Fukagawa-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Fukagawa-jinja is a Shinto shrine in Seto, set among trees with traditional wooden buildings and curved roofs typical of this type of sanctuary. At the entrance stand two stone guardian figures known as komainu, and a small treasure house sits on the grounds alongside the main hall.
The shrine was founded around 771, making it a part of local life in this area for well over a thousand years. The main buildings standing today were put up in the early 1800s and have not changed much since then.
The shrine is closely tied to pottery, the craft that has shaped Seto's identity for centuries. Local artisans still visit to pray for their work, and during spring and autumn festivals the grounds fill with people taking part in traditional ceremonies.
The shrine sits in a residential part of Seto and is easy to reach on foot from the city center. Visiting in spring or autumn gives a chance to see the grounds when festivals are taking place and there is more activity around.
The treasure house on the grounds holds a guardian dog figure said to have been carved by Toshiro Kato, the potter credited with starting Seto's ceramics industry in the 13th century. This makes it one of the very few objects directly linked to him that visitors can see today.
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