Akama-jingu

Akama Jingu in Shimonoseki is dedicated to the child Emperor Antoku, who drowned at age six during the 1185 naval Battle of Dan-no-ura, the final clash of the Genpei War that ended the Taira clan's power. The shrine's vivid Suiten-mon gate is built in the style of a legendary undersea dragon palace, referencing the belief that Antoku descended to the Dragon King's realm beneath the sea. The grounds hold a memorial to the Heike warriors who perished in the same battle, with paintings depicting the sea engagement visible from the shrine. Each May, the Senteisai festival reenacts the events with boat processions on the Kanmon Strait directly below.