Kashima Jingū, Sacred Shinto shrine in Kashima, Japan
Kashima Jingū is a Shinto shrine in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, entered through a large unpainted wooden torii; a stone stele beside it reads 鹿島神宮. A grey stone torii with five gold emblems on its upper beam stands before a wooden hall with a greenish thatched hip-and-gable roof and a white cloth banner with dark swirl motifs.
Shrine legend dates its founding to 660 BC, the first year of Emperor Jimmu, though the Hitachi Fudoki first records a ritual house rebuilt in 649. Tokugawa Ieyasu sponsored the main shrine in 1605, Hidetada the current sanctuaries in 1619, and Yorifusa the tower gate in 1634.
The deity worshiped here protects warriors and draws people training in traditional martial arts. This place keeps close connections with sword schools that have practiced drills and rituals near its grounds for centuries.
The site sits in Ibaraki Prefecture and draws over 600,000 visitors during the first three days of January for New Year ceremonies. Pathways lead through several gate arches to different buildings, each offering quiet spaces for prayer.
A large stone called Kaname-ishi stands on the grounds and is believed by mythology to hold down a giant catfish at the sea floor. This catfish is thought to cause earthquakes when it moves, and the stone prevents its motion.
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