January 2026

Kawachi’s Ichinomiya: The Roots of Nara’s Kasuga Taisha!? Unraveling the Mystery of Hiraoka Jinja, the “Moto Kasuga” (Original Kasuga), and its Hilarious Shinto Ritual

Hiraoka Jinja, nestled at the foot of Mount Ikoma in Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture, is...

Suō Province Ichinomiya: Tamazusao Jinja. This ancient shrine, steeped in legend and associated with roosters, enshrines the kami of the Magatama (curved jewel), one of the Three Sacred Treasures.

Basic Information Location: 1690 Oaza Osaki, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Enshrined kami: Tamaoya-no-mikoto Shrine rank:...

The Mystery and Legend of ‘The Erased Ichinomiya,’ Resting in Yasuhito jinja, Bizen Province’s Oldest Sacred Site

Basic Information Name: Ani Jinja (Ani Shrine) Location: Ichirenji, Saidaiji, Higashi Ward, Okayama City, Okayama...

Nitta Jinja, Ichinomiya of Satsuma Province: A Sacred Site Resting on a Turtle’s Back and Unraveling the Mystery of Tenson Korin

Nitta Jinja, located in Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is a highly prestigious jinja that was...

Izushi Jinja, the Ichinomiya of Tajima Province: The ‘Eight Sacred Treasures’ brought by a Prince of Silla, and the mystery of the pioneering kami who reclaimed the muddy primordial sea.

Basic Information Izushi Jinja (いずしじんじゃ), located in Miyaochi, Izushi-cho, Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is an...

Yamato’s Sacred Sanctuary: Rokken Jinja — The Mystery of Its Role in Guarding the Ancient Emperors’ Kitchens, and a Pilgrimage Tour for Fans of the Anime ‘Beyond the Boundary’

Basic Information Name: Mutsuagata Jinja (Shrine) Location: Shijo-cho, Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture (Note: While there...

“If you visit Ise, you must also visit Taga!” The mysteries and legends of Taga Taisha, where the “Parent Kami” of Japanese mythology are enshrined.

Taga Taisha jinja, located in Taga-cho, Shiga Prefecture, has been affectionately known as ‘O-Taga-san’ for...

From Onryō (Vengeful Spirit) to Sports Kami? Kyoto’s Shiramine Jingū: Home to a Tumultuous History and Power for Certain Victory

Basic Information Location: 261 Asukai-cho, Horikawa Higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture Enshrined kami:...

Furon-gu — An ancient jinja of victory and good fortune enshrined in the Chikugo Plain, where 1800 years of history and the legend of the white heron come alive.

Furogu Jinja, nestled in Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, is affectionately known by locals as ‘Ofuro-san’...

The Deity of Feet, Hattori Tenjin-gū: The ‘Miraculous Healing’ That Saved Sugawara no Michizane and a Sacred Site Where Modern Athletes Gather

Basic Information Location: 1-2-17 Hattorimoto-machi, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture Enshrined Kami: Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto (god of medicine...