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Kaijin Shrine | |
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shrine and main hall | |
Religion | |
Affiliation | Shinto |
Deity | Toyotama-hime, Hikohohodemi no Mikoto |
Festivals | Life release, Kaijin Matsuri |
Architecture | |
Style | Nagare-zukuri |
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Kaijin Shrine (海神神社) also read as Watatsumi Shrine is a significant Shinto shrine located in Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, that holds a Beppyo status. This status denotes that the shrine is remarkable and holds a significant historical importance. Kaijin Shrine is also ranked as an Ichinomiya, which means it is the highest-ranked shrine in its province.[1][2]: 98 [3] It is located near Mount Izu.[4]
In Tsushima folklore it is said that Toyotama-hime and Hikohohodemi no Mikoto married at this shrine, and it is thus the sea god's palace.[5]: 443
Empress Jingu visited the area to worship at Mount Izu.[1]
The shrine has a prominent set of Torii that are often compared to Itsukushima Shrine in how they enter water.[5]: 297 Recent archaeological findings suggest it is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, and Itsukushima Shrine was based on it.[5]: 321
The shrine is associated with Kamikaze, the typhoon that stopped the Mongol invasion of Japan.[2]: 97–99
It has a Bronze Buddha statue from Korea in it.[6][7] The statue is designated as important cultural property.[7]
In 2012 a robber stole a Silla era Buddha statue from the shrine,[8][5]: 321 on the same day they stole another statue from Kannon-ji[9][10] but in 2015 it was returned.[8][11][12][5]: 321
Kaijin Shrine should not be confused with Watatsumi Shrine, which has a very similar Japanese name (海神社) to Kaijin Shrine (海神神社) and is located in Kobe
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