Moriyama Shrine 森山神社

Official explanation

In communities across Japan, the most ancient form for shrines was often a grove or wooded hill, known as a moriyama. This liminal space between human habitation and the higher land rising beyond, where kami are understood to dwell, was used for rituals and other rites. Moriyama Shrine is quite literally just this kind of place. It is the starting point for the township’s semiannual takemairi pilgrimages to Mt. Yoshida, performed after participants have purified themselves with seawater at the beach below. Taokihooi, a deity associated with the manufacture of shrine structures and implements as well as safe childbirth, is worshipped here, as is Benzaiten, patron of music, poetry, and learning, and one of the gods associated with wealth and good fortune.

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Read the full explanation

To book a village tour in Yoshida, visit yakushima.jp online or the Yakushima Environmental and Cultural Village Center in person at:

823-1 Miyanoura

Yakushima-cho, Kumage-gun

Kagoshima-ken 891-4205

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.