Enoshima Jinja

photo by Aimaimyi · CC BY-SA 3.0

photo by Wei-Te Wong from Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China · CC BY-SA 2.0

Legend has it that the island was born of an earthquake in 552, in just ten days.

The shrine is divided into three parts along the island (Hetsumiya near the entrance, Nakatsumiya halfway up, Okutsumiya at the far end), each dedicated to one of the three divine sisters born of the oath between Amaterasu and Susanoo. The legend of the Enoshima Engi tells how a five-headed dragon, which was starving the village by devouring its children, fell in love at first sight with a goddess who came down from the sky amid thunder and waves: she agreed to marry him only after he promised to protect the village from floods, and since then the goddess has been worshipped here as Benzaiten, while the dragon has his own shrine opposite, on the mainland.

According to tradition it was founded in 552; its oldest part, Okutsumiya, stands where the goddess was originally worshipped in the island's cave. Hetsumiya was founded in 1206 by Minamoto no Sanetomo, Nakatsumiya in 853.

ℹ️ The shrine grounds are always open, with no ticket. The treasure hall (奉安殿), with the two statues of Benzaiten, charges admission and has its own opening hours. Steep climb from the island entrance; a paid escalator (エスカー) is available.

🚉 Katase-Enoshima · 14 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · fujisawa-kanko.jp · intojapanwaraku.com

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