Change of four seasones in Awa Shrine

The cherry blossoms around the pond, their reflections on the water’s surface, and the way the scattered petals cover the pond are all very picturesque.

In eary summer. The summer scenery is also beautiful.

Early summer approach to the shrine.

Chi-no- Wa Kuguri

This is the first ritual of passing through a straw circle.

This is to ward off impurities from the first half of the year and pray for good health in the second half of the year.

Chi-no- Wa Kuguri

Passing through the straw ring While traveling,. Susanoo no Mikoto sought lodging in the province of Bingo. His elder brother, Somin Shorai, was poor, but gladly welcomed him. His younger brother, Kodan Shorai, was wealthy, but refused to let him stay at the lodge. Years later, Susanoo-no-Mikoto visited Somin Shorai again and instructed him to “wear a straw ring around your waist to avoid epidemics.” Somin Shorai followed his advice and was able to escape the disaster.  After that, people began to wear straw rings around their waists to pray for good health, and the custom of passing through a straw ring began in the Edo period. Great purification rituals on June 30th and December 31st. It is a ritual to cleanse people of impurities from the first and second half of the year and pray for good health and prosperity for the next half year.

On June 20th, the thatch is cut and woven into rings.

On June 30th, a great purification ceremony is held to cleanse the impurities of the past six months and pray for good health and freedom from illness for the next six months.

Autumn and winter scenery

In autumn, the large ginkgo tree shines golden. The sight of the tree illuminated by the morning sun is a spectacular sight.

When the large ginkgo tree broke off during Typhoon No. 15 in 2019, it missed the roof of the main hall by just a few centimeters, preventing any damage to the building.

Ginkgo trees seen from Shimonomiya

In early winter

Kaminomiya Shrine worship hall

Inside the worship hall, at the back is the main hall

The main shrine enshrines Ame-no-futodama-no-mikoto, who is said to have offered offerings to Amaterasu Omikami when she hid herself in the Heavenly Cave in Japanese mythology, in order to have her emerge.
He is believed to be the ancestor of Amenotominomikoto, the god of the Boso development, and was enshrined here to express gratitude to his ancestors when the development was accomplished.

Shimonomiya Shurine worship hall

Shimonomiya Festival May 10th

A painting donated by artist Takeo Terasaki

By order of Emperor Jimmu, Ame-no-tomi-no-Mikoto rode the Kuroshio Current and landed at the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula with the Imbe clan living in Awa Province, where he planted hemp and kaji trees and began development, and is the enshrined deity who led the development of the Boso Peninsula and the entire Kanto region.

Sacred Tree

Inumaki is designated as the prefectural tree of Chiba.
It is dioecious and is known as a tree species that has fire, wind and soundproofing properties.
During the typhoon that hit the Boso Peninsula in 1889, many trees in the temple grounds were damaged, but this sacred tree remained unaffected.

Kotohira Shrine

Kotohira Shrine Festival September 27th

The deity worshipped at Kotohira Shrine is Omononushi-no-kami. He is the same deity as the main deity worshipped at Kotohira Shrine, a former national shrine on Mount Kotohira in Kagawa Prefecture. The deity worshipped here is said to be the guardian deity of maritime traffic and safe navigation.

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine Festival June 10th

The deity worshipped at Itsukushima Shrine is Ichikishimahime-no-mikoto. Ichikishimahime-no-mikoto is one of the three Munakata goddesses born from a vow between Amaterasu Omikami and Susanoo-no-mikoto.

Of the three shrines at Munakata Taisha, he is currently the enshrined deity at Hetsu-miya, and is considered the god of maritime traffic.

In addition, Ichikishimahime was identified with Benzaiten and worshipped as a city deity. Miyajima in Aki, the Milky Way in Yamato, Chikubushima in Omi, Enoshima in Sagami, and Kinkasan in Rikuzen were called the Five Benten in ancient times.