Wakasa Shrine, Shinto shrine in Japan
Wakasa Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Wakasa town, Tottori Prefecture, with simple wooden structures that fit naturally into the surroundings. The grounds include a main building with a thatched roof and wooden beams, a torii gate at the entrance, and traditional stone lanterns surrounded by ancient cypress and fir trees protected as a Natural Monument.
The shrine was founded in the early Heian period, making it over a thousand years old, and was built by the Yabe clan who also constructed the nearby Wakasa Oniga Castle. During the Edo period, the Ikeda clan protected it, ensuring the site remained an important shrine for the local community.
The shrine was historically called Matsugami Daimyojin, reflecting its deep spiritual role in the community. Visitors can observe people offering coins and praying in traditional ways, showing how this place remains a center for local rituals and worship practices today.
The shrine is located about 15 minutes walk from the train station and is easily accessible through quiet paths in town. The best time to visit is during quieter months to enjoy the peaceful setting, or in May when the annual festival takes place.
The shrine is connected to a water-offering festival where sacred water flows into a nearby river and is said to reach Todai-ji Temple in Nara ten days later, where a ritual draws the water back to this location. This remarkable water connection links two important religious sites across a great distance.
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