Watatsumi Shrine (Kobe)

Watatsumi Shrine (海神社, Watatsumi Jinja) is a Shinto shrine located in Tarumi-ku, Kobe.^{[1][2][3]: 7} It is said to have been founded by the legendary Empress Jingu (169–269 AD).^[2][3]: 7 It is one of the three major shrines of Harima Province.^[2] It has a festival on October 11.^[2]

Watatsumi Shrine
Religion
Affiliation	Shinto
Deity	Watatsumi
Website
https://kaijinjya.main.jp/
Glossary of Shinto

It is colloquially called Sea Shrine (海神社, Umi Jinja) due to that being a more common reading of the characters.^[2] It is also read as Kai Shrine or called Tarumi Shrine.^[3]: 7

History

According to the shrine's legend, Empress Jingū was nearly shipwrecked when returning to Japan from a military conquest in Korea. She survived thanks to praying to Watatsumi, and made the shrine to honor him.^{[3]: 7 [2]} There are 22 Watatsumi shrines in the region that claim to have been founded by her in these circumstances.^[3]: 7 Ikasuri Shrine and Ikuta Shrine were both also made at the same time by the Empress.^[2] The son of Tomomi no Sukune who accompanied the Empress on her expedition became the first priest of the shrine.^[4]

In 806 AD, the shrine was financially supported by taxes from ten households.^[2] It was listed as a Myojin Taisha, the highest rank of significant shrines in the 927 AD Engishiki.^[5]

In the Edo Period it gained a lot of significance for the rulers of the Akashi Domain, who visited it every February.^[2]

Originally its main Torii was located on the beach like Itsukushima Shrine, but due to land reclamation after WWII its torii is now a fair bit inland.^[2]

Gallery

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  Haiden of Watatsumi Shrine
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  Haiden of Kai-jinja Shrine in Tarumi, Kobe
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  Donation box
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  Honden
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  Torii
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  Exterior view of Museum of Watatsumi Shrine
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  Torii gates of Inari, Ebisu, Sarutahiko Shrines in Watatsumi Shrine
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  Torii gate at Watatsumi Shrine
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  Torii gate of Watatsumi Shrine
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  View within Watatsumi Shrine
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  Watatsumi Shrine grounds
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  Haiden in Watatsumi Shrine
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  Torii
• 
  Torii
• 
  Torii
• 
  Large Torii similar to Itsukushima Shrine

See also

• Kaijin Shrine which is sometimes also known as "Watatsumi Jinja"
• Shikaumi Shrine another major shrine to Watatsumi
• Watazumi Shrine

References

1. Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 127.
2. "Watatsumi Shrine | 海神社 |Hyogo-ken, Kobe-shi". shintoshrines. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
3. "The Romance of Kobe". www.forgottenbooks.com. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
4. Ponsonby-Fane, R. A. B. (2016-05-11). Studies In Shinto & Shrines (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 335. ISBN 978-1-138-98322-9.
5. Engi-shiki; Procedures of the Engi Era: Books VI-X. Sophia University. 1972.

Bibliography

• Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2363-4
• Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887
• _______________. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 399449
• _______________. (1963). The Viciissitudes of Shinto. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 186605327

External links

• http://sanpai-japan.com/2022/07/28/katsurahama-beach-and-watatsumi-shrine/

34°37′44″N 135°03′15″E