ABOUT
About this spot
Hirota Shrine stands in Taisha-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Its main deity is the rough spirit (aramitama) of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Sumiyoshi, Hachiman, Takeminakata and Takamimusubi are enshrined in the side halls. It was ranked as a Myojin Taisha in the Engishiki and counted among the Twenty-Two Shrines. According to tradition recorded in the Nihon Shoki, the shrine was founded in the era of Empress Jingu. In 1184 Minamoto no Yoritomo is said to have donated the Hirota estate on Awaji Island, and in 1604 Toyotomi Hideyori carried out a large-scale reconstruction. The buildings were lost in the 1945 air raid on Nishinomiya, and the current main hall was completed in 1984. The grounds are wooded and calm, and include the Saiden and Iwashizu subsidiary shrines. The grove of Kobano-mitsuba azaleas, about 20,000 plants, was designated a Hyogo Prefecture natural monument in 1969. Every March, players and staff of the Hanshin Tigers visit to pray for victory before the season. Take a bus from Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station or from Nishinomiya Station and get off at Hirota-jinja-mae; the shrine is a short walk away. Allow about an hour for a relaxed visit.
Last updated October 23, 2026