蟻通神社, Shinto shrine in Katsuragi, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Aritoshi Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Katsuragi, Wakayama Prefecture, within Ito District. Its main deity is Omoikane-no-Mikoto, the kami associated with wisdom and counsel. The shrine stands in the Katsuragi area of the Kii Peninsula, south of Mount Koya.

The shrine originates from a legend where a young god used an ant to thread a string through a complex shell hole, solving what seemed impossible. This story was recorded in old Japanese texts over centuries, establishing the shrine as a place of wisdom and clever problem-solving in the region.

The shrine takes its name from an ancient legend about an ant threading a string through a complex shell hole. Visitors can experience how this story of cleverness and problem-solving remains central to how local people think about wisdom and ingenuity in their daily lives.

The shrine is easily reached on foot via quiet pathways and offers several spots for prayer and reflection. Visitors should wear appropriate clothing and be aware that this is an active worship site where local community members regularly come to pray.

The shrine's main deity is Omoikane-no-Mikoto, the kami of wisdom and counsel in Japanese myth. The name Aritōshi comes from a legend in which a god threaded a string through a curved shell by tying it to an ant, and the shrine is associated with that feat of cleverness.