Kanbara-jinja, shrine in Unnan, Shimane

Kanbara-jinja stands in the Kanbara district of Kamo, Unnan, Shimane prefecture. Its present sanctuary buildings were moved about 50 metres southwest in 1972 for the Akagawa river improvement works. East of the rebuilt hall, a reconstructed stone burial chamber from the shrine's kofun can be viewed freely.

Kanbara-jinja first appears in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki, which records a "Kanbara Shrine" under the Ōhara district and notes that Ōkuninushi's treasures were kept here. It is also listed in the Engishiki shrine register. In 1611 its ridge plaque names it Kanbara Matsui Daimyōjin, and in 1717 the Un'yōshi calls it Kanbō Myōjin. It became a village shrine in December 1871, and the present hall was moved about 50 m southwest in 1972 during rerouting of the Akagawa river.

Kanbara-jinja is dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a deity believed to bring good fortune and happiness to visitors. People leave coins as offerings and write wishes on small wooden plaques that hang at the shrine, creating a visible record of personal prayers and hopes.

The shrine is accessible by small rural roads with parking nearby and stone-paved pathways leading to the main gate. Visitors should allow time to explore the grounds at a leisurely pace and wear comfortable shoes for walking through the natural surroundings.

The shrine's former main hall stood on a square burial mound about 29 by 25 metres and 5 metres high, among the oldest of Shimane's early tumuli. During the 1972 relocation for the Akagawa river works, excavation of its stone chamber found a triangular-rimmed mirror bearing the Wei date Jingchu 3 (239); the finds are a National Important Cultural Property held by the Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, and the chamber is rebuilt east of the hall.