Uneme Shrine, Shinto shrine in Japan
Uneme Shrine is a small Shinto shrine on the eastern edge of Sarusawa Pond in Nara, distinguished by its unusual orientation facing away from the water. The site includes a torii gate entrance and serves as the focal point for an annual festival that centers on ritual offerings and ceremonial processions around the pond.
The shrine was established to honor the spirit of a court attendant from the Nara period who drowned herself in Sarusawa Pond after losing imperial favor. According to legend, the shrine building was turned to face away from the water overnight to prevent it from looking toward the place of her death.
The annual Uneme Festival shows how local people honor the memory of an old court lady through processions, traditional dress, and flower fans made from autumn plants. This practice keeps the story alive as a living part of how the community celebrates each year.
The shrine is within easy walking distance of Nara's train stations and can be reached on foot or by bus without difficulty. The site is best visited during the annual festival in October when ceremonies, traditional music, and processions take place around the pond.
Legend claims that the shrine building was rotated to face away from the pond in a single night to prevent it from looking at the place where the court lady drowned. This tale of the overnight turning has become central to how visitors understand and remember the shrine's relationship to its tragic story.
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