Futagami-Imizu-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Futagami-Imizu-jinja is a Shinto shrine in Takaoka featuring traditional wooden buildings with a curved copper roof and a large wooden torii gate brought from Ise Shrine in 2015. The grounds are surrounded by old trees and flowers, including a roughly 400-year-old plum tree with spreading branches where visitors often take photographs.
According to records, the shrine was founded by the monk Gyōki in 717 AD, who built a Buddhist temple at the mountain's base to honor its sacred power. It was destroyed by fire in the early 10th century but was rebuilt with support from local residents and the Maeda clan during the Edo period, with the current structures dating from the early 1900s after a fire in 1900.
The shrine's name refers to the sacred Mount Futagami nearby, which local believers have venerated for centuries as the home of the gods. Visitors regularly write wishes on wooden plaques and hang them on display, a daily practice you can see throughout the grounds.
The shrine is easily accessible about 15 minutes on foot from Takaoka Station and has ample parking for cars and groups. Friendly staff members are present to answer questions about the shrine's history and ceremonies, and peaceful walking paths are available throughout the grounds.
Every year on April 23rd, the shrine holds the Tsukiyama Ritual, where a temporary mountain is built in front of a large Japanese cedar tree to symbolize the presence of the gods. This ceremony was officially recognized in 1982 as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property and later inspired the development of the mobile festival floats used in other celebrations today.
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