Hanabushi Jinja Shrine 鼻節神社

Official explanation

This small Shinto shrine, surrounded by trees, overlooks Matsushima Bay from the tip of Hogasaki Cape, not far from Hanabuchi Lighthouse. It is thought to have been established 2,400 years ago on the site where, according to legend, the god of Shiogama Jinja Shrine (located in the nearby city of Shiogama) descended from the heavens.

Another legend tells of two fishermen who were caught in a storm in the waters beyond the shrine. Their small boat sprung a leak, and in desperation, they prayed to the god of Hanabushi Shrine for help. To their surprise, the boat stopped flooding with water, and they made it safely back to shore. When they turned over the boat, they found that the hole had been plugged by a giant abalone (awabi).

Read the full explanation

This divine rescue is celebrated every year in July, when fishermen sail to a reef to pray to the god of Hanabushi Shrine by offering abalone. Afterwards, they return to the shrine, where awabi are cooked and distributed to those who come to witness the sacred ritual.

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.