Shiratori Shrine, Shinto shrine in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Shiratori Shrine in Higashikagawa is entered through two tall grey stone pillars carved with vertical Japanese characters, joined by a twisted straw rope with white paper streamers. Behind them stands a broad dark wooden shrine building with a deeply curved, tiered roof. A stone-paved path leads to a short staircase, an offering box, lanterns and small tree plantings.
The shrine was established at the site where the spirit of Yamato Takeru was believed to have descended in the form of a white bird, making it a place of local devotion early on. Over the centuries, structures were built and rebuilt here, following the architectural traditions of the Edo period.
The shrine takes its name from a legend in which the spirit of Yamato Takeru is said to have appeared here in the form of a white bird. Today, visitors and local people come to pray in front of the main hall, often for health or good fortune.
The grounds can be visited throughout the day and are generally accessible on foot from nearby train stations and bus stops. Parking is available on site for those arriving by car, and no special clothing is required to walk through the grounds.
The shrine's sacred mountain, Miyama, is a mound just 3.6 metres high; the shrine calls it Japan's lowest mountain and issues a climbing certificate to visitors who summit it. It aims to appear on a 1:25,000 Geographical Survey Institute map to have the claim recognised.
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