Unzen Onsen Town Religious History Trail: Onsen-jinja Shrine 雲仙温泉歴史探訪コース：温泉神社

Official explanation

Onsen-jinja Shrine, also called Shimengū Shrine, has existed on Unzen since the early 700s. Four deities are worshipped here, known collectively as the Oshimen: Shirahiwake no Mikoto, Takehiwake no Mikoto, Toyohiwake no Mikoto, and Toyokujihinewake no Mikoto. The Oshimen, venerated as the protectors of Kyushu, are mentioned along with Shimengū Shrine in the Kojiki, one of the first written accounts of the Japanese creation myth.

Shimengū is the head shrine of the 17 smaller Onsen–Shimen shrines on the Shimabara Peninsula. As part of the temple-shrine complex that first developed on Unzen, Shimengū has been the spiritual center of the region for more than a thousand years.

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.