Ahiratsu Shrine
shrine
吾平津神社
In Japanese mythology, Princess Ahiratsu is the first wife of Jimmu, the legendary first emperor.
Ahiratsu Shrine honors Princess Ahiratsu, the first wife of Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan. The shrine originally worshipped Otohime, a sea goddess, and twin stone statues of a monkey and a pheasant, her companions in folk tales, still stand guard along the approach. After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the government encouraged the worship of sites tied to imperial origin legends, and the shrine was renamed for Princess Ahiratsu, making her the primary deity for the people of Aburatsu. This layering of older sea-goddess worship beneath a newer imperial dedication gives the shrine a more complex history than its quiet exterior suggests.
Purify your hands at the temizuya before approaching the main hall. Left hand first, then right, then pour water into your left hand to rinse your mouth.
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