Shitori Shrine, Shinto shrine in Yurihama, Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Shitori Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Miyauchi neighborhood of Yurihama, Tottori Prefecture, on the east bank of Lake Tōgō. Its wooden worship hall has a broad, curved roof of grey shingles that extends over the facade, which features central double doors and vertical lattice panels on each side, with a stone walkway leading to the entrance.
The shrine's origins are unclear, but it is thought to have started as the family shrine of the Shitori clan, weavers who lived during the Kofun period. It appears in records from 808, was rebuilt in 1554 after being destroyed, and later became the ichinomiya of Hōki Province.
The shrine is known for safe childbirth, as the goddess Shitateruhime is worshipped here. Along the approach, a rock called Anzan Iwa is said to help women in labor, and visitors often stop to touch it or take a small piece.
The shrine is about a 35-minute walk from Matsuzaki Station on the JR West San'in Main Line, so allow time for the approach. The grounds are open for walking, and the main hall and sutra mound are easy to find; wear comfortable shoes for the stone paths.
A mound in the grounds was long believed to be the tomb of Shitateruhime, but in 1915 it was found to be a sutra mound containing a copper cylinder with an inscription from 1103. The items buried there, including a gilt-bronze Kannon statue, are now a National Treasure.
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