萬民泰平) and the one on the right reads “National Protector” (國家鎮護). Given Naminoue’s position as the prefectural shrine as well as Okinawa’s unfortunate history, the plaques are quite fitting to the modern Japanese philosophy of non-aggression.

Hung from the lower beam of the gate you’ll notice something known as the “sacred rope” or the “shimenawa” (標縄). The rope is thick and expertly braided and is decorated with “shide” (紙垂), which are beautifully cut paper streamers that are used in Shinto rituals. These sacred ropes are found all over Japan and have many different uses but here at the Shinto shrine it is used to help ward away evil spirits. 

In front of the doors you will find some hanging curtains with a circular logo on each - The crest, known as a “shinmon” (神紋) is the “mitsudomoe” (三ツ巴), which appears to be a comma-like swirl that is commonly associated with Hachimon Shrines (八幡神社) in Japan. 

In Okinawa however the crest was adopted as the emblem of the royal family of the Ryukyuan during the First Sho-Dynasty around seven centuries ago. In Okinawa the crest is known as the “Hidari Gomon” (左御紋) and today you’ll find it not only at Shinto Shrines, but also at Shuri Castle and in most of the imagery that represents the islands. The crest is experiencing something of a resurgence in recent years as it was banned for several decades after the Japanese took control of the Ryukyus. 

Link: 'Hidari Gomon' The Ryukyu Symbol (Budo no Kukyo) 

The crest likewise has deeper connections with Okinawa’s Shinto Shrines as it is thought that the the origin of the design was inspired by the “Yatagarasu” (八咫鳥) or the ‘three-legged crow’, a common image throughout Asia, but is closely associated with Kumano worship. If you visit any of the Kumano Shrines in Japan, you’ll see images of the crow all over the place.

Link: The Legend of Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow and its possible origins (Heritage of Japan)

Most of what you’re going to want to see from the Hall of Worship is on the exterior, but if you’d really like to walk up to the doors to take a peak inside, you’re going to want to follow tradition and first follow a few steps which will impress the locals.

First you’ll want to walk up the steps to the wooden box in front of the main doors. You can drop in a small donation (there’s no set amount), then clap your hands twice to alert the kami of your presence, then with your hands clasped together, bow your head and make a wish. When you’re done, its tradition to bow. From there you can approach the open door and take a peak inside of the shrine room to see whats happening. 

When you look into the interior of the Hall of Worship, you’re going to see a large open room with very little in terms of decoration and tables in the middle where the kami are located.

As I mentioned above, the Shinto Shrines in Okinawa adhere to Kumano Worship, one of the largest denominations (if you will) of the religion. Most of the information you’ll find online does a great job explaining the three UNESCO World Heritage shrines in the area and their history but does a poor job of actually explaining the deities enshrined within. 

Officially, the shrine at Naminoue is dedicated to the ‘Kumano Deities’ but this becomes confusing as you can’t see the actual shrine. From my research, information suggests that the shrine consists of three mirrors which represent ‘Hayatama no kami’, ‘Kotosaka no kami’ and in the middle, the group of ‘Kumano deities’. 

Where this gets confusing is that both of the gods are commonly associated and included within the group of ’Kumano Deities’ that I listed above. In this case, Hayatama no Kami, who is a water god and Kotosaka no kami, a protection deity, are likely given more importance given the importance of the ocean and farming to Okinawa. I’m clearly not an expert on this subject though, so if I’m wrong, please feel free to correct me. 

  • Left -> Hayatama no kami -> 熊野速玉大神 (はやたまのをのみこと)

  • Centre -> Kumano Deities -> 熊野大神 (くまののおおかみ)

  • Right -> Kotosaka no kami -> 事解之男神 (ことさかのをのみこと) 

Naminoue Beach

It is safe to say that If it weren’t for the beach below the shrine, this shrine would never have been built. A sacred space for the local Ryukyuan people for hundreds of years, the high cliff above the beach was the perfect vantage point for people watching ships making port in Naha from all over Asia. 

Today the view of the ocean is blocked by an elevated highway over the beach, which kind of ruins the view, but the bridge does have its advantages as it allows people to take some pretty photos of the shrine sitting beautifully atop the high cliff. 

