Shiratori Shrine

Shiratori Shrine in the Ebino Highlands was founded in 959 by the priest Shoku, who built it at the instruction of an apparition of the legendary prince Yamato Takeru. The shrine has a well-documented connection to Todaiji Temple in Nara: when the Great Buddha Hall's massive roof needed replacing around 300 years ago, Japanese red pines growing on Shiratori's grounds were selected after a 20-year nationwide search for timber long enough for the rainbow beams. Those trees still support the roof today. A 500-year-old sacred cedar with a 6-meter circumference stands on a quiet side path. An 80-kilogram projectile near the main building is said to bestow protection on those who can lift it.