Shikaumi shrine~Where to see

Hōkyōintō

A Hōkyōintō is a pagoda that contains a hōkyōindaranikyō, a kind of Buddhist scriptures wishing for peace in the past, present and future. This stone made Hōkyōintō is made of granite, and is 334.5cm tall. It was built in 1347, making it the oldest Hōkyōintō in Fukuoka prefecture that exists in a complete shape. It is a Prefecturally Designated Cultural Property.

Yamanokami shrine

Yamanokami shrine is a massha, dedicated for Ōyamatsumi-no-kami, the god of the mountains. It is said that, since ancient times, people knew the mountains bring rich fisheries so they enshrined the god of mountains.

It is believed that the god would grant your wish if you wish here offering Goblinfishes or False kelpfishs, thinking that the fish's ungly faces are funny. Also, it is believed that wishing with an empty wallet placed in front of the shrine would bring fortune to the wallet.

Rōmon

The rōmon is a multistoried gate built sometime after 1600, by the first head of Fukuoka domain, Kuroda Nagamasa.

The stone arched bridge in front of the rōmon is Ikumin-bashi. It cannot be crossed, but in the Yamahome-tanemaki-gyoryō-sai, a priest performs a ritual ceremony of scattering seeds from this bridge. It was destroyed in the 2005 Fukuoka earthquake, and was rebuilt reinforced.

Shikanotsuno-dō

The Shikanotsuno-dō is where more than 10 thousand deer antlers are kept.

It is said Empress Jingū dedicated antlers when she hunted deer in Tsushima, and since then, deer antlers were dedicated to the shrine when prayers were answered.

Kame-ishi and yōhaijo

The yōhaijo is a place to worship Ōtake shrine and Otake shrine on the other side of the sea, those are branch shrines of Shikaumi shrine, and also Ise Grand shrine and the Three Palace Sanctuaries in the east from distance.

The stones placed in the yōhaijo are called "Kame-ishi", meaning "turtle rock". It is said that they were the golden turltes that Shika-myōjin and Katsuma-myōjin were riding when they appeared before the conquest to Silla of Empress Jingū.

Haiden and Honden

The haiden, worship hall, and the honden, main shrine, were built sometime after 1600, by the first head of Fukuoka domain, Kuroda Nagamasa.

The honden is "Nagare-zukuri", a style of gable roof.

The haiden is "Kirizuma-zukuri", a style of gable roof.