Introduction to Okuni Jinja Shrine 小國神社について

Official explanation

Okuni Jinja Shrine, which appears in records from as early as 840 CE, is a Shinto shrine located to the northeast of central Hamamatsu. The shrine stands at a site believed to be a middle ground between the realm of untouched nature and the human world. A long, wide path lined with thick cedars leads the shrine buildings, which are revealed at the end of the passage. A river flows past, and dense forest lies beyond the shrine, encompassing the site as a “garden” in a broad sense of the word. It is place for humans to revere the nature that the shrine protects. While the spirits worshipped at Okuni Jinja are too many to count, the main kami is Okuninushi no Mikoto, who is depicted as kind-hearted and a bringer of blessings. Okuninushi no Mikoto also appears in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), a chronicle of Japanese myths, legends, and oral traditions written in 712 CE.

The Shinto priests at Okuni Jinja hold more than 400 rituals and festivals every year, praying for world peace, tranquility, and bountiful harvests. The public is welcome to watch or participate in a number of these rituals.

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.