Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, Shinto shrine in Mount Yoshino, Japan.
Yoshino Mikumari Shrine is a Shinto sanctuary in the Yoshino Mountains dedicated to water deities and their blessing of water sources. The main structure combines three separate buildings under a single layered bark roof crowned with dormer gables, creating a distinctive architectural form.
The shrine was reconstructed in 1605 by Toyotomi Hideyori following his father Toyotomi Hideyoshi's prayers for a male heir to continue the family line. This rebuilding solidified the sanctuary's importance as a place where powerful figures sought divine intervention.
The shrine honors six water deities, with a wooden statue of Tamayori-hime serving as a National Treasure that visitors can see. This sacred figure represents ancient beliefs about water sources that shaped life in these mountains.
The shrine sits in the upper Kami Senbon area and requires a long mountain walk of roughly 70 minutes from Yoshinoyama Station to reach on foot. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, as the path follows forest trails through hilly terrain.
Near the shrine's exit stands a wooden owl sculpture carved from a single piece of wood with an unexplained origin story. No written records document why this enigmatic bird was placed there or who created it.
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