Izusan Shrine, Shinto shrine in Atami, Japan
Izusan Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Izusan, Atami, Japan, resting on a hillside 170 meters (558 feet) above sea level. Visitors climb 837 stone steps to reach the main buildings, which offer a view over Sagami Bay.
Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first Kamakura shogun, and Hojo Masako met near this shrine and formed an alliance that reshaped feudal power in Japan. This location marked the beginning of a new political order in the 12th century.
The shrine venerates four deities: Homusubi-no-mikoto, Ame-no-Oshihomimi-no-mikoto, Takuhata-chijihime-no-takara, and Ninigi-no-mikoto. It is also called Sōtō Gongen, a name linked to the hot springs and geysers on the coast below, which were honored as the red and white dragons of the shrine's origin story. Yoritomo and Hōjō Masako are said to have met here, so visitors pray for matchmaking.
Buses from JR Atami Station run to the Izusan Jinja-mae stop, or to Nanao; from the stop, 170 stone steps lead up to the shrine grounds. The full approach from Izusan Beach, where the Hashiriyu hot spring sits, counts 837 steps. The shrine's main festival runs 14–16 April, with the core rites on 15 April.
The shrine is recognized as the guardian deity of hot springs throughout the Izu region and is believed to hold the power to extinguish fires across Izu and Hakone. This connection to thermal water and fire protection makes it a key spiritual site for surrounding communities.
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