Most notably for locals however is that Naminoue Beach is the only beach in the capital that is open to the public for recreational activities. The long white sand beach is a popular spot for locals to enjoy the scenery, have a BBQ or a picnic, play volleyball or go for a swim. 

As mentioned above, the view at the beach is obscured by an elevated highway. While this does ruin the view for swimmers, it does provide an excellent opportunity for photos as there is a walking path along the highway where you’ll be able to get some shots of the shrine sitting atop the cliff above the beach.

If this interests you, you’re going to have to walk for about ten minutes to get to the bridge but getting there is fairly straight-forward. From the main gate to the shrine continue walking down Naminoue-dori where you’ll pass by a large driving school. Continue along the sidewalk until you reach the bridge where you’ll make a right turn onto the bridge.

Getting There

Guide Map to Okinawa's Confucius Temples and Naminoue Shrine. www.goteamjosh.com/blog/kumekong www.goteamjosh.com/blog/naminuoe

Naminoue Shrine: #25-11 Wakasa District 1, Naha (沖繩縣那霸市若狹町1丁目25-11)

MAPCODE: 33 185 023

Getting to Naminoue Shrine is quite easy and is even easier if you have access to the internet and Google Maps, given the difficulty of navigating Japanese-style addresses. I’d suggest though that you travel on foot as it will give you the best opportunity to explore as well as saving time and money.

If you’ve rented a car, you’ll definitely be able to find a car park nearby where you can drop off your car and check out the area. The problem with car parks though is that the parking fees are rather expensive and if you plan on checking out the shrine, the beach and the neighbouring Naha Confucius Temple, you’re going to need a bit of time. So, if you’ve got a car, the best thing to do would be to leave it where you’re staying, take the monorail and walk. 

If you choose the latter, you can conveniently take the monorail to either the Prefectural Office Station (縣廳前站) or Miebashi Station (美栄站) and walk from there. I’d personally recommend walking from the Prefectural Office as it is a short walk and doesn’t require making too many turns, making it the easier route to navigate. The routes I’m sharing below might not be the fastest, but they require very little in terms of turning and getting lost in alleys. If you have internet access on your phone, just use your GPS and you’ll arrive in 20 minutes. 

Directions from Prefectural Office Station

From the Monorail Station you’ll exit onto a large road named Onaribashi-dori (御成橋通り) where you’ll walk up the hill in the opposite direction from the Kokusai International Street (國際通). Simply follow that road until you reach the beach where you’ll make a left turn where you’ll quickly find the shrine. 

Directions from Miebashi Station 

From Exit #2 of the Monorail Station make a left turn onto Okiei Street (沖映通り) and then walk straight until you reach the end of the road along the ocean. From there turn left again and follow the coastal path until you reach Naminoue Beach and the Shrine. 

If you’d like to take a bus, the shrine is serviced by Naha City Bus #2, #5, #15 and #45 where you’ll get off at the Nishinjo Stop. To catch any of these buses, simply go to the Prefectural Office Monorail station where you’ll find the bus stops on the road below the station. 

Link: Bus Map Okinawa (Bus Routes / Schedules) 

Tourists..

One of the most noticeable differences you’ll find in Okinawa from the rest of Japan is the absence and concentration of Shinto Shrines - Given the Ryukyu’s unfortunate modern history, it shouldn’t surprise you that there are so few left standing nor should it be surprising that the local people don’t always share a similar love of Japan’s state religion as those on the mainland. The situation with regard to cultural identity in Okinawa is a complicated one and as time passes, it tends to be one that drifts further and further apart from the rest of Japan. 

Nevertheless, the lack of shrines does make the few left standing even more important. So, if you’re planning to visit Okinawa, you can expect that your visit to this shrine to be shared with quite a few locals. 

Nevertheless, the rarity of Shinto Shrines in Okinawa makes the few left standing today important places of worship for those who adhere to the religion as well as for travelers. 

As the highest ranking shrine in Okinawa Prefecture and the largest in the capital city of Naha, Naminoue Shrine has become an important place of worship for locals as well as a major tourist attraction, so if you’re visiting the city, you’ll definitely want to stop by to check it out.