Aki Shrine, Shinto shrine in Japan

Aki Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Uda, Nara Prefecture, with a main hall in the shinmei-zukuri style, characterized by a raised wooden floor and a thatched roof. The grounds also contain a shrine gate, a Noh stage, and three subsidiary halls dedicated to deities such as Hinoomi-no-Mikoto and Suseri-hime-no-Mikoto.

The shrine was founded in the age of the gods at Kaguraoka and received the title Kobe Daijingu by order of Emperor Sujin. During the Tensho years of the Azuchi-Momoyama period it was moved to its present site on the west bank of the Hongo River and renamed Aki Shrine. In 1902 it was raised from village shrine to prefectural shrine.

The shrine's name, Aki-jinja, reflects a renaming that occurred when it relocated during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Visitors can still observe the traditional Noh stage on the grounds, where local people experienced this slow, meditative form of theater across generations, connecting directly to Japan's performing arts heritage.

The shrine is easily accessible from Kintetsu Haibara Station and requires only a short walk from the bus stop. The grounds are well-maintained and organized, with stone lanterns and wooden plaques clearly visible to help visitors understand the site's history.

The shrine's common name, Kobe Myojin, recalls its former title Kobe Daijingu, granted by imperial order in the age of Emperor Sujin. The Noh stage built in the early Edo period still stands among the shrine buildings, alongside the main hall in the Shinmei style.