Tsushima Shrine

Tsushima Shrine in Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture is regarded as the head shrine of about 3,000 Tsushima and Tenno shrines across Japan, and has been widely revered in the Tokai region. Its main deity is Takehaya Susanoo no Mikoto, with Onamuji (Okuninushi) enshrined alongside. Tradition dates its founding to 540, though the real date is unclear. It enjoyed the patronage of the Oda and Toyotomi clans and the Owari Domain.

The main hall, a 1605 donation by the wife of Matsudaira Tadayoshi, and the two-story gate, said to be donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1591, are Important Cultural Properties. The main hall is a valuable example of the Owari-zukuri style. The grounds hold many auxiliary shrines and two ginkgo trees designated as prefectural natural monuments.

The Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival, held in July, features decorated boats and is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property; check the official site for dates. Allow 30 minutes to an hour, and stroll on to Tennogawa Park nearby.