Kashīgū~Where to see

Chokushidō

The Chokushidō is a brilliant tree-lined street of camphors that continues about 1km from Kashīgū. It is the main approach to Kashīgū, and it is said that in the old times it was only used by imperial envoys or in festivals. Even today, in the spring festival, once in two years, 3 mikoshis travels this street to the Tongū, at the start of the Chokushidō, along with a procession of people in traditional costumes.

The street was named "Chokushidō" in 1925, the year a Chokushi was sent to the shrine. The following year, 165 camphor trees those were dedicated to the shrine were planted along the street.

The Chokushidō starts at the railroad crossing of JR Kagoshima line, about 1km away from the shrine. The shoreline is another 1km away, but it used to be around where the start of the Chokushidōis until the Showa period, when the sea was reclaimed.

Rō-mon

The Rō-mon is a multistoried gate with a cypress bark roof, built of unpainted keyaki wood. The gate was not rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire when Tachibana castle was attacked by the Shimazu clan in 1586, but was finally rebuilt in 1903.

The walls on both sides of the gate is a sujibei, a wall with horizontal lines, with five lines. These lines are originally represented formality in the Imperial Household, and five lines represents the highest formality.

Aya-sugi

Aya-sugi is a sacred cedar tree over 1800 years old. It is called by this name because the way the leaves grow looks like the pattern aya.

It is said that when Empress Jingū returned from her conquest to Silla, she buried the three treasures, a sword, a spear and a cane and planted a cedar stick there, making a pledge to protect the dynasty forever.

The leaves of Aya-sugi was presented to the Imperial Court every year, together with the Furō-sui, from 765 to 1868, as a symbol of the protection of the nation. Also, it is said that who were to be appointed as a new Dazai-no-sochi visited Kashīgū and had the priest stick a branch of the Aya-sugi into his kanmuri, and had a ceremony to wish for safety during the term as a Dazai-no-sochi.

Also, Aya-sugi is seen in waka. It's name can be seen in the Shin Kokin Wakashū, an imperial anthology of waka, and the poem which the author is unknown is engraved in the stone monument next to the tree.

千早振る　香椎の宮の綾杉は　神のみぞぎに　立てるなりけり
The Aya-sugi of the shrine of Kashī is standing as a sacred tree of the god of Kashī

Naka-mon

The Naka-mon is a vermilion-lacquered gate that is the entrance to the main part of the shrine. The gate was not rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire when Tachibana castle was attacked by the Shimazu clan in 1586, but was finally rebuilt in 1902.

Haiden, Heiden and Honden

The main part of Kashīgū are three vermilion-lacquered buildings, from the front, the Haiden, the Heiden and the Honden.

The first shrine was built in 724. The shrine was destroyed by fire in 1077, and after that it has repeatedly been destroyed and rebuilt. In 1586, the Tachibana castle located on the top of Mount Tachibana behind Kashīgū was attacked by the Shimazu clan, and Kashīgū was destroyed too. The following year, Kobayakawa Takakage who occupied Tachibana castle and became the fudal lord of Chikuzen province, rebuilt the shrine. The shrine was destroyed again by fire in 1637, but was rebuilt by Kuroda Tadayuki, the second head of Fukuoka domain. The shrine buildings were once again rebuilt by Kuroda Narikiyo, the 10th head of Fukuoka domain, in 1801.

The Honden, which is the main shrine, is Kashī-zukuri, an architectural style only seen in Kashīgū. It was designated as an important cultural property in 1922.

The main part is a hip-and-gable roof with a chidori Hafu, a triangular shaped gable in the front. It also has small rooms called Shishi-no-ma sticking out from both sides making the roof a complicated shape. Also there is a porch on both side called kurumayose, where the dieties can get on and off from a mikoshi directly.

The Haiden and the Heiden are "Kirizuma-zukuri", a style of gable roof. These were both rebuilt in 1905.

In other shrines the Heiden is what is called a haiden, but in Kashīgū it is called the Heiden since it is where the imperial envoy perform ritual ceremonies to present a Heihaku.

Furumiya remains

The Furumiya is where Emperor Chūai built a temporary palace, Kashī-no-miya when he reached Chikushi on the expedition to conquer the Kumaso, and also where Empress Jingū built a shrine for Emperor Chūai who died here, making it where Kashīgū was founded. Until the shrine to enshrine Empress Jingū was buillt in 723, following an oracular message from the empress herself, it was the main shrine, and the shrine dedicated for Emperor Chūai was here until his spirits were transferred to the main shrine in 1915.

Today, there is no shrine building left here, but a sacred tree called "Kan-kake-no-shī", that is said is the origin of the name "Kashī", and a stone monument that indicates where Kashī-no-miya was remains at the Furumiya.

Keiseki shrine

Keiseki shrine is an branch shrine located next to the Aya-sugi. It is said that in the Edo period, a Buddhist priest who mourned for a chicken's death, changed the chicken into a rock to enshrine it. Chickens were believed to have the five virtues of wisdom, strength, bravery, justice and trust, and also, it's cry were considered special to give notice of the appearance of a god.

Keiseki shrine is believed to have a divine favor for achieving things starting from something shapeless, that is like a chicken laying an egg and a hatching from it. Also, since chickens don't cry at night, its is said to have a divine favor to help stop babies crying at night. Since it is a unique shrine that deifies a chicken, those whose businesses are related to chickens also attend the annual festival.

In front of the Keiseki shrine, a pair of statues of chicken sit in place where, in other shrines, komainu are.

Next to Keiseki shrine, is Inari shrine, dedicated for Ukemochi-no-ōkami, a god of food.