Awashima Shrine

In the seaside town of Kada, stands a shrine greeted by red halls and countless dolls. Awashima Shrine is regarded as the head shrine of the Awashima, Awashima and Awaji shrines scattered across Japan, and locals call it "Awashima-san." It is known as a place where people pray for women's health, safe childbirth and children, and the scene inside the grounds is unlike most other shrines.

The enshrined deities are Sukunahikona, Onamuchi and Okinaga Tarashihime (Empress Jingu), though the true identity of the Awashima deity is said to be debated. According to tradition, Empress Jingu was caught in a storm on her return from the Korean peninsula and offered the treasures she had brought back to two deities on Kamijima (Awashima) in the Tomogashima islands; Emperor Nintoku later moved the shrine to Kada on the opposite shore. In the Edo period, wandering devotees carried shrines holding dolls of Awashima Myojin around the country, spreading the faith nationwide. The present halls date from 1979, and the main hall is in nagare-zukuri style with a cypress-bark roof.

The greatest sight is the dolls packed around the worship hall and on shelves across the grounds. Hina dolls, Ichimatsu dolls and traditional Japanese dolls sent from all over Japan for memorial rites are joined by maneki-neko, Shigaraki tanuki and Fukusuke dolls, reaching about 20,000 in all. The scene is solemn yet oddly warm. These dolls are not simply displayed; each is offered with its owner's feelings.

The annual events are closely tied to dolls too. On March 3 the Hina-nagashi sends dolls out to sea in a memorial rite. On February 8 needles gathered from across Japan are laid to rest at the needle mound, the Spring Grand Festival is on April 3, the Autumn Grand Festival (also called the Amazake Festival) on October 3, and the Tanabata Festival runs from July 1 to 7. The shrine owns a Kamakura-period gilt-bronze tachi sword and a Hoshi-kabuto helmet, both designated Important Cultural Properties.

Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the grounds. It is a seaside town, so time on the Kada shore after your visit rounds out the trip. Nearby are Tomogashima (about 5 km offshore), Wakayama Castle (about 11 km) and Kuroshio Market (about 17 km); Tomogashima is also considered the origin of the Awashima faith, so a visit there ties the story together.