Takachiho Shrine: Iron Guardian Statues and Sacred Stone 高千穂神社：鉄製狛犬、鎮石

Official explanation

Komainu are guardian statues found in pairs at the gates of Shinto shrines and some Buddhist temples. Originally carved from wood and sheltered, the guardian statues were first placed outdoors in the fourteenth century, when they began to be made of stone. The komainu at Takachiho Shrine are distinctive in being made of iron. Their rarity, quality, and cultural value are such that they were given the Important Cultural Property designation in 1971. The statues were dedicated to Takachiho Shrine by first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199). It was here that Yoritomo sent his retainer Hatakeyama Shigetada to pray for future of his rule, and here that the Chichibu Cedar was planted to commemorate that visit.

Another sacred artifact of the shrine is a foundation stone, enshrined to the side of the main sanctuary and known as the shizume-ishi (“quelling stone”). Enclosed within a plain wood lattice structure, the stone is said to possess divine power. Praying to this stone is believed to relieve suffering and quell disorder in the world.

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.