Kashima Shrine (鹿島神宮) 鹿島神宮
The Kaname-ishi, tradition says, holds down the head of the earthquake catfish.
Shrine dedicated to Takemikazuchi no Ōkami, a warrior deity revered as the protector of eastern Japan, one of only three shrines in the country already called ‘jingū’ in the Engishiki (together with Ise and Katori). The present complex reflects the restorations commissioned by the Tokugawa: the rōmon of 1634, donated by the first lord of Mito, and the honden buildings of 1619, donated by the second shogun Hidetada, are both Important Cultural Properties. The sacred cypress in the grounds is about 1,300 years old and 40 metres tall.
Ibaraki
Kashima-Jingu
