浮島神社, Shinto shrine in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Ukishima Shrine, formally Ukishima Kumano-nimasu Shrine, stands in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on a peninsula-like projection into a 6,000-tsubo spring-fed pond, not on an island. From the opposite shore it appears to float, recalling Itsukushima Shrine. The pond yields about 150,000 tons of spring water daily and is listed among the Heisei Meisui Hyakusen.

The shrine was founded roughly 1000 years ago, after a local landowner reportedly dreamed of a deity telling him to dig at a certain spot. The digging uncovered a spring that filled the land with water, creating the pond that still defines the site today.

The shrine is dedicated to Izanagi and Izanami, the divine couple said to have performed Japan's first wedding. Visitors come to pray for relationships and marriage, making this a place people associate with new beginnings in family life.

The shrine is easy to reach by car, and a large parking area is available on site for visitors. The paths around the pond can be uneven in places, so sturdy footwear makes the walk more comfortable.

A large golden stone called Kabuto-ishi is said to lie beneath the pond, hidden from sight since the shrine was first established. No one knows its exact position under the water, and it has never been seen since the founding legend began.